“No choice” – Pochettino to start £40m Chelsea star against Brighton after lastest injury blow
When Chelsea welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Stamford Bridge tomorrow, it really will be interesting to see who starts at right-back for the Blues.
Both Reece James and Marc Cucurella are suspended, while Malo Gusto is out injured, something the club’s official website confirmed yesterday.
That leaves Mauricio Pochettino with Axel Disasi and Moises Caicedo, who are not exactly natural right-backs.
Who should start at right-back against Brighton, Axel Disasi or Moises Caicedo?
Caicedo actually played at right-back a few times during his spell at the Amex Stadium and obviously knows Brighton well, so it is not far-fetched that he starts there amid this crisis Pochettino is having to deal with.
That being said, Caicedo is a £115m midfielder (Sky Sports) who still needs to find his best form in blue. Would Chelsea and the 22-year-old really benefit from him playing in defence tomorrow? Probably not. He needs to start in midfield.
That leaves Mauricio Pochettino with Axel Disasi and Moises Caicedo, who are not exactly natural right-backs.
Who should start at right-back against Brighton, Axel Disasi or Moises Caicedo?
Caicedo actually played at right-back a few times during his spell at the Amex Stadium and obviously knows Brighton well, so it is not far-fetched that he starts there amid this crisis Pochettino is having to deal with.
That being said, Caicedo is a £115m midfielder (Sky Sports) who still needs to find his best form in blue. Would Chelsea and the 22-year-old really benefit from him playing in defence tomorrow? Probably not. He needs to start in midfield.
Being a natural defender, Chelsea fans may feel more at ease with him coming in to replace James. The centre-half, though, will not bring the kind of attacking threat that most full-backs do today.
It is, understandably, just not his game, as supporters would have seen when Pochettino used him at right-back in the 2-0 defeat to Brentford in October.
Axel Disasi a stop-gap
Disasi coming back into the side after being left on the bench for the Newcastle United game and starting at right-back is probably the best Pochettino can do.
It cannot be a permanent thing, though. Once James and Gusto are back, they have to be above the Frenchman, who cost Chelsea £38.8m (Sky Sports) this summer, in the right-back pecking order at Stamford Bridge.
Again, in this day and age, the Blues need someone who can get forward and attack for that position. But if these suspensions and injuries keep occurring, then there is a risk of Disasi becoming more than a stop-gap, which is not what Pochettino will want.