Chelsea winter evaluation: Midfield secure but problematic

Chelsea’s midfield is full of great players that do not necessarily mesh perfectly together. They are secure but also a problem.

Frank Lampard has no clear midfield archetype he prefers. Whether in the 4-2-3-1 or the 4-3-3, the midfield is usually selected entirely with the opponent in mind rather than “the best” two or three depending on the formation. Lampard has three great midfielders and one up and coming great one. Not unlike center back, that traffic jam is bound to come to a head at some point.

Jorginho, Italy

The simple fact that Jorginho has performed even better under Lampard than under a manager who literally built everything around him is outstanding. Jorginho took to his new found freedoms and has not really looked back.

That is not to say he has been perfect. Compared to last season, Jorginho has seen a massive improvement but he has also become more consistent from top to bottom. He rarely puts in bad performances anymore but there are still plenty of games where he does not seem to do a whole lot either.

There are some rumors that a return to Italy could be in the cards. That would take some offer because Jorginho does seem well settled now. The only real question for the club is whether they are okay with what they are getting out of him.

Performance so far: Overall an improvement from last season. Rarely has a bad game, but rarely seems to have a great one either.

Will he return next season: The right offer would surely tempt the club but it would also depend on who the club thought they could bring in to replace him.