Chelsea have come into the previous three seasons with an air of uncertainty around the club following the takeover by Clearlake Capital in May of 2022, but this time things feel different.The Blues h...
Chelsea have come into the previous three seasons with an air of uncertainty around the club following the takeover by Clearlake Capital in May of 2022, but this time things feel different.
The Blues have been in project mode for several years now, and it seemed there was no end in sight, until Enzo Maresca showed up in west London.
The Italian came to the club as a relatively unknown quantity. He had only been the head coach of three teams, in a four-year span. The Manchester City Elite Development Squad (under-23s), Parma in Serie B for a few months and a season getting Leicester City promoted from the Championship.
With the reputation of being a disciple of Pep Guardiola, akin to Erik ten Hag, Mikel Arteta and Xavi, Maresca came with the weight of expectation, but lacking the evidence to support it.
Many doubts were, however, erased after Chelsea started the season in brilliant fashion. By December, they were second, had surged into second place, and were just two points behind league leaders Liverpool.
Then came the drop-off. In the nine games that followed, they managed only nine points, as the ever-dependable Cole Palmer dipped in form.
They did eventually turn the season around, winning eight of their last nine games in all competitions to secure a fourth-place Champions League finish, as well as the Conference League title.
It was an excellent first season by anyone’s standards, but it was elevated to a different degree after the Club World Cup.
The revamped competition, the brainchild of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, took place in the USA this past summer. It received much criticism from fans, while players and managers bemoaned the extra football.
But despite the clear teething problems throughout the competition, Chelsea were effervescent. I was on the ground in the States and attended every Chelsea game as they went on to lift the trophy (in the presence of Donald Trump).
The squad were clearly riding the high from the way they ended the season and were buoyed by the epochal arrival of new signings Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.
Joao Pedro was supreme, scoring three goals in just 163 minutes of action, while Delap got a goal and assist to go along with some encouraging performances.
Estevao, who played for Palmeiras in the competition including against Chelsea, has since joined and slotted in seamlessly in pre-season. Touted as the biggest talent out of Brazil since Neymar he is already known as ‘Messinho’ for his similarity to Lionel Messi.
I spoke to pretty much the whole squad out in the US, as well as the new signings, and the belief in the group was palpable. Perhaps more-so than at any point since 2021, when the Blues lifted the Champions League.
After the 3-0 win over PSG in the Final, Levi Colwill told me: “I said at the start of this tournament our plan was to win it and people looked at me as if I was crazy. So I’m going to say the exact same thing now, going into the Premier League and Champions League.”
Sadly, for club and player, Colwill has since suffered an ACL injury and will miss the majority of the season. The England international was the only ever-present centre-back in the starting line-up last term.
Wesley Fofana paired him at times, as well as Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Axel Disasi and Trevoh Chalobah. Fofana is a top-class CB, but his availability is a huge concern.
The others are not at the level required to challenge for a Premier League title but Chelsea have signed Jorrel Hato this summer, while Josh Acheampong could also play in central defence.
There are concerns with Hato’s age and lack of Premier League experience though. Acheampong is held in such high esteem that they may not go back into the transfer market, despite Maresca’s wishes.
Following the Club World Cup triumph there have been murmurs of a title challenge at Stamford Bridge, but, internally, Chelsea are quelling that noise. They first want to be Champions League regulars again, as well as mounting strong cup runs.
The squad is strong with the only potential weaknesses defence and the goalkeeper. Reece James is one of the best right-backs in the world when available, but his fitness is always on a knife-edge.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had a tough season, but ended it strongly, and was solid in America. Chelsea were in for Mike Maignan before the Club World Cup but have since deserted that option and it seems Maresca is happy enough to trust the Spaniard again.
The glaring potential issue is fatigue after non-stop football for 11 months. Chelsea are at an instant disadvantage compared to most of the league after having only three weeks off in the summer and starting their pre-season on the 4 August.
They have only managed to fit in two pre-season games ahead of their opening match against Crystal Palace. The flip side is Chelsea look as though they have not missed a beat since last season.
Most likely they will maintain their levels and start well but may tail off mid-season when the demands of playing for a near full calendar year take hold.
Chelsea look fluid, confident, and are playing at a very high level. But they are still a young squad and to challenge for the title requires a level of consistency they are yet to show.
In my opinion the biggest honours in football – the Premier League and Champions League – are still beyond them. That said, I foresee a strong campaign in which they go from strength to strength and continue to establish themselves as one of the best teams in Europe.
Category: General Sports
