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Football London
Football London
Sport
Adam Newson

Jorginho dropped, big Lukaku decision - Predicted Chelsea team vs Al Hilal at the Club World Cup

Kai Havertz perhaps said it best ahead of Chelsea's Club World Cup semi-final against Al Hilal in Abu Dhabi: "We're not here to do a holiday," the German said, "we're here to win."

Expectation has been placed upon Chelsea to do just that. It's understandable as to why. The Blues are European champions and one of the most powerful clubs in world football – they also possess a squad the envy of every other club in the tournament.

Even without Thomas Tuchel on the touchline due to the German's positive Covid test last Friday, few expect Chelsea to return from the UAE without the Club World Cup in hand. To do that, they'll have to overcome Al Hilal tomorrow and then Brazilian club Palmeiras in the final.

"Through the years, we've seen many, many world-class players, managers, and everybody at the club try to help increase the trophy cabinet of this club and we are part of it," Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta said ahead of the game.

"When the time arrives, you want to make the most of it. It's true we have our own opportunity to create history and to win a trophy nobody has won at Chelsea. Hopefully, we are the ones to do it."

Chelsea's coaching staff are in constant communication with Tuchel and the German will almost certainly be involved when it comes to selecting the starting XI for today's game with Al Hilal.

There is more than one big decision to make, including who starts in goal. Kepa Arrizabalaga has spent the past month between the posts with Edouard Mendy away winning the African Cup of Nations with Senegal, but Chelsea's first-choice stopper will rejoin the squad ahead of the game.

"We'll see how tired he is," Zsolt Low, who undertook media duties in the absence of Tuchel, said yesterday. "He has to arrive first, we have to check him and talk to him. We'll see if it's possible he plays, maybe."

Mendy featured on Sunday for Senegal in the AFCON final and was travelled to his country's capital, Dakar, on Monday to celebrate the Lions of Teranga's maiden victory at the tournament.

So while the 29-year-old may be fit, he is unlikely to be game-ready and it's for that reason Kepa should start once more.

Another big point of debate is whether Chelsea go with a back four in defence or utilise a back three with wing-backs, something Tuchel wasn't able to do prior to the international break with Andreas Christensen and Trevoh Chalobah absent.

Given the Blues are favourites to progress, a more attack-minded approach is likely to be favoured and that means going with a four-man backline to ensure another forward can be selected.

On the right, Cesar Azpilicueta should start once more with Reece James ruled out due despite travelling with the first-team squad. Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva are likely to be named as the two centre-backs while Marcos Alonso, having scored at the weekend, is expected to come in for Malang Sarr at left-back.

Having played 120 minutes against Plymouth, Jorginho may step out of the side and N'Golo Kante should come into the midfield as he missed the FA Cup fourth-round clash.

Mateo Kovacic is the obvious candidate to start alongside the Frenchman in midfield given the Croatian has been one of Chelsea's standout performers this term.

Mason Mount, fitness permitting, should be in the starting XI but whether that is in a midfield role, on the right of the attack, or on the left is never easy to predict.

This could be a game for Tuchel and his coaching staff to return to the 4-2-2-2 Chelsea used in January and that would see Mount on the left and Hakim Ziyech on the right.

Romelu Lukaku, who needs to produce a big performance, would then lead the line alongside another forward and that should be Kai Havertz, who has struggled for regular game time since the turn of the year.

Predicted Chelsea side: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Silva, Alonso; Kante, Kovacic; Ziyech, Mount; Lukaku, Havertz

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