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Chelsea's line-up vs Aston Villa puts question mark over 23-year-old - opinion

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Graham Potter's starting line-up for Saturday's clash with Aston Villa suggests Trevoh Chalobah has fallen further down the pecking order than many expected.

The Blues manager certainly raised a few eyebrows with his team selection.

Potter has unsurprisingly stuck with a back-three formation to face Villa, but very few would have expected that both Reece James and Ruben Loftus-Cheek would be on the pitch together in this formation.

Of course, there is a possibility that Potter wants the flexibility of forming a 4-3-3 shape during the game with James filing the right fullback role and Loftus-Cheek coming into the midfield.

That said, it is unlikely that the manager would want Marc Cucurella to be one of the two centre-backs in a back four.

James has proved that he can play on the right of the back three really well, so this is nothing new.

"It gives a decent balance, and we have the flexibility to change as well," Potter said about his team selection before the game (via Chelsea's 5th stand).

"Marc and Reece in the lateral positions can be aggressive.

"That is something we will look to use."

Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images

However, while this was clearly a response to Wesley Fofana's absence, Chalobah would have been a sensible choice, too.

Chalobah last started for Chelsea in the goalless draw with Liverpool in January, in which he helped the team keep a consecutive clean sheet.

Potter then changed the formation to a back four in the following game against Fulham and Chalobah was understandably left out as the manager chose Thiago Silva and Fofana.

The 23-year-old has since had four appearances as a substitute, so many likely saw him as a second-choice behind Fofana on the right.

The latest line-up, however, suggests that is not the case.

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