Conte simply must start these 2 Chelsea players against Leicester City on Saturday
Britain Football Soccer - Chelsea v West Ham United - Premier League - Stamford Bridge - 15/8/16 Chelsea manager Antonio Conte celebrates with Diego Costa at the end of the match Action Images via Reuters / Tony O'Brien Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
A few tough calls await Antonio Conte ahead of this weekend’s clash against Leicester City…
Chelsea have been performing well in recent weeks, but with the season now at its halfway point – it might be time for the Blues’ boss to make some changes.
The January transfer window is often a period of change in personnel off the field, but Antonio Conte would be wise to look at his matchday squad as he looks to improve his already impressive team.
Leicester City will be a tough opposition, but the Blues are expected to be dominant – meaning that the game will require a different type of personnel than was used against Tottenham a couple of weeks ago.
The core of the team will, of course, stay the same, as it always does – but a few changes could be necessary for Conte’s men to get the win. Whilst Chelsea do not have any confirmed injury concerns to their regular starters, circumstance could force Conte’s hand – with a couple of non-starters potentially getting a chance from the beginning.
With that said, Conte simply must start these 2 Chelsea players against Leicester City on Saturday…
Nathan Ake
It would be a shock to see Nathan Ake come in to the Chelsea team straight away, but Antonio Conte may have little choice.
According to the Evening Standard, the main motivation for bringing Ake back into the fold was because of injury fears over Marcos Alonso, who has reportedly been playing through the pain barrier as of late.
If Alonso really is injured and is struggling, he needs to take time off – as otherwise, the injury will just worsen. This could have catastrophic consequences as the season continues.
Ake is perfectly capable and would do well against Leicester City. If Alonso is fit, he should play – but all signs point towards the notion that he isn’t.
If that’s the case – give Ake a chance.
Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas is not a regular starter for Chelsea, but he has been given more of a chance in recent weeks – and that must continue going forward.
The Spaniard is Chelsea’s key when playing defensive sides, with his ability to carve open defences with a single pass a hugely underrated trait.
He has come on and made a real impact a few times this season, and Leicester City represent the perfect opposition for him.
The Claudio Ranieri-led unit are hard to break down, but as we have seen so many times before – Fabregas and Costa’s link up play is often unstoppable.