Tottenham vs. Chelsea: How the Blues Should Line Up in Premier League Game
On pace for 92 points, Chelsea appear favourites to win the Premier League crown come season's end; their quest for English dominance begins its second half on New Year's Day vs. Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea draws vs. Manchester City, Manchester United and Sunderland have been responded to with three home victories, amassing a goal difference of seven. Splitting points with Southampton on the south coast, the Blues will need another reply to adversity after dropping two points on 28 December.
The London clubs met on 3 December, with the Blues comfortably handling Spurs 3-0 at Stamford Bridge; as the schedule mirrors, however, Jose Mourinho's side must attempt to earn a result at White Hart Lane. Chelsea have not lost a Premier League match at Tottenham's home ground since 2009/10, but issued two red cards in their last four trips, they are normally cagey affairs.
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How Mourinho deploys his troops has been a constant source of consternation this season. It is clear the Chelsea boss prefers a set XI, but the plethora of matches increases the need for change.
With a relatively straightforward FA Cup match vs. Watford on 4 January, one might expect—barring injury—no deviation from Mourinho's preferred XI to start 2015.
Didier Drogba was a man on form in the first Chelsea vs. Tottenham derby of the season—assisting Eden Hazard's first goal and scoring another in the stead of yellow-card suspended Diego Costa—but the Ivorian's inclusion for the second instalment is doubtful. All of Costa's 13 goals this season have come in the Premier League, as such the Brazilian-born Spaniard will likely lead Mourinho's line come Thursday's Tottenham examination.
When rotation was needed in his squad after Boxing Day's expedient turnaround, Mourinho used Andre Schurrle, John Obi Mikel and Filipe Luis at St. Mary's Stadium: lending Oscar, Willian and Cesar Azpilicueta a rest period. Schurrle, though, was ineffective and Willian was brought on at halftime. Obviously unimpressed with the German's performance, the Portuguese allowing Willian to miss consecutive starts seems extremely unlikely.
Short of Cesc Fabregas' creativity in deep-lying midfield and the diligence of Oscar in central attacking areas, Mourinho altering his side's midfield appears apt. Mikel may find himself on the bench, replaced by Oscar in the "No. 10" role, as Fabregas retreats further back alongside Nemanja Matic in the double pivot.
If there is one location where places could shift from their 2014 norm, Azpilicueta returning in the place of Branislav Ivanovic at right full-back may be the position. The Serbian international has not missed an EPL start this season, however, and there are no hints of 2015 starting an opposite trend of sorts.
Thibaut Courtois (who has had only one save to make since Boxing Day) should take precedence in between the sticks, as the Belgian will—all but certainly—watch Petr Cech from the sideline in Sunday's FA Cup fixture.
Their Christmas gift coming three days late, as Manchester City dropped two points to Burnley at the Etihad, Chelsea should not expect to be so lucky as the season reaches its summit.
Manuel Pellegrini's men will be looking for every scrap the Blues drop from the proverbial dinner table. Mourinho and Co. will need to be ever-vigilant in keeping or extending the distance they have established over the season's terrific first-half performance.
In returning the Premier League trophy to west London—after a lengthy five-year hiatus—Chelsea's first step in this new year will be sending a definitive message at Tottenham Hotspurs' White Hart Lane: Dropped points are anomalous, not habitual.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.
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