A look ahead to RZ Pellets

After a somewhat lethargic display against Rapid Vienna last Saturday – although it was to be expected, we look ahead to Chelsea’s next pre-season game against RZ Pellets as the Blues conclude their tour of Austria.

RZ Pellets finished sixth in the Austrian top division last season and have previously met the Blues in a 1-1 draw, two years ago, with Jeremie Boga scoring a spectacular solo effort six minutes from time. You can watch tomorrow’s match live on ChelseaTV.

Following more intensive training sessions in Austria, Conte will be hoping to see an improvement in both physical and tactical awareness against RZ Pellets, this Wednesday – following a disappointing start to their pre-season tour.

Whilst players such as Victor Moses will also be hoping to impress again in Wolfsberg, competition for the coveted right wing-back/right-wing position hotting up – after Conte confirmed that Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado is part of his plans for next season.

Whilst young players Ola Aina, Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will also be hoping to stake a claim for their inclusion in Conte’s squad for next season, with the prospect of another unproductive loan spell looming, not one that takes the fancy of Chelsea’s newest batch of youth prodigies.

Aina will also be more inclined to ask why he’s not starting ahead of the ageing and often heavy-handed Serbian right-back Branislav Ivanovic, who’s mistake against Rapid Vienna personified his dramatic fall from grace.

New signing Michy Batshuayi joined up with the squad this week, but his lack of fitness and match sharpness will probably resign him to a place amongst the substitutes bench for the game against RZ Pellets. N’Golo Kante has not however joined up with the squad, and his unofficial debut will most likely come against Liverpool in Pasadena.

There was also more good news coming out of Austria, as Kurt Zouma was seen training in parts with the rest of the squad after almost six months out with an ACL injury that he suffered at home to Manchester United.

Conte will, therefore, be hoping to end Chelsea’s brief tour of Austria with a win against RZ Pellets, before they jet off to America to compete in the International Champions Cup.