With back-to-back embarrassing losses against Manchester City in the Premier League and FA Cup, it is safe to say the first season for Chelsea under Todd Boehly’s realm is out of the window. They are now sitting at ten in the EPL, being eliminated from FA Cup contention (at least the fans won’t have to suffer from losing in the finals anymore), and having little chance of winning the Champions League. So, what happened, and what to do now for The Blues?
Injury issues
Currently, a whopping NINE key players are unable to suit up for Chelsea. Names including Reece James, N’golo Kante, Raheem Sterling, and Ben Chilwell suffer from various injuries throughout the season. These are all crucial starters for the team. It is visible how bad Chelsea becomes without Reece James or Kante.
Graham Potter has been forced to put players out of position to fill these gaps. And this puts some players in no man’s land and causes them to make mistakes. Marc Cucurella is a prime example. Being positioned at center-back with a shorter frame is a nightmare experience.
How die-hard Chelsea fans miss Eva Carneiro right now. She could do something with these injuries.
Terrible attacking
Chelsea’s attacking issue has been a headache for coaches for years now. Timo Werner‘s and Romelu Lukaku‘s departures are inevitable, considering how disappointing they have been for the club in their short stint. But then they left a hole in the striker position, which forced the board to panic-sign a player way over his prime in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. As expected, he hasn’t done anything significant to improve the offense.
Summer splashy signing Raheem Sterling is the team-leading goal-scorer and assist-getter. Flashy as it may sound, the numbers are below five. And any Premier League fan knows how inconsistent Sterling can be with his finishing.
They have names and star powers: Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, and Mason Mount. But somehow, they all failed to fulfill their expectations. So far, only 20 goals in the EPL (8th worst) call for immediate improvement.
A busy Winter window
Chelsea has been the most productive team in terms of winter signing. Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos, and David Datro Fofana are set for Stamford Bridge. And Joao Felix is also expected to wear blue for the rest of the season, on loan from Atletico Madrid, per David Ornstein. Some young talents to develop until the rest of the season. And a player that can immediately shift the culture of this attack. The only low point is the fallout of the discussion for Enzo Fernandez, but they can try again next summer. But overall, an excellent winter window for Todd Boehly and co.
… and future Summer window
Next summer, several players from their Champions League winning campaign are coming to the end of their contracts. For N’golo Kante, it is best Chelsea lets him walk. He is injury prone and won’t be able to help the team as much. Thiago Silva, on the other hand, is a must-keep. Since his arrival, he has been The Blues‘ best center-back, if not the best player. Jorginho’s future remains a toss-up. Chelsea should look to keep him if the offer is right.
Denis Zakaria is a player Chelsea needs to keep. He brings energy to the midfield, and Juventus doesn’t need him. That being said, Enzo Fernandez could be a culture-shifting move for Chelsea. It would be an absolute steal if Chelsea could obtain this duo for less than 100 million.
Romelu Lukaku is also back from loan. This is a tricky one for Graham Potter and the board. Should he be given a second chance, this time under Potter? Yes. Considering his poor form in the World Cup, he wouldn’t have gone for much. Why not give him a fair chance?
Conclusion
Again, this season is over for Chelsea. Their goal now should be to make it to the Europa League, as the top 4 seem far-fetched. Develop the young stars, get rid of the injury bugs, and somehow improve the attack (Joao Felix, probably) can set them up nicely for next season.
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