Chelsea lack the game-changing subs who made the difference last season

Any squad challenging for top four needs a strong 11 and game changing subs that could make that 11. Chelsea have lacked that edge this season.

Chelsea were playing well against West Ham for most of the match. Yes, it was only 1-0, but the chances were there. West Ham were creating nothing. Until score-on-Chelsea specialist Javier Hernandez came on and did what he does.

At that point, 73 minutes in, the often repeated refrain of “where are the subs?!?” began. But a look at the bench makes it clear that it really did not matter is a sub was made. Chelsea simply do not have any game changing subs anymore.

This is one of the major differences between this season and last. Last season, when things were not going as well as planned, Antonio Conte had options. He could bring on Willian for Pedro to add more creativity and less directness to the forward line. Conte could bring on Cesc Fabregas to find the spaces against tired defenders. He could bring on Michy Batshuayi and his eye for a poachers goal. And often, he was able to change the 3-4-3 into other formations such as the 3-5-2, 4-2-3-1 and 4-2-4.

Chelsea lack the same this season. Nemanja Matic’s departure and Tiemoue Bakayoko’s slow adjustment to the Premier League has seen Cesc Fabregas become a starter. Willian has overtaken Pedro who has seen age catch up to him quickly. And Batshuayi was less impactful from the bench this season. This saw him depart on loan and be replaced by Olivier Giroud who has yet to find an impactful moment.

This coincides with a clear drop off in the ability of the squad to fight back from conceding. And though Conte has been using subs more frequently this season (contrary to the narrative), the subs have been far less effective.

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When it comes down to it, the clubs that outperform their expectations are the ones that have more than a solid starting 11. The clubs with players on the bench that can come on and impact the game are the ones that find success above their means. Chelsea do not have that at the moment.

In fact, Chelsea are overplaying. The best XI start match after match but this leaves no option to use from the bench. Pedro makes the team worse with his introduction. Bakayoko is not the player to come on and change a game. And Giroud is still looking to make an impact. The other players that are first 11 quality are not in the positions that alter matches.

Even the formation changes often see little impact. For most of this season, Conte and Chelsea resisted changing shape when results soured. But in the New Year, the back up plans of 4-2-4 and 4-2-3-1 have seen more use. Unfortunately, the players changing the shape have had no impact whatsoever.

And it is easy to see this lack of game changing subs when looking around at Chelsea’s top six rivals. All of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have players on their benches that are able to come in with 20 minutes on the clock and impact the game. Chelsea lack that and once they are found out they lack any type of solution.

Perhaps this is what Conte meant when he said the squad need two or three world class players. The Blues are stuck with plan A and only plan A.

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So it is not Conte’s fault that he is slow to make subs or makes poor ones. He simply does not have anyone worth bringing on. And without game impacting subs, Chelsea are unable to hold together for a 90 minute performance when it matters.