Chelsea: Recall Terry, Stick With Matic And Play Through The Middle Against West Ham

This evening is a big game for Chelsea. Jose Mourinho is preparing his side to take on London rivals West Ham at Stamford Bridge in a game that could see climb to the top of the league should they take all three points, and considering their incredible home record under the Portuguese boss, you’d have to say that it looks promising. They would need Manchester City to drop points though. To aid Mourinho, here is how I would approach the game.

The first thing I would do is reintroduce John Terry at centre-back. The stalwart missed out on the Blues’ FA Cup tie against Stoke at the weekend with David Luiz filling in, but the Brazilian is prone to a mistake and his positioning is shaky at best. Terry brings calm into the backline and is a natural leader, which will be needed in the derby.

Secondly I would keep Matic in the middle of the pitch as he impressed me against Stoke in the cup. The Serbia international was strong in the tackle, solid in the air and proved that he could pick a pass, despite being thrown in with a group of players he hadn’t played with. I think he is going to prove to be a wonderful signing.

Lastly I would suggest that Chelsea play through the middle. They have incredible attacking talent who can switch between themselves, but West Ham are vulnerable to quick passing moves in and around the area whereas they can deal with crosses into the box, as they have bustling centre-halves.

What do you reckon?