Paul Merson thinks Chelsea boss Graham Potter needs to change Ben Chilwell and Reece James back into wing-backs as a result of Thiago Silva’s injury.
The Blues will be without Silva, 38, for up to six weeks because of a knee injury.
He’s a colossus centre-back who plays such a big part of the Chelsea defence, but the team will need to find a way to cope without him.
In fairness, Potter’s side did beat Leeds United 1-0 on the weekend without their star centre-half.
Sky Sports pundit Merson thinks the logical reaction to Silva’s injury is switching to a back three, which allows Chilwell and James to feature as wing-backs.
“I would also move to three at the back without Silva – get Ben Chilwell and James higher up the pitch,” Merson told Sky Sports.
Potter did adopt this approach on Saturday against Leeds, but will he do the same tonight in the Champions League tie with Dortmund?
Chilwell and James have proven in the past they’re experts playing as wing-backs, but they’ve mainly been used as conventional full-backs in a back four under Potter.
Chilwell did get a chance to play as the left wing-back against Leeds. Meanwhile, Ruben Loftus-Cheek played on the opposite flank.
James was absent from the Leeds result with a tight hamstring, but he’s been in training this week before the huge Dortmund clash.
Many supporters have been demanding this season for Chilwell and James to play as wing-backs, which is something that may now have been forced upon the head coach.
If you look at the current lack of goals in the XI, Chelsea’s wing-backs could actually play a massive role in addressing that problem.
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