Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca will be delighted to welcome back both Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke to the fold once again after the international break.
Jackson has been missing since February 3 where he hobbled off the Stamford Bridge turf in the second-half of the victory over West Ham United in the Premier League. The 23-year-old had suffered a muscular problem in the first-half in SW6 but tried to run it off. Jackson was forced off on around 52 minutes and has not been seen on the pitch since.
Meanwhile, Madueke suffered an injury around 11 days later as he limped off at the Amex Stadium just 21 minutes into the Blues' league defeat to Brighton. While both clearly were crucial players under Maresca before their respective injuries, their absence has been significant - perhaps more than some would have initially envisaged.
Marc Guiu also picked up an injury in the same game as Jackson did and that has left Chelsea without and out-and-out No.9 option. Maresca was forced to reshuffle his attacking setup in order to find a solution for Chelsea. Many different combinations and shapes were trialled but eventually Maresca found one that actually worked.
Pedro Neto has been leading the line in recent matches for the Blues and while it is not something expected to be carried out long-term, it has been a viable solution for the west Londoners as they felt the impact of Jackson being absent. With Jackson and Madueke due back after the break, though, with a match against Tottenham on the horizon, we could see a new-look attack in two weeks' time.
How Chelsea can set up after international break
You would think Madueke, so long as he is match-ready, will slot straight back in on the right wing. Jackson, also, will lead the line. Those two, while being versatile, have those positions essentially nailed down and had done prior to their injuries.
It leaves just two more spaces in the attacking line - not including the central midfielder, who is usually Enzo Fernandez, who slots in as a No.10. Cole Palmer, if he is indeed back after the international break, is a guaranteed starter and he will fill in the attacking midfield role behind Jackson, who he has sorely missed being able to link up with in the last month-and-a-half.
That leaves the left-wing spot - the position Chelsea have the most difficulty with filling. It is no secret the club are looking at options ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window. Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens and Mathys Tel were all considered over January but the Blues are prepared to wait until the end of the season to get the business done.
For the meantime, though, they will have to settle with what they've got. That is an out-of-form Jadon Sancho, an up and coming prospect in Tyrique George who continues to impress and Neto, someone Maresca prefers to play on the right wing.
The Portuguese may well be more natural cutting in on his left from the right but he remains probably Chelsea's strongest option on the other side. Sancho is not shooting enough, he is not creating chances; he is quite frankly anonymous in a lot of games. Recently, anyway.
One way Enzo Maresca could set Chelsea up (out of possession)
One way Enzo Maresca could set Chelsea up (in possession)
We are still awaiting the results of Palmer's scan that has seen him stay behind at Cobham instead of joining up with his England teammates for the Three Lions' upcoming games against Albania and Latvia. Fingers are firmly crossed it will not come to this, but if Chelsea's No.20 is facing a spell on the sidelines, then we could see Christopher Nkunku in the No.10 role, although the Frenchman's form has been disappointing since breaking into the Premier League side.
There is another option, too, with Romeo Lavia now fit and available for selection. Starting Lavia alongside Moises Caicedo in a double pivot allows Fernandez to be used in a more advanced role in and out of possession. The Argentina international shone there when Chelsea played at Villa Park last month, scoring the opening goal of the game where he arrived into the six-yard box to score; something we would not usually see if he was coming from deeper.
Chelsea can set up in countless different ways when Jackson and Madueke return to action. Whichever route Maresca chooses to go down, the Italian will be extremely grateful he has such an integral duo back in his squad.