It will be very interesting to see what Chelsea FC manager Frank Lampard does with his first team selection tomorrow night. Will it be a 4-3-3 or a 3-4-3 formation at Ajax in UEFA Champions League group stage competition? Who starts in the wings and midfield when the Blues take to the pitch in Amsterdam?

What about youngsters Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic, who made major contributions in the weekend win over Newcastle United- will those strong performances earn them a starting XI nod here?

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Chelsea FC have a very tough out tomorrow night when they visit Ajax for a Champions League group stage clash.  In Ajax, the Blues are facing a side that’s unbeaten across all competitions since July, a streak that spans 18 games. The UCL semifinalist last season currently sits at the top of the Eredivisie table.

However, Chelsea have some momentum of their own right now, as they are unbeaten in their last five. Frank Lampard’s rebuilding project, which stresses youth and establishing a direction for the future, seems to really be taking shape now.
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It’s the toughest UEFA Champions League group stage outing this time around, at least on paper, for Chelsea FC as they head to Ajax in midweek. The dutch side and semifinalist in last year’s competition currently tops group H, with the Chelsea third. The Blues are behind Valencia, by virtue of their loss which is the tie-breaker.

It’s going to be a tough challenge for Frank Lampard’s men, but it will be made even more challenging given how the west London side will be without several key players in this one.

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Chelsea got off to a rough start this season, but they seem to be progressing along and finding their stride now. Things should only get better, at least in theory, with stellar young forward Callum Hudson-Odoi now being fully re-integrated into the mix.

He returned from the serious knee injury he suffered in April just before the international break, and he scored twice for the England U21s this week. He’s in line for a start on Saturday when the Blues host Newcastle United.

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Saturday’s Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Chelsea FC is a match up of two sides fighting hard for two very different qualifications. The Blues, level on points with fourth place Leicester City but behind on goal differential, are knocking on the door of the top four.

They’ll host the Magpies who are looking to keep their heads above the relegation waters. Fresh off a victory over Manchester United, they should have a fair amount of confidence when they head to west London. Let’s run through the team news for both sides.

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Early on in his Chelsea career, one could possibly say “you can take Christian Pulisic out of the United States Men’s National Team, but you can’t take the USMNT out of Pulisic.” Now the extremely talented young winger is struggling massively all around.

For both club and country, one could easily describe Pulisic (and the USMNT program at large) by invoking this quote from Ernest Hemingway: “the world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”

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French striker Olivier Giroud and American winger Christian Pulisic have a major career issue in common- both are currently buried on the depth chart at Chelsea, despite being talented, well known players.

Both are upset about the lack of playing time they’re getting at Stamford Bridge too. For Giroud, it’s very hard to unseat young centre forward Tammy Abraham, the Premier League’s co-leader in scoring (with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero). Michy Batshuayi is in the mix too. For Pulisic, well, there’s a host of player at a couple different positions.

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N’Golo Kante may be Chelsea FC’s most important, and best talented overall player on the roster. Especially so after the departure of Eden Hazard. However, he’s struggled for playing time this season, the first campaign of the Frank Lampard era, due to a series of nagging injuries. The Blues have been alright for the most part though, as they have a lot of depth in midfield, and plenty of talented, young up-and-comers.

The 2016-17 PFA Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season is currently on international duty with France, and he picked up another injury during training. However, it’s not serious, and he may even see action Monday night for the world champions, when they take on Turkey.

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The U.S. national team is preparing to face Cuba tomorrow night, and then Canada on Tuesday, in CONCACAF Nations League action. They’ll do so with the face of their franchise/best player, Christian Pulisic, struggling massively right now in his club career.

Pulisic has said all the right things, vowing to fight for his right to play at Chelsea FC. but it’s quite clear that Blues boss Frank Lampard would not have brought Pulisic over if given the chance, (Pulisic was signed by his predecessor Maurizio Sarri) and he’s made it known that the American is lower down on the selection pecking order.

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Christian Pulisic has a “major issue” at Chelsea. That’s according to ex-Chelsea striker Chris Sutton, who maintains that manager Frank Lampard would not have bought the American, had the opportunity been presented to him.

The 21-year-old, who has brought over by Lampard’s predecessor, Maurizio Sarri, has produced when given the chance, as evidenced by his four assists. However, there just doesn’t seem to be a way into the team right now, given all the depth and talent the Blues have at the wings and midfield positions.

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