Wednesday’s edition of Tactics and Transfers discussed Antonio Conte’s formations. Today we look at the players Chelsea need to help the boss out.
On Wednesday we discussed Antonio Conte’s insistence on using the 4-1-4-1. We also saw how the 4-4-2/4-2-4 hybrid could be the perfect formation for Chelsea instead. However, both required the arrivals of some defenders to make it work.
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Unfortunately, due to the Blues’ current position, clubs know that they are desperate. Furthermore, fees are going up for players of questionable quality. It is possible to make deals for players at fair valuations but agreements need to be reached early in the transfer window.
Starting discussions early allows sufficient time to negotiate; time is the ultimate tool when it comes to high level monetary negotiations. Another benefit of timely deals is that the player has a chance to actually train with the team before the season starts. Being desperate, which again Chelsea are, is the worst possible situation.
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The club have chased the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly this summer. They have put in a number of bids, but they have failed to actually meet Napoli’s valuation. They were not decisive enough and thus that deal now seems unlikely. It has been a pursuit eerily similar to that of John Stones last year.
The Blues currently find themselves in the chase for Nikola Maksimovic, someone worth around £20-25 million. He is also on strike. The West Londoners should not sign him. You should never sign a player who chooses to act in such an unprofessional way. It’s like marrying a mistress. If they’d do it to somebody else why wouldn’t they do it to you?
Chelsea lacked simple standard professionalism last season, does the idea of adding a player who is boycotting his own club seem smart? Yes, he has been compared to Nemanja Vidic – one of the best defenders in modern Premier League history. However, this could be largely born more from nationality, rather than skill.
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The fact of the matter is that the Blues are so desperate they simply need bodies. Adding Ola Aina’s apparent injury into the mix only accentuates this sentiment. They need breathing, human-beings who also happen to be footballers.
Taking a more optimistic stance, this could be an opportunity for Jake Clarke-Salter and Fikayo Tomori. History, though, suggests otherwise. Hopefully, they both get on the pitch in the coming weeks alongside John Terry to offer a glimpse into the future for Chelsea, but either way some defensive signings need to be made and they need to be made soon.
How worried are you about the club’s position?