Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said yesterday that he felt his club made a strong case for their nil-nil draw at Wolves to be postponed. Given how short-handed Chelsea currently are, due to the UK covid crisis, Tuchel certainly has a point, but the league just didn’t listen
“We applied for not playing. It was rejected… it is very hard to understand it, we are concerned about the health of the players,” the German said before Sunday’s league fixture. His side remains depleted when they travel to Brentford to take on the Bees in a League Cup quarterfinal clash.
Chelsea at Brentford (EFL Cup) FYIs
Kickoff: Wed Dec 22, 7:45 pm, Brentford Community Stadium
Chelsea team news: go here
All-time series: Chelsea wins 9, Brentford wins 4, Draws 2
Brentford form guide (Premier League): WDLWD
Chelsea form guide (all competitions): DDWDL
In their entire history, the Bees have beaten the Blues just four times, with their last win coming way back in 1939. In other words, Chelsea should be able to take care of business here, even with all the selection issues that they currently must contend with.
Tuchel’s 3-5-2 formation kind of actually picks itself here. As it is the Carabao Cup, expect some squad rotation, where possible. The German will have to pick some starters though, out of neccessity.
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction at Brentford FC (EFL Cup)
Kepa Arrizabalaga; Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger; Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic, Saul Niguez, Reece James; Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic
Prediction: Chelsea 1, Brentford 0
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.