Mauricio Pochettino has been encouraged to revert to a back-four as Chelsea prepare to lock horns with West Ham
Chelsea head into the clash against West Ham off the back of a 1-1 draw against Liverpool last weekend. The Reds began in the ascendency at Stamford Bridge but, thanks to the stellar efforts of Enzo Fernandez, the west Londoners quickly regained control and tested Alisson numerous times with little success.
Without a natural defensive midfielder at Jurgen Klopp's disposal, he fielded an attacking lineup against Chelsea. Eager to keep it tight at the back, Pochettino opted for a back-five on paper – a formation which the Blues had rarely trialled in pre-season.
Despite the 51-year-old's tactical tweak paying dividends, Chelsea supporters have urged him to revert to a back-four and make several changes to his staring lineup. As voted for by the readers of football.london, Pochettino has been told to keep Robert Sanchez between the sticks with Malo Gusto replacing the injured Reece James at right-back.
While Axel Disasi impressed on his debut against Liverpool, he's fallen victim to a new-look backline. In midfield, Blues fans want Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to make their first starts for the club, partnering Enzo Fernandez in the middle of the park.
"It's going to be tough," said Pochettino. "We know how they are going to play. They are beginning to change the shape but it's always going to be tough.
"All of the Premier League games will be difficult. They are a very good team doing a great job. Last season, they lifted a trophy, so they are very confident. For sure, it's going to be tough."