Swansea vs. Chelsea: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape Premier League Game
As Chelsea aspire to win back-to-back games in the Premier League for the first time since Boxing Day, their match with Swansea City contains a few interesting subplots.
Selling Wilfried Bony to Manchester City—direct title rivals with Chelsea—Garry Monk has given away his best attacking piece; however, with the Africa Cup of Nations, Bony was never going to play a part this month, but how the Swans play knowing their talisman has been sold is of note.
From Jose Mourinho's perspective, he has three key areas to monitor. The first being Cesar Azpilicueta's injury. Filipe Luis is a more-than capable replacement for the Spanish full-back, so no need to fret too much at left-back.
His two biggest decisions derive from last week's team selection. Fresh faces, Petr Cech and Kurt Zouma, played nearly flawless matches vs. Newcastle United and did nothing to warrant replacement.
Not to be overlooked, Chelsea's League Cup semi-final vs. Liverpool next week may be taken into account when Mourinho chooses his starting XI—as Thibaut Courtois and Gary Cahill have been staples in the Blues' first-choice outfit.
Will Thibaut Coutois Be 'Rested,' 'Benched' or 'Dropped' for Petr Cech?
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Were one listening to chatter surrounding this fixture, they might wrongly assume Thibaut Courtois' injured thumb had been separated from his body in an accident with heavy machinery.
The Telegraph's Matt Law has suggested Courtois' inclusion in Jose Mourinho's starting XI vs. Swansea City has little hope of materialising—and Petr Cech is likely to start. Interestingly, the Belgian international was on Chelsea's bench vs. Newcastle United, and has had one full week to recover—yet it seems his condition has worsened.
Surely if the thumb injury he suffered vs. Tottenham Hotspur was so debilitating, he would not have been included in Mourinho's 18-man team sheets vs. both Watford and Newcastle.
Having a second-choice goalkeeper the quality of Petr Cech certainly makes any question surrounding injury simple, but what appears more plausible is after Courtois' questionable decision-making vs. Southampton and letting in five goals vs. Spurs, Mourinho decided to give his trusted general Cech an opportunity between the sticks.
Almost forced into starting Courtois this season—at the risk of losing him to another club—Mourinho may not admit this, but he probably has greater faith in Cech to keep clean sheets than the budding Belgian.
How Does Bafetimbi Gomis Respond to the Departure of Wilfried Bony?
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Receiving £28 million from Manchester City in exchange for the services of Wilfried Bony on 14 January, Swansea City have now given their centre-forward reins to former Olympique Lyonnais man Bafetimbi Gomis; but for how long is the question.
According to the Daily Mail's Simon Jones, Crystal Palace are interested in the French forward (they are managed by Alan Pardew, so no wonder) at the cost of £9.3 million, along with German sides Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund.
Signing on a free transfer this summer, any deal above £7 million would seem great business by the Welsh side. In any event, the 29-year-old striker will not be sold by Saturday's game vs. Chelsea, and the Blues must find a way to keep him quiet.
Gomis has scored just once in 17 Premier League matches (12 of those appearances coming off the bench), but given confidence by Swansea's decision to sell their main "No. 9," the Frenchman's ambition to hold his new place should be evident against Jose Mourinho's club.
A powerful customer, with terrific aerial prowess, how John Terry, Gary Cahill or fellow countryman Kurt Zouma go about marshaling him will determine how the points are distributed.
Can Chelsea Avoid a Consecutive Slow Start?
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Removing the brilliant thinking shown by Branislav Ivanovic and Willian, Chelsea would have entered halftime vs. Newcastle United at 0-0—deserving to trail by at least one goal.
Oscar latching onto a cross from the Serbian defender, after a quick corner from Willian, gave the Blues calm last Saturday—making three points far easier to capture in the second half. Another first half performance like the one witnessed on 10 January, however, and Chelsea might not escape from Swansea City's Liberty Stadium as fortunate.
Chelsea have largely been a team of two halves this season. Rarely have Jose Mourinho's side put together a complete 90 minutes of top-quality football, and their last few away performances have shown just that.
At St. Mary's Stadium vs. Southampton, Chelsea were held scoreless in the second half; and away to Tottenham, they were blitzed after taking a 1-0 lead—dropping five points combined.
If the Blues want to extend their gap atop the Premier League table, they must begin dominating outside of Stamford Bridge. With Manchester City playing Arsenal on Sunday, an opportunity to widen their margin of error looks tenable.
What cannot happen vs. the Swans is another sluggish beginning.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.
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