Chelsea are set to face the following opponents after the international break:
- vs Newcastle United (away) — November 21 — Premier League
- vs Rennes (away) — November 24 — Champions League
- vs Tottenham (home) — November 29 — Premier League
We at Tribuna.com have come up with a set of targets we want the Blues to hit in these three games.
🎯 Qualify for the Champions League knockout stages
Three points in France would almost certainly guarantee the Blues a top-2 place. The game against Rennes might be tricky, but it is certainly one Chelsea (especially in their current form) are able to win.
Besides, it would allow for a wider rotation in the remaining Champions League games - especially the last one, at home against Krasnodar.
🎯 Return to top 4 in the Premier League
Frank Lampard's side are currently 5th in the table, and even the first place is within reach. But let's take it slow.
Chelsea will be back in top 4 if they defeat both Newcastle and Tottenham. Jose Mourinho's side are just 2 points ahead of the Blues but are 2nd in the standings.
🎯 Bring Pulisic back to fitness
The American should be near recovery after suffering yet another hamstring injury - and yet, we know that if he's rushed back on the pitch, there's always a danger of losing him again.
It's a delicate balance: Chelsea need Pulisic to play, but they also have to very extremely careful with how they arrange his return.
🎯 Give minutes to Hudson-Odoi, Kovacic and Gilmour
These three cases are different. Hudson-Odoi is one of the most talented English players of his generation, with Bayern continuing watching him closely. If Chelsea don't want to lose CHO, they must play him so that his head wouldn't be turned.
Mateo Kovacic was the last season's best player but has not enjoyed his best form in 2020/21. Finally, Billy Gilmour has just made his first appearance in 4 months after recovering from a knee issue - he might well be used as a sub.
🎯 Equal the best winning streak under Frank Lampard
Should Chelsea win all of the three games, it would mean that Chelsea got the best of their opponents in seven consecutive games. Just over a year ago, the Blues enjoyed a similar run, winning 7 games in a row, including matches against Lille, Southampton and Ajax.
Given that Chelsea's defending has improved a lot since those days, there's no reason why Lampard's team can't win these three matches - although Mourinho would probably very much love to put a spanner in the works.
