Could injury to this key Chelsea star be a blessing in disguise for the Blues?

César Azpilicueta has been in and out of the Chelsea team since he arrived at the club last year and this season, under new manager Jose Mourinho, has been no exception. While the Spain international has played in eight of the last nine league matches at the start of the season he only played in three of the opening ten games.

He has also been played out of position in some games. Naturally a right-back he has, on occasion be played at left back, however in the New Year’s Day clash with Southampton it may be best if the Blues play him in his favoured position, especially with Ivanovic being injured.

Crucially, it would allow him to play where he feels most natural rather than on his weaker side. It seems a strange decision to play Azpilicueta at left-back when you have, the seemingly out-of-favour, Ashley Cole and Ryan Bertrand at the club already.

Furthermore, in the long run, it would also allow Mourinho to play what is his strongest centre-back pairing. Branislav Ivanovic is often used at right back for Chelsea, however he is best deployed at centre back in partnership with John Terry.

Gary Cahill may have the second highest Performance Score of all Chelsea defenders but of the trio of centre backs, Cahill, Terry and Ivanovic, however Cahill has the worst tackle success of the three. Cahill wins 52% of tackles compared to 57% and 58% by his rivals respectively.

Cahill also makes the least interceptions of the three by some considerable way with just nine compared to 21 from Terry and 22 from Ivanovic.

So by playing Azpilicueta at right-back would free up Ivanovic to play in his favoured position which strengthens the Chelsea back line.

Azpilicueta is solid at the back with a 61% tackle success. He would be the ideal candidate to try and halt whichever Southampton player is deployed on the left of their attack.

The Saints have failed to score in just three games this season and pose a real threat. Adam Lallana, with four goals and 30 key passes, or Jay Rodriguez with eight goals and 12 key passes are likely to be deployed in that left side position and are both key in the way the home side will play.

Azpilicueta, with his 61% tackle success, 12 interceptions and 64 clearances in just 11 Premier League games, is just what Chelsea need to stop their opponents scoring for just the fourth time in a match in 2013/14.

It is more than likely that Azpilicueta will play at right-back against Southampton, especially with Ivanovic being injured, but in the long run this enforced change could transform Chelsea, as it could allow Mourinho the chance to play the big Serb at centre-back.