Chelsea embark on their first pre-season friendly under the hotly-anticipated stewardship of Frank Lampard, taking on Bohemians FC in Dublin.
A 22-man squad made up mainly of returning loanees, and peripheral figures from Maurizio Sarri’s ill-fated reign initially travelled to Ireland in order to prepare for the new season and prove their worth to the new manager.
Following three days of intensive training, said players were then joined by more senior figures such as David Luiz, who had been involved with their respective national teams.
Whilst still missing a few key players, Lampard will feel his side are more than ready to kick off their pre-season in style.
In terms of the team the new boss opts to pick for tomorrow night’s friendly, there will more than likely be an emphasis on giving certain players a chance to prove their critics wrong and stake a claim for more game time in the upcoming campaign.
Therefore, pivotal members of the squad, such as N’Golo Kante and Kepa Arrizabalaga, will probably not be risked. Lampard has previously looked to use a 4-2-3-1 formation while at Derby County, and it is presumed he will persist with that system for now, unless it arises that the squad he has at his disposal are drastically unsuited to said style of play.
Here is how we expect the Blues to line up.
