Chelsea v Spurs – Combined XI | OneFootball

Icon: The Football Faithful

The Football Faithful

·28 November 2020

Chelsea v Spurs – Combined XI

Article image:Chelsea v Spurs – Combined XI

Chelsea host Tottenham this weekend in a huge derby day clash between two sides with grand ambitions, each harbouring hopes of a title challenge following strong starts to the season.

The chances of Frank Lampard’s side were boosted following a huge summer of investment at Stamford Bridge, whilst Spurs and Jose Mourinho also enjoyed a promising window of recruitment.


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Several leading names will be representing both sides ahead of this weekend’s crunch clash and we’ve decided to compile our dream side from the players available in both squads.

Here is the Football Faithful’s Chelsea and Spurs combined XI:

Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris – Tottenham

The summer signing of Edouard Mendy has instantly improved Chelsea with the goalkeeper having made an impressive start to his career at Stamford Bridge, though it is difficult to look past Hugo Lloris given his wealth of experience at the highest level.

Lloris is the leader of the Spurs side and has been in excellent form since returning from an injury lay-off last season, providing an assured presence behind an ever-improving backline under Jose Mourinho.

The World Cup winner was in brilliant form last weekend as Spurs secured a huge victory over Manchester City and will be key to their hopes of mounting a successful title challenge this season.

Right-back: Reece James – Chelsea

Reece James edges out Matt Doherty for a place in our side at right-back, the academy graduate having become a regular in the Chelsea side so far this season.

James is the quintessential modern full-back with his elite athleticism and huge forward threat, possessing an ability to influence the play at both ends of the pitch with tenacious defending and dangerous deliveries from wide.

The 20-year-old’s form has seen him overhaul club captain Cesar Azpilicueta to become a first-choice over the opening weeks of the campaign, a huge testament to a player brimming with potential as part of England’s wealth of right-back options.

Centre-back: Kurt Zouma – Chelsea

Is there a more improved player in then Premier League this season than Kurt Zouma?

The centre-back has not always convinced during his career in English football and has mixed commanding displays with poorer performances, but has found himself at the heart of Chelsea’s recent defensive improvement.

The France international has made more successful passes than any other player and has been a dominant figure in the air, showcasing his threat by scoring three times in the Premier League already this season.

Eric Dier’s own improvement at centre-back for Tottenham also deserves a mention, with Toby Alderweireld not considered due to an anticipated period on the sidelines, the Belgian having picked up a groin injury in Spurs’ win over Manchester City last weekend.

Centre-back: Thiago Silva – Chelsea

Thiago Silva makes it an all Chelsea pairing at centre-back, the veteran having so far silenced his doubters to become a cornerstone of Lampard’s new-look side.

The Brazilian international’s free transfer arrival from Paris Saint-Germain is shaping as one of the shrewdest signings of the summer, Silva having added much-needed quality and leadership to the Blues’ backline.

It’s a testament to a player who has achieved so much in his career that he was desperate to take on a new challenge at Chelsea at a time when many others are winding down, the 36-year-old having flourished amid the acid test of the Premier League over the season’s opening months.

Left-back: Ben Chilwell – Chelsea

Ben Chilwell arrived as part of Chelsea’s summer splurge with a huge price-tag, but has quickly proven himself to have been a fine solution to the club’s problem position at right-back.

Chilwell has been solid defensively and has shown his ability to contribute further forward, scoring twice and providing two assists in just six Premier League appearances for Chelsea this season.

The England international’s 10 chances created this season have been bettered by only Mason Mount and Hakim Ziyech for the west London side, with Chilwell narrowly securing our left-back position ahead of Sergio Reguilon who has enjoyed a fine start to his Spurs career.

Midfield: N’Golo Kante – Chelsea

Amongst a number of players to have enjoyed a renaissance this season, N’Golo Kante appears to be back to his best as the dynamic anchor of the Chelsea midfield this season.

Returned to a defensive midfield position the France international has unsurprisingly thrived, bringing that familiar energy and tenacity to Lampard’s side and screening the back four superbly.

It’s been a welcome return to form for arguably the best holding midfielder in the game, who will be a key figure in this weekend’s clash as he bids to nullify the threat of Harry Kane, the Spurs star having thrived when dropping deep so far this season.

Midfield: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – Tottenham

We’ve opted for a defensive-minded two-man midfield pivot given the wealth of attacking options in our combined side, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg earning inclusion following a brilliant start to his Spurs career.

The Denmark international’s summer arrival from Southampton went somewhat under the radar given the north London side’s impressive window of recruitment, though he has quickly become a key cog in Mourinho’s side.

The 25-year-old ranks equal third in the Premier League for tackles so far this season and also leads Spurs for touches, passes and interceptions made, Hojbjerg covering the ground expertly and adding steel to the midfield.

Spurs have long been accused of having a soft underbelly, but the arrival of their midfield enforcer has added intelligent grit to the side with Hojbjerg tailor-made for the demands of Mourinho’s management.

The vastly improved Tanguy Ndombele and excellent Mason Mount are both hugely unfortunate to miss out on this side, our midfield requiring greater security given the front four on offer.

Right-wing: Hakim Ziyech – Chelsea

Hakim Ziyech has wasted little time in making an impression on the Chelsea faithful following his summer arrival from Ajax, pulling the strings for Frank Lampard’s side from a position on the right.

Ziyech arrived with a burgeoning reputation and the statistics to back it up in the Netherlands, with the magical Moroccan having been the player to make Chelsea tick since returning from an injury picked up in pre-season.

The 27-year-old contributed a remarkable 82 assists in four seasons at Ajax and has already demonstrated his wand of a left foot, scoring twice and providing a further three assists in nine appearances in all competitions.

Chelsea have plenty of avenues to goal, but Ziyech may just be the key that unlocks the tightest of Premier League defences.

Left-wing: Son Heung-Min – Tottenham

Amongst the stars of the season so far, Son Heung-Min is playing arguably the best football of his career at present after scoring nine times in just nine Premier League fixtures this season.

The South Korean has flourished into one of the division’s finest attacking talents and combines scintillating speed and skill with an insatiable work-ethic, his performances this season elevating the 28-year-old into the conversation of the best inside forwards in Europe.

Son’s partnership with Harry Kane has fired Spurs to the top of the division and has raised hopes the north London side can challenge for the title, with Mourinho’s team certainly possessing the firepower.

Chelsea will be well aware of the threat posed by Son this weekend, his movement off the ball into dangerous areas having caused nightmares for defences so far this season.

Forward: Timo Werner – Chelsea

Chelsea’s summer spending was headlined by the big-money arrivals of Germany internationals Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, the latter included as part of a potent two-man partnership in our combined XI.

Werner has begun brightly at Stamford Bridge and has been directly involved in Chelsea’s better performances, his electric pace and movement having troubled opposition defenders either wide or centrally.

The 24-year-old has scored eight goals in all competitions so far in addition to providing a further four assists, a fine return for a player still adapting to the demands of the Premier League.

Expect that haul to increase as Werner continues to find his feet in a Chelsea shirt, a player capable of exploding this season and firing the west Londoner’s pursuit of silverware.

Forward: Harry Kane – Tottenham

The best player in the Premier League at present?

It’s beginning to get more and more difficult to argue with that assessment with each passing week, Harry Kane having simply been in sensational form at the forefront of a vibrant Spurs attack.

The England captain has evolved his game and is now dropping deeper than ever before, his change of style producing spectacular results with a league-leading nine Premier League assists so far this season.

Kane has, however, lost none of his goal scoring touch and has already netted 13 times in all competitions so far this season with the 27-year-old right in the mix for a third career Golden Boot – a figure that would see him level Alan Shearer and move just one short of Thierry Henry’s all-time record of four accolades.

Only two players in the history of Europe’s major leagues – the aforementioned Henry and Lionel Messi – having ever registered 20+ goals and assists in the same league season, an incredible achievement Kane could potentially equal if he can maintain his current extraordinary standards.

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