Garnacho starts, injury return, new signing - Chelsea dream XI after international break

11 hours ago 24

Enzo Maresca does not like the transfer window. In fact, of his nine Premier League losses as Chelsea manager, five of them have come either whilst the summer or January window is open, or within three weeks of them closing.

There may or may not be something to that. Maresca has been public with his distaste of the window and the effects on his squad. When you are at Chelsea, the impact is even bigger - certainly in the last few years.

The noise is louder at Stamford Bridge, the attention is increased. Criticism is rife, questions are constant, and Maresca, as the head coach, is the man to front up.

Whether this spills onto the pitch is another matter. It will feel right that a break from club football follows the end of the transfer window for Maresca more than most, though.

He last faced the media before the true chaos of the final weekend started. That would follow his injury update on Liam Delap and became a subsequent dash to find a striker.

Now, with Chelsea heading into a week of internationals before the return of Premier League action on Saturday, September 13, Maresca can take stock. Those readily available to him have not changed massively in terms of personnel but that does not mean his preferred team will not fluctuate.

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Of his favoured XI towards the end of last season, Maresca is without Levi Colwill, Noni Madueke, and Nicolas Jackson. Elsewhere, much remains the same.

Robert Sanchez is his first-choice goalkeeper and has guarded off any brief competition from Filip Jorgensen with relative ease. Supporters will continue to question how this is still the case but the reality remains; it is.

His backline is also the same, minus the injured Colwill. Reece James and Malo Gusto are in at right-back whilst Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah have formed a fine partnership in the centre.

Marc Cucurella is the undoubted left-back with Jorrel Hato arriving to provide him some cover. Hato can also play in the middle when needed.

The only real swap Maresca is likely to consider at this stage is putting Wesley Fofana in for a start. He has only come off the bench for a single cameo this season after going four months on the treatment table.

With the benefit of two more weeks to build up his fitness, Fofana could find himself in the team sooner rather than later. He offers something different to Tosin or Chalobah with extreme speed and dribbling from the back.

Onto midfield, and it is impossible to take out Moises Caicedo. He is the glue for the whole side. Although Maresca does have suitable alternatives when needed, Caicedo is perhaps the most important player in the team.

He has built a relationship with Enzo Fernandez over the past few seasons but Andrey Santos is fighting for a spot. Fernandez has not hit the ground running so far and was not selected for Lionel Scaloni's Argentina squad during the break either.

Whilst a rest from matches could do Fernandez some good and will make him fresher than Caicedo or Santos, who have travelled to South America and will not return until late with serious jet lag, prompting a genuine dilemma. Santos will feel he is more than worthy of a first start and can add some industry if he gets the nod at Brentford.

If there is a battle for places in midfield then it increases in attack. Cole Palmer, when fit, plays every game and most minutes. However, he has been on a dry run in front of goal and has one goal from open play in the league this calendar year.

Joao Pedro's arrival had been with the intention of providing him some genuine backup but Delap's injury might put that to the side for now. Palmer will surely appreciate the break as he misses England duty in order to recover back at Cobham.

He will want to play as much as possible but has also had a full-on two years since moving to Chelsea and could do with this sort of rest. If he is back after the break then he starts.

That leaves Joao Pedro to operate up front. He has been playing in Palmer's No.10 role for the last two matches and does link well with a striker around him but is also more than adept at playing the role himself.

On the wings, there are four main options for just two spots. Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian are aiming to tie down the right side with Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens now competing on the left.

Facundo Buonanotte is a versatile player able to come in at anywhere across the frontline when called. A first-choice has not quite presented itself, though.

Estevao will fancy his chances after such a bright start to life at Chelsea but Neto ended last season as the most in-form attacker in the squad. Such is the versatility in the squad, Neto can play from the left as well as up front (which may be required). Estevao has played as a No.10 as well.

Off the left, Gittens has shown flashes but is also much more raw than Garnacho. With Premier League-proven experience behind him, the former Manchester United man will back himself to start after the break.