Joe Cole has left some Chelsea fans outraged after picking his strongest Chelsea XI but deciding to exclude Nicolas Jackson and Pedro Neto.
The Stamford Bridge side have made a solid start to the season, winning eight points from four matches and only losing to Manchester City.
A hectic transfer window in west London saw a host of players enter and exit the club as new manager Enzo Maresca shuffled the deck under the surveillance of owner Todd Boehly.
In came Neto for £54million from Wolves and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for £30m from Leicester, while Joao Felix made a grand return, arriving from Atletico Madrid for £44m.
And Chelsea legend Cole has made a valiant attempt to pick a best team from the litany of players at the club and, in doing so, has inevitably attracted the ire of a number of fans.
Joe Cole has left some Chelsea fans outraged after picking his strongest Chelsea XI but deciding to exclude Nicolas Jackson
His decision to leave out £54m signing Pedro Neto also raised some eyebrows
It all starts off fairly straightforwardly with the former winger including Robert Sanchez in goal and Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana at the back.
There’s an optimistic place in the side for Reece James, whose talent is undeniable but has spent the majority of the last couple of seasons sidelined with injuries.
Then the first real bombshell arrives – Ben Chilwell, who was part of the famous ‘bomb squad’ of Stamford Bridge outcasts over the summer, slots in at left-back.
Chelsea fans have reacted ruthlessly to Cole’s decision to put the England defender in his dream side, with many suggesting he should have chosen Euro 2024 champion Marc Cucurella instead.
Steff posted on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Chilwell over cucurella? never.’
Another user added: ‘Adding Chilwell just shows that he knows nothing.’
While a third said: ‘It was looking perfect until I saw Chilwell.’
Things do not get much better as we head further up the pitch, despite the regulation inclusions of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the middle of the park.
Player of the season last term Cole Palmer and prodigy Noni Madueke are safe bets but Cole finds no room in the side for striker Nicolas Jackson, big signing Neto, or a returning Felix.
The pundit, who played at Chelsea from 2003 to 2010, opts instead for Jadon Sancho, a summer arrival on loan from Man United, and Christopher Nkunku.
The first real bombshell is Ben Chilwell, who was part of the famous ‘bomb squad’ of Stamford Bridge outcasts over the summer, slotting in at left-back
The pundit opts instead for Jadon Sancho – a summer arrival on loan from Man United
Enzo Maresca will have to make sense of these selection issues for himself in time for a London derby at West Ham on Saturday
One frustrated fan posted: ‘We have to figure out how to get Jackson on the pitch.’
Another said: ‘Nkunku OFTEN doesn’t do good as #9 when he starts. FACT. Jackson will start & Let’s see how Pedro Neto does from his favourite position.’
Maresca will have to make sense of these selection issues for himself in time for a London derby at West Ham on Saturday.
