As new manager Thomas Tuchel enters what will be just his second game in charge at Chelsea FC, at home against Burnley FC on Sunday, it will be very interesting to see what kind of team he picks, and how he manages his squad rotations.
Midfielder Mason Mount was one of Frank Lampard’s favorite players, as he came up along with him from Derby County, but he was limited to just a seven minute appearance in the goalless draw against Wolves. Tuchel explained why he benched Christian Pulisic, one of the two players he has coached before (Thiago Silva is the other) after the match.
Chelsea vs Burnley FYIs
Kickoff: 12pm GMT Sun. Jan 31, Stamford Bridge
Team news for both sides: go here
Odds: Chelsea win -278, Draw +375, Burnley win +750
Head to Head: Chelsea wins 9, Draws 3, Burnley wins 1
TV: BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate
Streaming: BT Sport website or BT Sport app
Basically, the new boss knows what he has already in certain players, so now he’s trying to figure out the rest of the roster. There are many reasons why the German was hired, but chief among them is getting the most out of his vastly underwhelming countrymen Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.
Both have been expensive flops thus far, so we’ll see if the new gaffer can get them turned around or not.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction (4-3-3) vs Burnley FC
Mendy; James, Zouma, Silva, Chilwell; Mount, Kovacic, Havertz; Pulisic, Hudson-Odoi, Werner
Prediction: Chelsea 2, Burnley 0
The Clarets fell 3-0 in the reverse fixture on Halloween, the match that saw Pulisic get hurt in the warmups. It also saw Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, and Kurt Zouma put the ball in the net, and we’re thinking somebody, somewhere will find a way for the hosts here.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.