Giroud to drop out? How Chelsea could line up against Wolves

9:19am on Monday 14th December 2020
By Nicholas Hughes

Chelsea’s in-form striker Olivier Giroud could be given a rest on Tuesday night when the Blues travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Frenchman hadn’t started in the league or in Europe all season until the beginning of the month when he put four goals past Sevilla, and has started both Premier League games since.

The Blues saw an end to their 14-game unbeaten streak in all competitions at the weekend, losing 1-0 to Everton at Goodison Park, in a game where Giroud failed to fashion any meaningful attempts on goal.

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Tammy Abraham will be waiting in the wings if the 34-year-old is rested. He was in fine form before Giroud took his place in the side, with two goals in his last three league starts.

Frank Lampard will continue to be without Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi as they both continue to nurse hamstring issues.

Both players have been missing for around two weeks and were injured within days of each other during the hectic beginning to the season.

Christian Pulisic was omitted from the matchday squad at the weekend and hasn’t started since the Sevilla game as he overcomes an injury-riddled start to the campaign and will likely miss again.

That will almost certainly necessitate Timo Werner and Kai Havertz going again in the wide positions. The former is goalless in four league fixtures, while Havertz remains with just one goal and one assist to his name.

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The back four and goalkeeper are firmly fixed in place for Lampard, and a first-choice midfield of Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic has emerged for the Blues.

But with games coming thick and fast, the Chelsea boss could opt to throw Billy Gilmour into the mix after impressing in recent outings, but will more likely go with Jorginho to rotate in the middle for Kovacic.

Chelsea are still without a win against a side in the top half of the league and after slipping out of the top four over the weekend, they will be hoping to end that streak at Wolves this time around.