The ex-Chelsea man is confident that the Blues will turn their season around.
Chelsea FC welcome Southampton later today in a crunch Premier League tie. With the Blues experiencing a dismal start to the 2015/16 season, they will be eager to get back to winning ways this afternoon. Ryan Bertrand, meanwhile, returns to Stamford Bridge to face his old club and is certain that Chelsea will soon snap out of this bad streak.
"They are the champions and they have fantastic individuals. It’s still early days in respect to them and I’m sure they will pull it together soon and everyone will be talking about them again."
The full-back joined Chelsea at the age of 15 and graduated through the club’s youth system. Bertrand was subsequently sent out on several loan deals before finally making his senior Chelsea debut in April 2011.
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However, the Englishman would struggle to establish himself in the Blues squad and was loaned out to Southampton for the entirety of the 2014/15 season. His impressive performances on the south coast gave reason for the Saints to make the deal permanent, which they did in February of this year for around £10million.
While he was never a regular player for Chelsea, he will forever be remembered for his contribution to the club’s greatest night. Bertrand made his Champions League debut in the 2012 Champions League final where Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich to prove that fairytales do exist.
It wasn’t that he came on as a substitute either. Bertrand, a natural left-back, started the game. In the left-wing role. He put in a heroic display in an unfamiliar position to help the Blues capture that illustrious European Cup. Consequently, he is sure to receive a rapturous reception at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
Despite that and his certainty that Chelsea will find their feet, he will want nothing more than furthering the West Londoners’ misery. Southampton will be riding high after a 3-1 defeat of Swansea last weekend that essentially kickstarted their season. Bertrand will be looking to help his incumbent club capitalise on Chelsea’s vulnerabilities and escape with a point at the least.
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Personally, he will also be hoping to prove to the Blues brass that they missed a trick by letting him go. Bertrand has previously stated that he feels he has the sufficient quality to contribute significantly to a Chelsea side. Admittedly, given his performances over the last year, there are very few Blues fans who would disagree.
Bertrand has been a key fixture in the Saints defence that kept the third highest number of clean sheets last season (13) and the defender has been suitably rewarded with recent England call-ups.
The Stamford Bridge faithful will undoubtedly be pleased to see an honest, hard-working player take his opportunity and succeed, but they will no doubt be weary of the problems he will cause for Chelsea’s attack later today.
Touch gloves.
All quotes taken from saintsfc.co.uk.
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