Feelings and wildcards: Chelsea’s season thus far, part two of three

The Pride of London contributors weigh in on their Chelsea feelings going into winter as well as the big wildcards of the season.

This is a good time for fans, including our contributors, to take a step back and think about how the season has gone so far and how it may go through the winter slog. Winter has a habit of making things in the Premier League a bit crazy and there is always a new wildcard to think about. What are our feelings and wildcards for the winter?

Feelings going into winter

Scott Brant: I am very happy with Chelsea and where they are on all tables. But I am not content. They have been a bit skittish against top sides. That is an issue that can be fixed, so there is no need for any ex-managers to be worried about the Blues. But this stretch through Christmas will be telling.

Varun Dani: Lampard has done brilliantly with his tactical tweaks and substitutions up until now, but the winter period is the real acid test for a team and their manager’s credentials. Lampard’s rotation policy (which he has been sparse with) and tactics during this unforgiving period will show if he is really up to the challenge of being a top manager.

Gabe Henderson: Confident. The Blues are holding their own thus far and even though they’ve lost a few big matches, the reasons to be optimistic are there. Not to mention, Antonio Rudiger and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have yet to make their mark on the XI.

Nate Hofmann: Unease. Chelsea is still injury stricken, and the dense holiday fixture list won’t allow much time for recovery. Another knock here and there could leave the squad Manchester City-level thin.

Olaoluwa Nwobodo: The winter slog would see Lampard need all the knowledge he has gathered in his footballing career, as a player and manager. I remember Antonio Conte having to play Manchester United, Manchester City and Barcelona (twice) in the space of two weeks. These were Champions League and Premier League matches, making all four of them priority. Conte lost three of those games and drew one.

Lampard has a more robust squad but I’m not satisfied with how Lampard has spread the minutes, though. Michy Batshuayi, for one, has not been given as much playing time as he should have been. Tammy Abraham is a prolific goal scorer but the work he does involves him running for the whole game and he too needs rest. Mason Mount is perhaps more due for a rest. It is understandable that Mount is crucial to Lampard’s pressing demands but there are games where Mount could be rested and other players should be given a chance to meet up with what Lampard expects.

Batshuayi cannot prove he can do what Abraham does when he only gets a third of the latter’s minutes (I’m not saying he can, just that Lampard can afford to give Michy more minutes than he actually gives to him).

Abhishek Pancholi: I’ve never felt so positive about Chelsea’s prospects in winter for a very long time. November has traditionally been the start of a difficult period for Chelsea over the past decade, but this time it feels like we’ll be fine. Despite a few difficult games on the horizon, the Blues will emerge with more credit when the snow starts to melt.

Barrett Rouen: It will be easier now that British football has been defaced with the changing of the holiday schedule. It will still be winter in the Premier League, but not the same. Too bad.

Oliver Smith: The Christmas season is where Chelsea’s season will be made or broken. The games come thick and fast and Lampard will be tested on his rotation and balancing playing times. N’Golo Kante returned at just the right time and Lampard will get a massive boost if he gets Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Antonio Rudiger back. That might just keep the team flowing.