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da casino： This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Wolves host Chelsea later this afternoon in their first match since the international break took main priority.
It possibly came at the worst time for Nuno Santo’s men having already played ten competitive matches, stretching to Armenia and back as well as heading to China before the season fully got underway.
Signs of fatigue were always going to creep in as Everton handed them their first defeat of the season last time out.
Now Chelsea come to town, a side who are still trying to find their feet under new boss Frank Lampard.
Just two points separate both teams at this early stage in the season, but what will prove to be the difference later on?
On the Chalkboard
Chelsea will be sweating on the fitness of Emerson Palmieri, who has quickly cemented himself as the number one option at left-back this season with a string of impressive performances.
He currently carries the highest average rating of anyone in the Blues side at 7.57, so he will be a huge miss if absent.
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That means one of Maurizio Sarri’s favourites should come back into the fray – Marcos Alonso, who played 39 games last season.
He’s not exactly a popular figure amongst fans at Stamford Bridge and has found himself somewhat of an outcast since Lampard took charge.
His opposite number is likely to be the reborn Adama Traore, who is having a remarkable season in a new right wing-back role.
The 23-year-old’s explosive pace, power and trickery has the potential to leave the Spaniard in all sorts of knots and this is where the game could be won or lost.
Chelsea have the second leakiest defence in the Premier League having conceded nine goals from their four matches this season.
Nullifying the threat from Traore will undoubtedly stop that from being more.
The winger-turned-defender is averaging 2.7 dribbles per game and is fouled for the same number per match, via WhoScored.
Alonso was dribbled past 0.8 times last season and also conceded 0.9 fouls as an average per game, so that could suggest that Wolves’ wide man could garner some success.
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They are both very similar in the aerial battle while Traore will have to do better with his crossing in order to beat the left-back, as the graphic above per WhoScored demonstrates.
His form in the Europa League has produced three assists so if he can translate that into the league then he’s going to be a significant danger.
The battle between these two fellow countrymen could well be the defining factor this afternoon, especially if you consider Alonso may be off the pace after playing second fiddle.
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