According to a recent report by the Evening Standard, French international striker Olivier Giroud has topped Chelsea’s summer signing Thiago Silva to have an immediate impact on this young Chelsea side in the coming season. The former PSG man’s acquisition is one of five major signings that Frank Lampard’s side have already completed this summer, with the veteran central defender joining the likes of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech in the roster. Although Giroud has tipped Thiago Silva to have an impact at Chelsea, the identity of his partner at the heart of defence will probably have an important part to play as well.
Speaking to the media during a recent press conference with the national side, the World Cup winner said, “He can bring his experience, his background and his leadership, I think the coach bought him for that. We have a lot of young players. He still has his qualities, of course, even if like me he is getting a little older, but I’m sure he will bring us a lot. He is going to discover a new league and I am sure he will adapt very quickly. We have a lot of ambitions this year with the recruitment and I hope we can join the race for the title.”
What Is Chelsea’s Defensive Situation Now?
The addition of a player like Thiago Silva is sure to have a positive influence on the general mood of the Chelsea back-line, as the sheer amount of experience and defensive know-how he would bring to the table is inexplicably large. Arguably one of the greatest defenders of the 21st century so far, Silva’s physical presence, as well as dominance in the air, will be massive assets to Lampard’s ambitions.
Despite his ripe age of 35, the Brazilian has the ability required to take full command of the defensive third, one of the aspects that the Blues players just weren’t able to achieve on the field last season.
The Blues’ defensive roster last season wasn’t all that bad on paper, but individually, each one of them was a mistake waiting to happen. Lampard was never able to come to a conclusion regarding his first-choice back-two, as the performances of experienced players like Antonio Rudiger and Kurt Zouma were riddled with inconsistencies. The German international had what was arguably his worst season in a Chelsea shirt so far, while Zouma’s erratic nature always makes him a risk. The alternate options for the role were English youngster Fikayo Tomori and Danish ace Andreas Christensen.
The back-up duo was given opportunities along the way as well, but neither of them captured the imagination enough to warrant a regular place in the team. The manager then had to resign to playing a back-three for the bigger matches, in an attempt to provide the helpless goalkeeper with as much protection as possible. With that said though, it’s worth considering that Kepa, in between the sticks, didn’t have the most enjoyable time either. Boasting the worst save percentage of all the keepers in the division, it soon became clear that the defensive fragility was rubbing off on the Spaniard’s confidence as well.
Giroud Has Tipped Thiago Silva To Have An Impact At Chelsea: Should Lampard Look To Strengthen Further At The Back?
The signing of Thiago Silva would have to be considered quite the coup by the London club, as his reputation and experience would undoubtedly be priceless assets to Lampard next season. Not only has he been at the summit of European football for a while now, but he has also earned various individual plaudits along the way too. His performance in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich was secure for the most part, and maintaining a similar trend through the upcoming season could help bring the best out of Chelsea’s talented defensive roster.
