Chelsea haven’t had the best of starts under new manager Frank Lampard this season. The Blues have won only one of their four Premier League matches so far, and things are looking bleak as the club legend looks to cope with the transfer ban.
It has been rather evident that some of the players have struggled to play to their full potential. We have identified three players who need to step up if Chelsea are to make a turnaround within the coming weeks.
Christian Pulisic
Lack of attacking support was one of Chelsea’s biggest problems last season. And with star player Callum Hudson-Odoi out injured, the onus should be on Christian Pulisic to deliver the goods in the final third. The American prodigy initially started his career at Stamford Bridge on a positive note, but he was ineffective in the recent draw with Sheffield United.
The 20-year-old was even deployed on his preferred right-wing slot. However, he lacked incision and offered very little, overall. And the Blues could be in deep trouble if the ex-Dortmund star fails to put in consistent performances week in week out.
Cesar Azpilicueta
Following the departures of Gary Cahill and David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta is currently the leader of the Chelsea backline. However, he has done very little to live up to that status, which was evident in his struggles in dealing with Callum Robinson, in the game against Sheffield.
Indeed, the Spaniard has failed to provide stability in the Chelsea backline. And considering the presence of fairly inexperienced players like Andreas Christensen and Fikayo Timori, Azpilicueta simply needs to improve his performances in the coming weeks.
Emerson
The departure of Maurizio Sarri has served as a boon for Emerson, who was often overlooked by the Italian mastermind. Lampard, however, has entrusted the Brazilian with the job of becoming Chelsea’s first-choice left-back, ahead of Alonso, who endured a frustrating 2018/19 campaign.
That being said, Emerson, after initially impressing in the pre-season friendlies, has never really managed to perform well in the Premier League so far. The ex-AS Roma defender loves to move forward and provide attacking support to his teammates. But, more often than not, he has been ineffective going forward and given the competitive nature of modern-day football, he could soon lose his place in the starting lineup if he fails to improve his performances.
