How Chelsea could line up under Fabregas in dream scenario with new signings

Liam Rosenior has been sacked by Chelsea after a poor run of results and Cesc Fabregas has been linked with a return to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have sacked manager Liam Rosenior after a run of five defeats without scoring. Ex-Blues midfielder Cesc Fabregas, currently boss of Italian side Como 1907, is on a speculative shortlist to replace him.

Rosenior arrived at Stamford Bridge in January and despite some promising early results, he has been shown the exit. A 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday, in which his side failed to register a shot on target, was the final straw.

A host of names have been suggested as successors. Fabregas is one of those names as he has impressed in Italy, with his side eyeing up Champions League qualification having only been promoted to Serie A in 2024.

The Spaniard spent almost five seasons with Chelsea after spells with Arsenal and Barcelona, winning two Premier League titles and an FA Cup in west London. Mirror Football takes a look at how the Como manager could line up should he take over from the sacked Rosenior and any potential incomings.

Fabregas officially took charge as Como manager in 2024 after gaining his UEFA Pro License and hasn't looked back. Before this, after his 2023 retirement, he worked at the club as Under-19s manager.

The formation Fabregas utilises in Italy is incredibly fluid. On paper, it is a 4-2-3-1 formation, with a lone striker, a back four and a single pivot in a box midfield. But when the match begins, this immediately changes.

In possession, his team overloads the centre of the pitch, with the two wingers in his formation tucking into midfield as more centralised No. 10s and the full-backs pushing higher up.

A regular 4-2-2-2 is used when attacking, with this set-up breaking the lines during counterattacks. In possession, his team generally transitions into a 4-1-4-1, with full-backs tucking in and wingers dropping back.

Fabregas also has his team set up differently during build-up play and he does switch things up from time to time. In the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Inter on Tuesday, he organised his team in a back five to counter their opponents' wing-backs.

If the 38-year-old were to get the Chelsea job, he would likely deploy his team in the favoured 4-2-3-1 and he'd no doubt have the players to do so. The former boss often set up his team in a similar way.

Robert Sanchez would likely remain in goal and the ideal full-backs for a back four are already at the club: Reece James on the right and Marc Cucurella on the left.

Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, if glossing over the Argentine's uncertain future, would also provide Fabregas a box midfield that fits his style perfectly.

Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro would no doubt feature in his prospective attack, with the Brazilian acting as a second striker, but there are a few areas the Spaniard could look to bolster if he returns to west London.

Nico Paz is the attacking heartbeat of Fabregas' Como side and if the manager did leave one would assume he'd be keen to take the youngster with him.

Tasos Douvikas currently leads the line at Como and Fabregas likes his strikers to have a tireless work rate, be aggressive in the press and be strong in duels. While Liam Delap fits this mould, he has disappointed so far with Chelsea and there is a marksman who fits the blueprint currently tearing up the Premier League.

Brentford's Igor Thiago has 21 top-flight goals this season and has been a handful for defenders. Though he could cost a pretty penny, the Brazilian would thrive under Fabregas.

At centre-half, the Blues clearly have their issues, but Trevoh Chalobah showed glimpses during Rosenior's early tenure that he can perform at the highest level. Alessandro Bastoni has been linked with a move away from Inter and he could slot in on the left of Chalobah to complete Fabregas' dream starting XI.

Chelsea XI under Fabregas (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Bastoni, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Paz, Palmer, Joao Pedro; Thiago.