How Chelsea will line-up with their strongest XI this season including SIX new transfers worth £230m and Mendy in goal

TRAILING 3-0 going into half-time of their clash with West Brom on Saturday, Chelsea fans’ title dreams appeared in tatters already as Frank Lampard sat stony-faced on the sidelines.

But having shown character to recover a 3-3 draw, and with three new signings still yet to debut for them in the Premier League, Blues supporters have plenty to be cheerful about.

How Chelsea could line up with all their new buys

Chelsea finally recruited a new goalkeeper last weekCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Chelsea have already forked out around £230million on new players this summer, with £22m French goalkeeper Edouard Mendy arriving from Rennes in the latest of these deals.

Club chiefs and fans alike will be praying that the 28-year-old can solve the Blues’ goalkeeping conundrum, with Kepa Arrizabalaga in a confidence crisis and potentially being relegated to third-choice.

Reece James has played every minute of Chelsea’s Premier League campaign so far, having usurped club captain Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back.

And despite his gaffe on Saturday, Thiago Silva should have the experience and character to recover and provide a strong leader next to emerging key player Kurt Zouma at the back.

Lampard explicitly blamed Marcos Alonso for two of West Brom’s three goals at the weekend, and the Spaniard will well and truly be relegated to back-up when £50m recruit Ben Chilwell is fully fit and up to speed.

With Jorginho not Lampard’s favourite and potentially off to Arsenal, N’Golo Kante could be trusted with the deepest lying midfield role in Chelsea’s engine room – despite his uncharacteristically poor display at the Hawthorns.

And his presence will free up the likes of Mason Mount and £70m-plus Kai Havertz to wreak havoc on opposition defences.

Hakim Ziyech arrived for £38m from Ajax having strutted his stuff in the 4-4 Champions League draw at Stamford Bridge last season.

Ben Chilwell is set to fix Chelsea’s left-back woesCredit: AFP or licensors

Blues fans will hope that Thiago Silva recovers from his blunderCredit: Eddie Keogh Telegraph Media Group

And once the Moroccan shakes off a knee injury suffered in pre-season, he is likely to take up his place in the front three.

Timo Werner is yet to score but has been a nuisance to opposition defences.

And the German could be unlocked by the return of American twinkle-toes Christian Pulisic, who like Ziyech is still on the treatment table.

Lampard will also have decent attacking options on the bench, with last season’s 18-goal top scorer Tammy Abraham and super-sub Olivier Giroud to call upon.

Impressive teen Callum Hudson-Odoi also netted a crucial goal as a replacement at the weekend.

Kai Havertz has already excited Chelsea fansCredit: EPA

Callum Hudson-Odoi netted on SaturdayCredit: PA:Press Association

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk