Starting XI for Next Season

[Tomo 21,681]

Im not sure about a Matic, Fabregas pivot, I fear the partnership falls into the better on paper than in practice category.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Courtois

Azpi Cahill Terry Luis

Matic

Willian Cesc Hazard

Drogba Costa

Hmm don't think we'll see this one. If we're going to play with 2 strikers it's probably going to be the 3-5-2 we played last season at times.

Courtois

Azpi Terry Cahill

Willian Matic Luis

Cesc Hazard

Costa Drogba

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Im not sure about a Matic, Fabregas pivot, I fear the partnership falls into the better on paper than in practice category.

I'm not at all sure Fabregas will play in the pivot. Can see us playing 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1 with Matic as the single pivot, or 4-2-3-1 with Cesc as #10. I'm very curious to see where Jose would use Cesc in the upcoming friendly. It should give us some clue. If Jose intends to use Fabregas-Matic pivot this season, it would make sense to try it in the pre-season match too. If he does, we'll see how well it works soon enough.

[stroey 2,525]

After the WC, if Schurrle keeps up his form, I think he's a better player than Willian. Just my opinion

Better than Oscar, not better than Willian.

[nyikolajevics 2,428]

Better than Oscar, not better than Willian.

Oscar is a CAM, Schürrle have never played(and probably never will) behind the striker, he is a winger so I don't understand the comparison. Last season Willian played in the middle a couple of times and he was soo good.. I'd love to see Hazard on the left Schürrle on the right and Willian between them as long as Oscar doesn't apply himself.

[cchuka 99]

I cosign on this lineup from DailyMail.

Schuerrle's WC performances earned has earned him a seat at the table. Willian and Oscar need to duke it out for theirs.

[Shakez 755]

I cosign on this lineup from DailyMail.

Schuerrle's WC performances earned has earned him a seat at the table. Willian and Oscar need to duke it out for theirs.

Mourinho should just base his team selections on WC performances, that also means Hazard is out. Schürrle wasn't even a starter for Germany (A very good super-sub) + he played in a team that had the majority of possession each game. Such thing is not going to happen at Chelsea (in our big matches). Let players duke it out in training AND team matches and earn their places that way.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

http://lineupbuilder.com/2014/custom/?sk=3w0b

[Barbara 15,149]

If Ramires is in the pivot let alone a starter next season I will bash my fucking head in.

I'm holding onto hope based on two things. 1) Cesc is indeed playing in the pivot (I hope today wasn't only a test, but the real idea Mourinho wants to play with). 2) When mentioning key players for the team that are still missing, Mourinho didn't mention Ramires (official site):

‘It’s still important for us to have all our players back. We don’t have Schurrle, Oscar, Willian or Hazard and they are the four players we build the game around. At the same time they need a holiday, but the players who are here on this training camp are working very hard.’

Of course, he could have mentioned only the AMs because they're more important than a pivot player. But I'm very hopeful that isn't the case and with Cesc's arrival and even van Ginkel rise, Ramires is regarded with a secondary role in the squad.

btw, that's my fave lineup too. I don't think they'll start against Burnley as the Brazilians and Schurrle will arrive a week prior to our debut, but for the season, that's our best imo

[AustinBlue 0]

The lineup should vary a ton with injuries and such throughout the season, but I definitely feel that Hazard and Oscar will be starting day one. Schurrle and Willian had good WCs, but that form doesn't always transfer to the club...

Just too many attacking options (Which is definitely not a bad thing)

[Muzchap 8,966]

I'm holding onto hope based on two things. 1) Cesc is indeed playing in the pivot (I hope today wasn't only a test, but the real idea Mourinho wants to play with). 2) When mentioning key players for the team that are still missing, Mourinho didn't mention Ramires (official site):

Of course, he could have mentioned only the AMs because they're more important than a pivot player. But I'm very hopeful that isn't the case and with Cesc's arrival and even van Ginkel rise, Ramires is regarded with a secondary role in the squad.

btw, that's my fave lineup too. I don't think they'll start against Burnley as the Brazilians and Schurrle will arrive a week prior to our debut, but for the season, that's our best imo

Lineup looks good and Wllian can always drop to the right and Shirley left if Hazard needs to come off (injury etc)

Do you really think Mou will play Azpi over Iva?

[MichaelDance 552]

I hope Drogba will be in the first team again. Someone needs to show our new members how to do it lol nah but he's my fav, oh and Cech as goalie.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

Lineup looks good and Wllian can always drop to the right and Shirley left if Hazard needs to come off (injury etc)

Do you really think Mou will play Azpi over Iva?

I don't see why not. A few days ago, Jose said, "I can play Azpilicueta right back and Ivanovic centre back because of Filipe." There will be rotation, of course, but I expect that Azpi will play over Iva most of the time.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Everyone debating over Cech or Courtois obviously doesn't know José that well.... he'll probably play Schwarzer against Burnley just to take the piss

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Imo only certain positions are

Courtois

RB CB Cahill/Terry Luis

Matic Fabregas CM

RW Costa Hazard

Ivan and Dave will rotate a lot now, especially with Luis likely to play 99 out of 100 games at LB. Same with CB, imo only either Terry or Cahill will play all the time, the other spot will be used for Ivan/Zouma, I am thinking Terry because of his age, he might be rested sometime against teams like Leicester.

CM will be either Ramires or Oscar, imo Oscar against weaker teams and Ramires when we need to play counter attack(away to City, MU, Liverpool...etc) actually Ramires will likely to play virtually every single big game he is available for because of his usefulness to Jose. RW will be between Schurrle and Willian, after the WC honestly we cannot be sure who will get that spot. Schurrle only really lost out to Willian last season because he went to Arsenal Xmas party apparently, even then he was used a lot more later on in the season.

The rests are definite starters that will play 98% of all games.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Better than Oscar, not better than Willian.

Willian isn't even that good, he got pace, a bit of skill and very hard working and that is most important factor for Jose though. However on technical terms he is no where near Schurrle.

[MichaelDance 552]

Everyone debating over Cech or Courtois obviously doesn't know José that well.... he'll probably play Schwarzer against Burnley just to take the piss

Probably will lol, not even sure why we still have Mark lol.

[stroey 2,525]

Willian isn't even that good, he got pace, a bit of skill and very hard working and that is most important factor for Jose though. However on technical terms he is no where near Schurrle.

Willian is very underrated here and Oscar very overrated. Willian had a very good first season and will be better next year.