I’ve written an article on the weekend on my private Substack web site mainly explaining how Chelsea managed to get Pedro Neto over the road and get it completed so quick, in addition to how they beat competitors to get him.
And now, it’s time to check out the place he would possibly slot in to this Chelsea beginning Xl, as a result of this signing DOES excite me!
Should you keep in mind my lineup forecast from a few weeks again, I really had Neto in a kind of as my dream Xl with new signings! I promise I didn’t know any greater than what I had already reported at the moment, I used to be simply choosing him as the very best of the names that SPTC sources had really heard and the one who suits in greatest.
Neto is SO versatile. These are the positions performed throughout his total profession:
Left wing = 44 instances
Proper wing = 36 instances
Centre ahead = 19 instances
Second striker = 14 instances
Attacking midfielder = 13 instances
Neto is left-footed, so all of it relies upon what Enzo Maresca needs from his wingers, whether or not he sees extra of a slicing in menace like Noni Madueke, or a byline and crossing menace. Neto can do both.
I see him on the correct, and I imagine this is because of what we hold listening to from prime sources that Cole Palmer goes to be enjoying extra centrally below Maresca. After all, we have now to attend and see on that as Palmer has by no means but been obtainable for Maresca throughout pre-season till Sunday vs Inter.
I additionally assume Christopher Nkunku will then transfer to the left, with Nicolas Jackson, or if we someway handle it, Victor Osimhen up prime. With the wing menace we have now and crossing menace, I actually assume we should always have a striker with aerial menace in there now, extra importantly than ever earlier than. So Samu Omorodion, or if we get him, Osimhen, could be nice targets at the very least. Jackson I nonetheless see as a left winger greater than striker resulting from that purpose.
Marc Cucurella I feel would be the inverted full again, and Reece James would be the centre again/full again on the opposite aspect.
Factor is, on this Xl that I can see Maresca going for, I’m leaving out Moises Caicedo which is absolute insanity in fact. I feel Maresca would possibly favour Enzo Fernandez in that 8 position over him, and Lavia over him within the deep position. That is what I feel Maresca will go for, simply as a reminder. Wesley Fofana additionally misses out, and lots of others.
Neto off the correct, then the remainder as you see under…
Fortunate we have now quite a lot of video games to play and there will probably be loads of rotation and gamers being switched up with good competitors for every place.
If we do someway pull Osimhen off, or one other striker in, then I’ll be circling again to this with a headache making an attempt to suit them in too!
I’m very intrigued to see Maresca’s lineup for Inter (penning this earlier than the sport), as that is perhaps very near what we see at Manchester Metropolis the week after – though Neto and Jackson/one other striker might need to be added!
*This was written earlier than the Reece James damage information, so clearly this wont be the lineup for Metropolis. Malo Gusto will begin and would seemingly be the inverted choice after which I believe Levi Colwill or Benoit Badiashile will begin as a substitute of Marc Cucurella to be the left centre again/left full again.
