Chelsea stands to be one of the biggest losers from the restart

Despite a positive reaction from Chelsea fans in regards to the restart, the resumption of play will be a bad thing for the Blues.

Chelsea’s imminent return to action in the Premier League this Sunday, coupled with the recent fanfare following the signing of Timo Werner, has left many excited for the future of Chelsea Football Club. However, amidst all the talk of what Chelsea’s new look attack will be like next season, there remains the issue of securing a top four finish in the ongoing campaign.

Truth be told, Chelsea probably had the most to gain from the season being curtailed. Aside from being the Europa League holders, Chelsea was also projected to finish fourth on a points-per-game basis. As such, the resumption of the league under Project Restart would mean that the Blues actually have to dig in and hold off challenges from the likes of Wolves and Manchester United to secure Champions League football next season.

Aside from the obvious monetary benefits of Champions League qualification, Chelsea’s current transfer targets would certainly be easier to secure with the promise of Europe’s premier football competition. Both Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen, clubs of Chelsea’s rumoured targets Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz respectively would likely feature in the Champions League next season. As such, any faltering on the part of the Blues would mean that the aforementioned duo would miss out on what would otherwise be guaranteed Champions League action. Chelsea hence becomes a less attractive proposition.

With so much on the line, it becomes concerning that Chelsea actually faces a huge fight on its hands to maintain its current standings. In the club’s nine remaining league fixtures, the Blues have yet to face Manchester City and Liverpool, the two highest flyers in the Premier League. Considering the significant loss of home advantage, a phenomenon evident following the resumption of the Bundesliga in empty stadiums, Manchester City and Liverpool’s superior qualities would more likely than not carry them through their games with Chelsea.

Moreover, matches against relegation-threatened sides West Ham, Watford, Norwich and Aston Villa remain. All of these teams still have much to play for as they attempt to stave off the drop with the season drawing to its belated, but dramatic, conclusion.

While it is true Lampard finally has a fully fit squad to choose from, the uncertainty surrounding both Pedro and Willian’s contracts means that Lampard could be without two of his most experienced wingers past the 30th of June. Moreover, with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United boasting the returns of the likes of the talismanic Harry Kane and Paul Pogba, Chelsea’s considerably less talented squad—due to the transfer ban—could once more be on the shorter end of the stick.

Furthermore, as demonstrated in Arsenal’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City, injuries could yet devastate Chelsea’s squad following such a long lay-off. The first half injuries to Granit Xhaka and then Pablo Mari serve as potential warnings of what could yet happen to even the most well-prepared sides.

Of course, for various, mostly monetary reasons, the Premier League had to return regardless.
However, such a resumption could spell trouble for the Blues should they come out of the break with anything less than their collective best.

At the end of the day, the absence of any form could see Lampard’s Chelsea either catapult itself further up the table or simply capitulate. Either way, this sprint to the finish line brought about by Project Restart would undoubtedly serve as Lampard’s greatest managerial hurdle thus far and a fitting finale to what has already been a topsy turvy season for the ages.