After a tumultuous week of Champions League round-of-16 fixtures, Chelsea’s future in that competition comes into focus. What must Chelsea do to seriously compete in the Champions League next season?
Chelsea are en route to meeting their pre-season ambition of qualifying for the Champions League. With the second half of the season well underway, the perspective turns to future prospects with this team and manager.
Squad depth will be a crucial part of maintaining Chelsea’s form in all competitions next season. While the players are largely focused, the Blues lack of depth in many positions. This has been manageable this season, with an early EFL Cup exit and no European football. But next season Chelsea will be competing for all silverware.
Swapping out a few regular players for youth every now and again will not be enough.Giving the younger players experience is one clear way to improve squad choice, but Antonio Conte needs to strengthen in the summer.
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The lack of movement in the January transfer window caused a lot of concern. This cannot become a pattern. The Blues must not only fill the gaps, but also spend wisely. Defensively, there is always room for improvement. With Asmir Begovic’s future uncertain, a back-up goalkeeper will likely be a priority.
Antonio Conte has shifted focus to the wings, and should pursue new wing backs for each side. Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses have been solid but often lacking in their defensive duties. This imbalance has stopped this Chelsea side from always keeping control of the game, a flaw which could be fatal in the intense fixtures of the Champions League.
Antonio Conte also needs greater willingness to change the formation when necessary. Depth is important for him to feel comfortable to do so. But more than that, Conte must be confident that the team is capable of achieving their ambitions. It took a 13-game unbeaten run for a club in the Premier League to block the effectiveness of 3-4-3. The Champions League is much less forgiving, and most teams will be a challenge from the start.
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Chelsea fans have seen that Conte is a manager of comfort: he finds what works and sticks to it. The team needs some unpredictability to compete against the best in Europe. Being braver and switching to a 3-5-2 or working at a back four again could do wonders in keeping players fresh and keeping opponents uneasy. The 3-4-3 works, but that does not mean nothing else will.
Beyond the tactics and technical aspects, attitude is just as important. Chelsea’s resurgence this season will have them enter the Champions League in 2017/18 as a serious threat. This threat needs to be evident in every player’s assertiveness on the pitch.
The Blues need creativity in their squad. Cesc Fabregas is the most creative player, despite hardly getting a look in this season. This team needs players who will try something special to get “that” goal.
In 2012, Didier Drogba, Ramires, Juan Mata and Frank Lampard stood out for showcasing their creative sides. The current set of players needs to push themselves. The Champions League is overflowing with talent and creativity. Chelsea cannot get lost in the crowd.
Passion wins trophies. Chelsea must believe that they are worthy competitors. Winning the Champions League in 2012 was even sweeter because Chelsea were always the underdogs and their passion prevailed every single time. That team knew how to handle the pressure.
This current squad still has players from the 2011/12 campaign. Leadership and experience will be two of the most important assets in becoming a threat in the Champions League. Chelsea already has this off the pitch in Antonio Conte. The displays on the pitch will define the tournament.
A few times this season, the players have noticeably dropped in their advances to keep hold of a game. Whilst rare, particularly with players like N’golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicueta in fine form, this could still prove to be a problem.
Energy is fuelled by self-belief and collective ambition. This combination has made the Blues the strongest team in the Premier League so far this season. There is no reason why this will not improve.
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Winning the Champions League is no small feat. Antonio Conte has a whole summer to build the team he needs. If the rest of this season continues apace, then the current players should be motivated to take their success further. Chelsea have every reason to once again challenge for the biggest trophy of them all.