Chelsea’s winners and losers in the Premier League’s shutdown

COVID-19 has forced the footballing world to come to an immediate pause with Chelsea as one of the key players. Off the pitch, the club is doing wonderful things, but the impact of the shutdown on the players is a mixed bag.

The Blues found themselves in the middle of a hot streak when the Premier League suspended operations. All eyes are on the players as uncertainty about the rest of the season looms. If fixtures resume, the break will have proved useful for a majority of the Chelsea squad. However, it goes without saying that some players are getting the short end of the stick.

The obvious winners from English football’s hiatus are the injured players in the squad. Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, N’Golo Kante, Tammy Abraham, the list seems endless. The break provides a unique opportunity for these players to get back to full strength. Chelsea was playing with an incredibly thin squad as the season progressed. Now, if the Premier League returns, the Blues’ deep squad presents a very good chance at securing a top four finish.

Mason Mount is another player who benefits greatly from a break in play. Mount has appeared in more matches than any other Chelsea player across all competitions this season. The 21-year-old has spent more time on the pitch than all but three of his teammates. The consensus amongst supporters is that Mount’s form dropped as the season progressed. This is largely in part because of his over-usage. If play resumes this season, expect Mount to return to his early season form.

The largest beneficiary of a break is Frank Lampard. It’s no secret Lampard’s first season as Chelsea gaffer has come with its fair share of ups and downs. If the Premier League takes after Eredivisie and calls it quits, Lampard gets a clean slate. It’s the best of both worlds; Lampard gains much needed experience with managing a turbulent season, but the results are null and void in the end. The Blues likely get to play Champions League football next season, Lampard gets a transfer budget and a healthy squad.

Before moving on to those who view the shutdown with a pessimistic eye, it’s important to note that although he’s struggled with injuries, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is not necessarily benefitting. Loftus-Cheek now has more competition for midfield spots, whereas he likely would’ve slotted in with ease during the injury spell at Chelsea. This becomes problematic when considering Loftus-Cheek hasn’t played in a truly competitive match since May 2019.

The individual most negatively impacted by the shutdown is Kepa Arrizabalaga. Arrizabalaga was on top of the world following his incredible penalty save versus Frankfurt in the Europa League semifinals last season. Since, it’s seemed to all go wrong for the Spaniard. The 25-year-old got an unfriendly reminder as to just how quickly fans can turn on one of their own. The world’s most expensive keeper lost his place in the first team as Lampard turned to Willy Caballero—and stayed with him. However, to his credit, Arrizabalaga put his head down and worked until he earned his starting role back.

On the back of two clean sheets, Arrizabalaga was in his best form of the season before the season came to an abrupt halt. Only time will tell what the future holds for Chelsea’s No. 1 and his confidence.

Lastly, Billy Gilmour is another player likely to be cast aside following the shutdown. While not as negatively effected as Arrizabalaga, the break is doing no favors for the 18-year-old. Gilmour started two straight matches for Chelsea before operations were shut down, winning man of the match honors in both.

It’s unlikely Gilmour sees much of the pitch should the season return, however. A fully healthy squad means the Scot falls further down the pecking order.