Expectations And Results
Having spent over £200 million in the last transfer window, the Chelsea fans certainly expected their side to put up a strong challenge in the title race against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool. To be honest, the expectations were quite fair as Frank Lampard had brought in some quality and experienced reinforcements – Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Edouard Mendy, and Ben Chilwell – to mount the title challenge.
However, things didn’t go according to plan as the English manager found himself struggling in the tenth position in mid-January. The terrible run of form brought an end to Lampard’s 18 month-long stint as the Blues’ head coach, and Thomas Tuchel was appointed almost immediately to try and salvage the season by getting Chelsea back into the top-four.
Tuchel reorganized parts of the team that his predecessor left behind – he changed the formation to a 3-4-3, restored Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta back in defence, and even brought Marcos Alonso back into the frame. In addition, summer signings Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, who were struggling to find their feet under Lampard’s guidance, soon became an integral part of the German gaffer’s set-up as they were assigned roles that were not merely restricted to scoring goals. Soon, the London club soared to the top-four as they picked up fifteen wins in their first 16 games; however, thanks to Gareth Bale, whose Matchday 38 heroics against Leicester City secured a Champions League spot for Chelsea.
While winning the prestigious Champions League is certainly Chelsea’s biggest achievement of the 2020/21 season, the hat-trick of victories Tuchel registered over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City deserves a special mention. The German coach accomplished a task that was considered impossible previously – and he did that with an inherited squad.
A moment of individual brilliance from Youri Tielemans prevented The Blues from lifting their fourth FA Cup of the decade, but I doubt if anyone cares about that now.
Top Performers
N’Golo Kante has emerged as a genuine contender for the Ballon d’Or, and the oddsmakers do not disagree. The 5ft 6in dynamo dominated the midfield proceedings on a weekly basis and was named as player of the match in each of the two semi-final legs, as well as the final of the Champions League. Tuchel’s side trailed for only around 5 minutes in the Champions League, and such an incredible defensive record wouldn’t have been possible without N’Golo Kante in midfield.
There were some questions over Mason Mount’s future when Tuchel benched him for his first game against Wolves, but the 22-year-old Englishman has been phenomenal under the German tactician, delivering the goods in the most crucial of times.
Antonio Rudiger deserves a special mention as well. He has been nothing less than a rock at the back for his side.
What Next?
Various reports state that Roman Abramovich is fully ready to back Thomas Tuchel in the upcoming transfer window. A striker, a midfielder, and at least one new centre-back are all on Tuchel’s wish-list, and if he ends up securing the desired targets, we can expect a strong title race from Chelsea next season.
