Chelsea are comfortably perched on top of the Premier League table and are currently 8 points ahead of 2nd placed Manchester City, who have found some form and regained a bit of ground in recent weeks. But Chelsea are overwhelming favourites to keep the lead and ultimately win the title at the end of the season. Coming back to their league campaign till now, Antonio Conte came in with not the greatest expectation in the world.
Known to be able to work with players available to him and focusing mainly on tactics and the ability to grind out results, he was understandably expected to take time. But after a quiet start, he has turned things around brilliantly. Chelsea equalled the record of most number of consecutive wins and were denied a chance to break the record as Spurs beat them to halt the winning streak.
Chelsea might be looking like a team without any chinks in their armour but their ability to focus on a single competition is aiding them along with their performance and brilliant tactics. They haven’t had to rotate their players much as they have always got enough opportunities to recover getting a full week more often than not.
But with Cesar Azpilicueta moving to the centre, Chelsea have only Marcos Alonso as their recognised left-back. With Champions League looking a certainty next season and the same comforts not looking likely again, they need to increase their options.
And with latest reports linking Chelsea with a move for highly rated Wolfsburg Ricardo Rodriguez, it is looking likely that there will be a number of additions in the near future.
Rodriguez has featured heavily for the German side this season and he has apparently been a target for clubs like Liverpool and the Manchester clubs in the past. The lack of options in that position for the clubs have made them explore the various options. Born in Zurich to a Spanish father and Chilean mother, Rodriguez started his professional career at FC Zurich in 2009 having spent eight years as part of the club’s youth set-up.
He was promoted to the senior squad at the age of 16 and was an unused substitute for Zurich’s 3-2 defeat to NK Maribor in the Champions League. Rodriguez eventually made his debut in 2010, coming on as a substitute in his side’s 2-0 win over Bellinzona in the Swiss Super League. He went on to make 35 appearances for the club, scoring two goals before being sold to Wolfsburg in January 2012 for an undisclosed fee.
The well-built and impressive frame of the left-back makes him stand out from players in his position. His relatively young age and his physical maturity make him a fearsome prospect especially in one on one situations. He is an excellent dribbler and is great in the air. His crossing and also his presence during set-pieces will come in handy.
Conte will do well to solidify his interest in the player and work actively to close the deal in summer.
