Graham Potter has a £600m drawback going through him at Chelsea because the under-pressure head coach prepares for 2 essential matches towards Leeds and Dortmund.

Chelsea have received simply as soon as of their final 11 video games throughout all competitions, scoring simply 4 targets in that point and sit 14 factors behind fourth-placed Tottenham.

Eight January signings totalling over £323m took their spending for the season to greater than £600m and bolstered the squad as much as 31 gamers – nevertheless it has left Potter with a number of complications over what his finest XI is.

Sky Sports makes an attempt to make sense of Chelsea’s choices…

The harm listing

Potter has needed to cope with a staggering harm listing throughout his tenure on the membership, however the variety of unavailable gamers is subsiding.

However, Thiago Silva limped off after just 19 minutes in their 2-0 defeat at Tottenham, suffering knee ligament damage with stories claiming he could possibly be out for so long as six weeks.

N’Golo Kante, although, is nearing a long-awaited return from a hamstring pressure having not performed since August and has returned to coaching. Christian Pulisic can be near being out there following an issue together with his knee sustained in the beginning of January.

Cesar Azpilicueta is present process concussion protocol after being discharged from hospital final week having been kicked within the head towards Southampton.

Another choice in midfield for Potter will likely be Mateo Kovacic, who missed the Spurs recreation by way of sickness however no return date has been set for Edouard Mendy following surgical procedure on a damaged finger in January.

Armando Broja had knee surgical procedure on an harm picked up through the mid-season break and isn’t anticipated to be match once more this time period.

Four on the again vs three on the again

Potter seems to have settled on a 4-2-3-1 formation after initially deploying three on the again, however each techniques have been virtually as unsuccessful as one another.

Of Potter’s 18 Premier League matches, 11 have been with a again 4 and the opposite seven with three. Chelsea have misplaced a recreation extra with 4 in defence, conceded two fewer targets and saved two fewer clear sheets – however three on the again has earned only one victory.

However, taking part in with three central defenders has seen Chelsea rating three extra targets, have extra pictures and have the next xG from a smaller pool of matches.

Reece James and Ben Chilwell each began at right-back and left-back respectively within the defeat to Spurs. In the eight instances once they’ve performed collectively this season, Chelsea have received 4 matches and misplaced two in comparison with 4 wins in 16 when no less than one among them has been lacking.

James and Chilwell have each excelled as wing-backs in earlier seasons and Potter could also be tempted to modify to a again three to accommodate them in these positions, significantly given their struggles in assault with the present system.

Kepa holds No.1 shirt

Kepa Arrizabalaga has nailed down the spot ever since Mendy’s type nosedived initially of the season earlier than he was dropped following Potter’s appointment.

Mendy’s lack of health because the World Cup coupled with beginning in defeats to Arsenal, Man City and Newcastle in November, when Kepa was injured, additional broken his case for the No. 1 shirt.

Kepa’s stats are stronger and present that he has not made an error that has immediately led to a objective, in contrast to Mendy.

Who ought to change Silva?

With Azpilicueta at present injured, there’s even much less of a debate as as to whether James ought to begin at proper again. It’s on the opposite flank the place Potter has a choice to make.

Marc Cucurella has struggled since his £60m transfer from Brighton final August with criticism even extending to the twitter account of co-owner Todd Boehly which appeared to love a tweet of an article stating the left-back was not adequate to play for the membership.

The 24-year-old, who was a sufferer of a housebreaking shortly after becoming a member of Chelsea, was booed by followers final month, however his stats inform a considerably completely different story of his struggles when in comparison with Chilwell.

Cucurella’s numbers are skewed by the very fact he has performed greater than double the minutes of Chilwell within the Premier League so maybe Potter eradicating him from the firing line like towards Tottenham is an indication of issues to return.

The harm to Silva comes as an enormous blow to Chelsea with the Brazil defender their finest centre-back. Kalidou Koulibaly has had a combined time in his debut season, committing 19 fouls which is 11 greater than the subsequent closest in Silva whereas additionally dropping essentially the most aerial duels – however he does outperform Trevoh Chalobah statistically.

Chalobah was not within the squad for the Tottenham defeat regardless of having stable underlying statistics from his 13 Premier League matches. Chelsea have conceded 5 extra targets with out him within the staff than he has began.

Benoit Badiashile has had a greater time in his 5 video games than Wesley Fofana in his 4. Badiashile has made extra tackles, clearances, received extra aerial duels and has higher passing accuracy.

Who ought to companion Fernandez?

Enzo Fernandez has half the quantity of assists (1) than Mason Mount regardless of taking part in 19 fewer Premier League matches. The British-record signing has impressed in his 4 Premier League run-outs, however he cannot make Chelsea tick all by himself.

Conor Gallagher, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Denis Zakaria and Carney Chukwuemeka are the choices out there to Potter for Fernandez’s companion.

Gallagher has performed essentially the most matches (21) in comparison with Kovacic (16) and Loftus-Cheek (16), and has made essentially the most tackles. But Kovacic has received possession essentially the most within the center third and is a lot better on the ball, finishing 591 passes. Potter could choose the management he can convey.

Kante has performed simply twice this season though his power and ball-winning functionality will make a powerful case for inclusion whereas Chukwuemeka and Zakaria have had restricted minutes and clearly aren’t to be trusted but.

Mudryk in a muddle

The £88m Mykhailo Mudryk has didn’t impress in 5 Premier League appearances by not creating an opportunity, not having a shot heading in the right direction and finishing simply two dribbles.

Chelsea’s different new winger, Noni Madueke, a £29m January signing, has additionally made no influence though does no less than have two pictures heading in the right direction to his title.

Joao Felix has fared higher with 15 pictures and one objective whereas Raheem Sterling is the main huge participant with 4 targets and two assists. He additionally has essentially the most pictures heading in the right direction and most dribbles.

Potter’s religion in Hakim Ziyech seems misplaced. The Morocco winger is but to attain and has produced one help in 13 appearances, Mount is out in entrance by way of minutes performed (1640) but his season has been unproductive seeing simply 9 pictures heading in the right direction from 32 of which solely three have gone in.

Christian Pulisic has had acquainted issues with harm though of the six video games he is began, Chelsea have received three and misplaced two. But with Felix and Sterling additionally vying for the left-wing spot, the American stays down the pecking order.

For all of the discuss of Chelsea’s striker drawback, their lack of creativity from midfield and huge areas is obvious.

Keep religion in Kai

With 5 targets and one help, Kai Havertz stays Chelsea’s first-choice striker forward of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and new signing David Fofana. Havertz additionally affords a risk within the air with 54 aerial duels received and 21 headed clearances.

Aubameyang has scored as soon as and never registered an help, having solely 10 pictures, and was omitted from Chelsea’s Champions League squad.

Fofana has performed simply an hour of soccer since becoming a member of in January with two pictures heading in the right direction from three.

The line-ups:

4-2-3-1: Kepa; James, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Chilwell; Fernandez, Kovacic; Sterling, Mount, Felix; Havertz.

3-4-2-1: Kepa; Chalobah, Koulibaly, Badiashile; James, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell; Felix, Sterling; Havertz.

Chelsea’s next five fixtures…

Saturday March 4: Leeds (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm

Tuesday March 7: Borussia Dortmund (H) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm

Saturday March 11: Leicester (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm

Saturday March 18: Everton (H) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, reside on Sky Sports

Saturday April 1: Aston Villa (H) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, reside on Sky Sports