Alvaro Morata’s injury casts a massive “what if” over Chelsea’s summer window
By George Perry
A few unrealistically optimistic hold-outs still think that Alvaro Morata could return to play by the end of the international break. More likely, Chelsea will be without their striker until sometime in November.
After opening day, Chelsea allayed the fears and doubts about their summer transfer activity. Alvaro Morata announced himself as a Premier League star and a perfect fit at Stamford Bridge, confirming that Chelsea made the right choice in signing him instead of Romelu Lukaku. Davide Zappacosta sparkled in his debut against Qarabag. Tiemoue Bakayoko grew into his rapport in central midfield, giving the Blues some breathing room while Danny Drinkwater recovers.
Alvaro Morata’s injury revealed that such optimism was built on sand. When Antonio Conte sent Willian on for Morata instead of Michy Batshuayi, he reminded everyone of two things. He likes to be two-deep in every position, and Chelsea do not have that at striker.
Chelsea sold Bertrand Traore to Lyon on the first day of the transfer window. Three days later they loaned Tammy Abraham to Swansea City. Two weeks later, they signed Morata. After Morata signed the transfer rumours shifted towards Chelsea’s continuing needs at wing-back and central midfielder. Aside from the occasional blip about Fernando Llorente, the club did not seem interested in another front man. They then allowed Loic Remy to leave on a free transfer on September 1.
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The rumours of continuing discord continued to swirl around the club’s transfer inactivity throughout August. Conte reportedly did not give up on Llorente or the need for another striker. But when the window closed so did any indication of dissatisfaction from the head coach.
He may have trouble holding his tongue now. In merely the latest chapter of a disconnect between Chelsea’s technical director and the coach, the former ignored the latter’s explicit desires. Antonio Conte surely told Michael Emenalo and the board behind closed doors that he needed – or at least wanted – more than Michy Batshuayi behind Alvaro Morata. They did not heed his requests, and now Chelsea are without a starting striker who has the coach’s confidence. And, worse for this club and Conte, the drama will roar back.
Depends on how Morata responds to treatment, typical timeline could be up-to 2 months. Two weeks is unlikely but not impossible.
— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) October 2, 2017
Tammy Abraham’s loan and the club’s statements about him indicate that he is the future of Chelsea’s front line. The loan to Swansea City is a good loan for his career. But his parent club could use him now.
Andrea Belotti also went down with injury this weekend. Had Chelsea continued their pursuit for the Italian striker, he could have been coming off the bench at Stamford Bridge on Saturday instead of leaving the pitch for Torino on a stretcher.
Bertrand Traore is versatile on the front line, and could have partnered Eden Hazard in a 3-5-2. He also would be a very real contender for the starting XI in a 3-4-3 given the middling performances from Pedro and Willian.
Loic Remy would probably be out with an injury suffered going for seconds at the canteen, but there is always the chance he would be match-ready.
What if, what if, what if. Seven league games into the season and the summer’s chickens have already come home to roost at Stamford Bridge. Antonio Conte does not have the luxury of wondering what could have been, but he will not long tolerate the poverty of transfers and his low place in the pecking order.
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Chelsea not only failed to bring in any depth at striker – they actively disposed of the potential depth they had. Unfortunately for Conte and the fans, if Chelsea have not learned this lesson by now there is little reason to think this time will be different.