Despite a poor start to the season Chelsea are still strongly represented by nations all over the world and will likely be a club with one of the most players partaking at the winter World Cup later this year.
The final international break before the tournament starts is underway with there now being a gap for new manager Graham Potter to prepare at Cobham in despite a handful of first team stars remaining at home.
It comes at a good time for Chelsea who have faltered through the opening weeks of the season, winning just three matches and sitting bottom of their Champions League group after two matches. This hasn't stopped Gareth Southgate from standing by his Chelsea stars though with Mason Mount, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling and Reece James all travelling with the Three Lions.
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The group were the only Chelsea representation at England in last summer's Euro 2020, Raheem Sterling also being involved but as a Manchester City player at the time, whilst a host of former players also made the cut this time with Tammy Abraham being recalled, Marc Guehi remaining in contention and Fikayo Tomori also involved.
James and Sterling have arguably been two of Chelsea's best performers so far this season, with the winger scoring four times and assisting once. James himself has a goal and an assist from the right hand-side; Chilwell, however, has been in a fight for his position with the arrival of Marc Cucurella and his recovery from injury this summer.
That hasn't stopped the 25-year-old making Graeme Souness' starting XI though. "I’ve gone with [Jordan] Pickford in goal, a back-three of [John] Stones, [Eric] Dier in the middle of a back-three with [Kyle] Walker," Souness said on talkSPORT. "Wing-backs of [Ben] Chilwell on the left and Reece James on the right.
"In the middle, [Declan] Rice and [Jude] Bellingham, then up front, [Raheem] Sterling, Kane and [Phil] Foden."
The most notable omission here is Mount. The attacker hasn't had a good start to the campaign, failing to register a goal so far this season whilst only getting one assist and eventually being dropped by Thomas Tuchel.
Mount was the most used player of all Chelsea stars last summer, playing five times. James played just one match, Chilwell didn't get onto the pitch - something that set him back going into last season. His poor start to the season could be set to cost him for England though, unlike Chilwell who has been backed over Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw.
Shaw was the favoured choice for most of the Euros with Kieran Trippier also playing on that side. A goal and two assists in his minimal game time this season has shown his quality again though and made a statement for Southgate.
Meanwhile, James' strengths at the back and going forward saw him get the nod from Souness in front of Trent Alexander-Arnold, which the former midfielder explained, adding: "Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool has been highlighted as not a very good defender but going forward there’s no one better. If you need to chase the game you’re getting Trent on because of his delivery."
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