Match Preview: Chelsea vs. Real Madrid
Join us for Chelsea vs. Real Madrid Live Watch Along!
Hello Everyone!
Super excited to bring you another one of the live watch alongs were bringing to the SPTC platform. Chelsea have their second of three matches against title winners from last season against Real Madrid. You can join the stream below starting at 5:45 PM (CT)/ 11:45 PM (UK) here.
A couple of things that I am interested to see tonight.
Does Carney Chukwuemeka play?
Weirdly enough Carney has not featured in the last few matches, and unless its because of an injury I am starting to get a little concerned. Obviously the squad is extremely bloated at this point so getting everyone match time isn’t going to be easy, but I am a getting a little concerned about the release clause of £40m that was mentioned before and the rumors circulating about him potentially being loaned. Carney needs to play and I think honestly if he isn’t going to get the gametime required than he needs to be playing in some way.
Will Chelsea go back to the Lavia and Caicedo pairing?
Enzo Maresca’s first opportunity to put all three of his expensive midfielders was lackluster to say the least. Instead of utilizing one of the traditional fullbacks to invert into the midfield Maresca decided to put Moises Caicedo into the midfield. Caicedo was not very good, but I don’t think that should off put Maresca from trying that again. Both players compliment each other extremely well and they have excellent passing range, I would like to see that partnership get more opportunities early on as I think that we could be seeing those two a lot.
When does Chelsea start to phase Reece James out before his suspension?
Reece James will be out the first three matches of the season due to his red card that he picked up against Brighton at the tail end of last season. Maresca will have to decide how he plans on altering his team based on James’ absence. As Reece James hasn’t been inverting in the last few matches I suspect that replacing him with Tosin at RCB would be the best option. This allows you to play Levi Colwill in the CCB position which I feel is best for him and Benoit Badiashile at LCB.
Overall this should be another great test for Maresca’s group and hopefully in this match and the Inter Milan friendly we see some of the players that we should expect to see in that first match against Manchester City.
As always it would be great if we could see some of you in the live watch along tomorrow night!
~CFCDP (Dylan)