Chelsea winter evaluation: Traffic jam at center back

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: (L-R) Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori of Chelsea celebrate during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

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AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – OCTOBER 23: Nicolas Tagliafico of AFC Ajax is closed down by Kurt Zouma of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League group H match between AFC Ajax and Chelsea FC at Amsterdam Arena on October 23, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) /

Kurt Zouma, France

This was set to be a huge year for Zouma. After a few years out on loan, it was now or never for the Frenchman to work his way back into Chelsea’s plans post injury.

Initially, it seemed a disaster. Zouma was terrible in the first handful of games and he seemed like a lost cause. It was only once Lampard started pairing Zouma with Tomori that the Frenchman settled down and became a bruiser at the back.

The Zouma Tomori partnership has featured all the silk and steel Lampard would love to see all over the pitch. It has not been perfect, but thus far it has been the only pairing that has truly worked out.

Zouma’s main issue will be if Chelsea decides to look at the market for new defenders. Zouma started this season more or less as the third choice center back and though he has played a ton, he has not really shaken the feeling of being a fill in.

So long as he is willing to stay and compete, he will have his chances.

Performance so far: Good with some room for improvement

Will he return next season: More likely than not. It would take Chelsea going out of their way for a new center back and a club willing to pay well to really push Zouma to the edge.

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