Photo by Asuka Chan/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Photo by Asuka Chan/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Xabi Alonso is starting to get to grips with which Chelsea players are going to play a role next season, and looks like he will be handing a pre-season start to one of the youngsters on the tour against Juventus.
Alonso took a look at plenty of young players against Western Sydney Wanderers. Landon Emenalo and Reggie Watson were the standout performers that day.
The defeat to Tottenham saw a far stronger look to the XI, with Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian starting.
Asmir Begovic's Chelsea XI for Fulham away
Asmir Begovic's Chelsea XI for Fulham away
Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli expected to start for Chelsea vs Juventus
With Palmer expected to miss out after training alone, there will certainly be some changes to take on Juventus, and Alonso ran a drill with 11 players in a 4-2-3-1 formation in their final training session.
In this system, as per Bobby Vincent, the midfield consisted of Moises Caicedo and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, a 16-year-old academy star who came off the bench against Spurs.
Chelsea FC v Tottenham: Sydney Super Cup
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The line-up had Teddy Sharman-Lowe in goal, with a back four of Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo and Jorrel Hato.
Ahead of a Caicedo and Nicoll-Jazuli midfield, Estevao and Jamie Gittens, with Pedro featuring in the number 10 role with Palmer likely to miss the game.
It looks like new signing Danny Welbeck is going to get the nod up front, in what would be his first appearance since joining the club this summer.
Player ratings vs Tottenham
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Nicoll-Jazuli has plenty of admirers at Chelsea
Despite being just 16, there is plenty of praise amongst the Chelsea stars for Nicoll-Jazuli and what the future could look like for him at Stamford Bridge.
Palmer has tipped Nicoll-Jazuli to make it with the first team as soon as this season, after impressing greatly with the academy sides.
Alonso singled out the youngster for praise in the early days of his tenure, and the fact that he remains one of the only youngsters with the first team squad is a massive sign of how he is perceived.
A start alongside Caicedo would give him the best possible platform to succeed too, with the Ecuadorian looking to get up to speed ahead of the new season.