Shrewsbury vs. Chelsea: Key Issues and Decisions That Will Shape Cup Game

Chelsea will travel to League Two side Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday looking to extend their Capital One Cup run to the fifth round.

The Blues are unbeaten in all competitions so far in 2014-15, but Jose Mourinho will not take victory for granted. While the Capital One Cup is not Chelsea’s priority this season, it is a competition that holds a lot of sentimental value for Mourinho.

While this fixture looks like an easy win for the Blues, the Special One will be well aware of the danger of complacency, and he will also have to work around several key issues. 

Fatigue

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Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday evening, and it is highly unlikely that all of the players who featured in that game will make the trip to Shrewsbury.

With a derby game against QPR ahead at the weekend, Mourinho will be forced into balancing the needs of his squad with his desire to win a trophy, a task made more difficult by...

Injuries

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Despite speculation that his injury was a classic Mourinho bluff, Diego Costa was unavailable for the trip to Old Trafford.

It is highly unlikely that the Special One was saving him for a trip to Shrewsbury Town on a cold Tuesday, and his continued absence is a cause for concern.

While Didier Drogba scored his first Premier League goal since returning to the club this summer, the 36-year-old will not be able to play the full 90 minutes less than 48 hours after facing United.

With Loic Remy also sidelined with a muscular problem, Mourinho will be faced with the choice of starting 17-year-old Dominic Solanke or playing Andre Schurrle as an inside-forward, neither of which is an ideal scenario. 

Suspensions

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To compound their striking problems, Chelsea will also find themselves light in defence, with both Cesar Azpilicueta and Branislav Ivanovic unavailable due to suspension.

Having no natural right-backs to choose from will force Mourinho into starting Kurt Zouma in his less-favoured position, while Andreas Christensen is likely to replace John Terry at centre-half.

The thrown-together nature of this back four could cause Chelsea problems, especially when the rest of the side will also suffer heavy rotation. 

Cohesion

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Chelsea are likely to stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation that has seen them go unbeaten so far this season, but Tuesday’s lineup will see several unfamiliar faces fill in.

Petr Cech should return in goal behind Zouma, Christensen, Cahill and Filipe Luis, while Nathan Ake could replace Nemanja Matic in midfield. Ramires could make his return from injury alongside the Dutchman, otherwise it will be John Obi Mikel who completes the holding midfield.

Andre Schurrle’s brief appearance against Manchester United indicated that he will make the starting XI for this crucial cup match, while Mohamed Salah should also be handed his second start of the season.

With so many changes to the starting lineup in such a short space of time, it could be difficult for Chelsea to find their rhythm against a side who will be motivated by the prospect of taking down one of the biggest clubs in the competition. 

David vs. Goliath

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Despite the changes that Mourinho will be forced to make to his starting XI, there will still be several superstars on display for the Blues. However, they will be playing in entirely unfamiliar circumstances, with Shrewsbury’s New Meadow stadium holding a maximum capacity of 9,865 supporters.

As well as the home advantage, the Shrews have also had an extra 24 hours to recover ahead of this tie, and their run of four straight wins in the league has brought a boost of confidence at a crucial time.

If Chelsea are to advance in the competition, they will need to ensure that they maintain their focus and refuse to give the home side any opportunities to cause an upset.