Chelsea seemed to be in a chaotic situation not too long ago as the board delayed the departure of Antonio Conte for quite a while. He was being linked with a move away from the club since May, and Maurizio Sarri was always the favourite to succeed him. The delay in the decision certainly did not help the Blues in the transfer market as they had less time to get players wanted by the new manager.
However, the West London club has managed to do decent business in a short space of time. Mateo Kovacic, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Jorginho are the standout signings, and all three would likely get in the first eleven once they get accustomed to Sarri’s tactics. The Pensioners were dominant in the first game of the season as they secured a comfortable 3-0 win against Huddersfield Town.
In the last decade or so Chelsea have been one of the most successful English clubs regarding trophies, but they have never really played an extravagant brand of football. Almost all their previous managers had built the team on the back of a strong defence line, and that inevitably brought them good results. However, we could be in for some exciting times ahead as Sarri often plays an attacking game with quick passing and high pressing.
The new ploy from the manager would take time to work as we saw them being schooled by Manchester City in the Community Shield encounter. There is likely to be less pressure on the Italian manager as not many expect Chelsea to win a silverware this season. A top-four finish will be considered as a success at this point. But can they go all the way and win the title as Antonio Conte did in his first season? We highly doubt that as things stand.
Lots Of Competition And Uncertainty About Morata And Hazard
The level of competition for the top spot has increased a lot in the last few years with Manchester City dominating the previous time around. With no significant departures from their side, many expect them to defend their title with Liverpool likely to be their closest competitor.
There are still quite a few areas the Blues need to work on this season. First of all, they should try all means to keep hold of Eden Hazard who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Even if he stays, lack of a potent striker is likely to be their shortcoming this season.
Alvaro Morata’s big money move to Stamford Bridge hasn’t matched anyone’s expectation. There were rumours of various strikers coming to the West London outfit, but nothing materialised. Morata would have a big six months ahead of him and if he fails to show any improvement from last season, his time could be up in England by the time the January transfer window arrives.
Defensive Frailties
Along with that, they will also have to solve out their defensive frailties. Last season, experienced players like David Luiz and Gary Cahill looked out of sorts. In their absence, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen had turned up with some impressive performances, but they are still inexperienced and are currently not of title-winning calibre.
It’s never easy for a new manager to turn the tide in a short space of time and with current shortcomings in their squad, the Blues are more likely to fight for a top-four spot in Sarri’s first season.
