Checking in on Chelsea’s top six rivals this preseason

Chelsea has had a quiet preseason thanks to the transfer ban. But how is it comparing to the preseasons of top six rivals?

The transfer ban has kept Chelsea’s preseason quiet overall, with the only question to be asked is who stays and who goes. But as quiet as Chelsea’s window has been, the top six rivals have also been pretty quiet. The business they got done was early and now all the sides seem to be focused on their friendlies.

It is hard to tell how Chelsea will do this coming season, but the foundation for it will be laid during preseason. The effects of a preseason compared to other sides fade by November or so but until then it can help, or hurt, a side’s start. How does Chelsea compare to their rivals?

From the first preseason game to the last, Chelsea has the longest preseason and is tied for the most fixtures with Arsenal and Liverpool. The Blues do not win the earliest start by much with their first preseason match coming only a day before Liverpool’s.

It should be noted that compared to the top six, Chelsea has what can easily be considered the second “easiest” preseason. Barcelona is the centerpiece of a seven game preseason, but a sharp drop off follows to Gladbach and Salzburg. Only City’s four game preseason (five if Vincent Kompany’s testimonial is included) could be considered as having lower quality opposition.

Travel wise, the Blues also have quite a distance to go thanks to the Japanese section of the tour. But top six rivals are also going across oceans for preseason so it will matter little overall.

In context, Chelsea’s preseason is long and filled with moral boosting opponents. It is very likely that the Blues go to Old Trafford with a very fit squad that is high on themselves. United, meanwhile, have plenty of difficult opponents and already have a bit of a cloud over them. Liverpool also has a slate of difficult opponents in the build up to the European Super Cup, but Jurgen Klopp has an advantage of already knowing his players inside and out.

But perhaps the most important feature of Chelsea’s preseason has been the absolute lack of drama. They are not alone in that, of course, but top four is the goal and the Blues only need to get over two sides to do so. Luckily for the Blues, two sides are in a spot of turmoil.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s revolution at Manchester United is still a work in progress. Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku have been strongly linked with moves away. They have only brought in Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka who are both good players but they need so much more. When the fixture list announced Chelsea away to Manchester United on the first match day it seemed like a rough start. But with United spinning their wheels, Lampard’s side may sneak away with a result.

Then there is Arsenal who all of a sudden seems to be poor. They also need transfers to round out the squad (which admittedly has a lot of individual talent but no real overarching connection). The Gunners still need to sell before they can buy and nothing seems to be happening on that horizon. The fans are fed up and have made their frustrations known, but it remains to be seen if the ownership will be moved by their appeals.

Tottenham might also be included due to their lack of activity in the market. Mauricio Pochettino did very well with a squad lacking in reinforcements for too long, but even now that transfers have come in they already seem done in the window. It is admirable what Pochettino has done so far but that squad needs more fresh blood than it has seen so far.

Lampard can look at those three sides (or at the very least, United and Arsenal) and feel pretty good about his own team. The Blues are past any sort of transfer shenanigans with key players having a foot out the door. The Blues’ preseason is not as shiny and impressive as some of the rivals, but getting fit and boosting moral could be worth more in the long run.

Overall, Lampard will be looking around and liking his chances for top four while knowing there is work to be done yet. The work continues as Chelsea’s second tour this summer kicks off in short order.