Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea face each other later this week, so it’s time to dissect the squads of the two London rivals and put together a combined XI of the best from the Blues and the Lilywhites.
Both clubs are in something of a transition period at the moment, with Ange Postecoglou taking over at Tottenham last summer, and former Spurs boss, Mauricio Pochettino joining Chelsea at the same time.
As such, Spurs and Chelsea have seen a number of players come and go over the last two transfer windows, so there’s plenty to pick from in this combined XI.
Spurs and Chelsea combined XI
Guglielmo Vicario: Chelsea may have two goalkeepers to choose from but neither Robert Sanchez nor Djordje Petrovic are anywhere near Guglielmo Vicario‘s standard. He may be taking some criticism for his handling of set-pieces, but the Italian is still the best keeper in London.
Reece James: It’s a harsh one to leave Pedro Porro out of this side, and deciding between the Spaniard and the Chelsea skipper is a really tough choice. When fit, James just about edges it for the fact he is a bit stronger defensively.
Cristian Romero: One of the first names you’d put on the teamsheet in this hypothetical scenario. Romero has proven time and time again this season why he’s not only one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, but the world, too.
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Thiago Silva: He may be coming to the end of his career, but Thiago Silva is still one of the most competent, composed, and solid defenders in the league. He barely seems to have lost any of his talent, even though he’s almost 40-years-old now.
Destiny Udogie: There’s a legitimate shout to say that Levi Colwill might deserve his place here, but I’d argue that anything he can do, Udogie can do better. Both are strong, quick, and clever players, but Udogie is far more effective going forward.
Rodrigo Bentancur: At his peak, there are few midfielders in the league as good as Rodrigo Bentancur. He’s agile, highly intelligent, and surprisingly robust, making him the Mousa Dembele reincarnation Spurs fans have been waiting for.
Pape Sarr: Chelsea signed a number of highly-rated young central midfielders last summer, but the likes of Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo have done nothing to prove they are worthy of their own hype. Pape Sarr, meanwhile, quietly gets on with his job, dominates the midfield area, and is the secret weapon making Spurs tick much of the time.
Conor Gallagher: He may not be a Chelsea player much longer, but that’s nothing to do with how talented Gallagher is. Having stepped up as the club captain for much of the season, the England international has shown he has a maturity to match his impressive dynamism in the middle of the park.
Cole Palmer: What a signing Cole Palmer proved to be for Chelsea. The young attacker has been one of the stars of the season, and he has the goals and assists to prove it. Honestly, he’d be top of my list if Spurs were ever able to snare any Chelsea player away from the club.
Heung-min Son: What is there to say about Sonny that hasn’t already been said before? He’s proven himself an accomplished leader this season, on top of his world class finishing, electric pace, and brilliant dribbling skills.
Richarlison: Much like our Tottenham and Arsenal combined XI, Richarlison probably only makes this lineup due to the fact the opposition are lacking a top striker. When Nicolas Jackson is your only competition, it’s pretty easy to pick Richarlison, but he does deserve recognition for his hard work in the press, and his steady goals return this season.
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