Graham Potter's first Chelsea team will be the manager's Champions League debut as manager. It will also be his side's first since losing to Dinamo Zagreb and the maiden match since Thomas Tuchel's shock departure from Stamford Bridge.
It's been a long week and one in which Potter and his staff will have had more preparation time than usual to decide who and how they will attempt to tackle the threat posed by RB Salzburg.
Potter has the chance to give the players out of favour or lost confidence a chance to shine with a full week to prepare for the match and recharge.
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However, just hours until the lineup is announced, Chelsea have already revealed a key aspect of their plans.
In a social media video in which Potter introduces his new backroom staff, the images show parts of the management office, including the perfectly placed tactics whiteboard. On two separate boards are a formation of magnets, and on the other appears to be a depth chart showing which players are in which positions.
Both boards indicate that there won't be much movement away from the staple 3-4-3 seen by Tuchel, though Potter's own rapid tactical ingenuity could see that changed quickly in-game. The formation layout shows a defensive five with two midfielders - Tuchel's double-six - and three attackers. This shouldn't be too much of a shock given Brighton's use of three man defences under Potter. Behind the double six, it looks to have two players in the defensive midfield role in a three man midfield and only one option in the centre or the back three.
Perhaps the more interesting thing is that there are two clear names out of the fray and off the board on the depth chart. This could simply be absentees Edouard Mendy and N'Golo Kante with just two goalkeepers on the board, but it could also be early proof of players that don't have obvious roles in Potter's early stages at Chelsea.
Much more will become apparent when the teams are announced, but maybe in the future, Chelsea will be more careful with what is available to their eagle-eyed fans.
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