Three big questions: Chelsea’s Emerson and narratives

2. Why did it never work in England?

Emerson was extremely highly rated in Italy before an ACL injury sidelined him. Even still, as Chelsea pursued Alex Sandro, Juventus had Emerson earmarked as his replacement. After a summer of back and forth, Chelsea decided to simply cut out the middle man in January when they brought Emerson in.

The Italian did not have many opportunities at first. There were concerns about his match fitness even as Alonso was run into the ground. In brief cameos, Emerson looked good, but he simply never got a chance.

Under Maurizio Sarri, some fans got upset about the lack of usage of Emerson. They looked at Alonso, blamed him for being too slow, and thought Emerson was the answer to their prayers. Then Emerson actually played. While a very good attacker and clearly faster than Alonso, it matters little when there is no desire to defend. Emerson is, at the end of the day, a defender and he always went about those duties lackadaisically at best.

Frank Lampard came to the same conclusion after trying to make it work with Emerson. The myth that Alonso cannot play in a back four was pretty easily dismissed by simply trying it. Even Azpilicueta was seen as a better option at left back despite not having played there in years.

Emerson spent the post Covid return almost exclusively on the bench. Ben Chilwell’s transfer signals the end of the Italian in England. If a defensive player has all the attacking skills but simply does not care to do their primary duty, there just is not room for them. It might have worked in Italy where the teams are more structured, but the back and forth nature of English football does not allow for work rates like that.

It was just never going to work for Emerson at Chelsea. It was a bargain buy, not unlike Ross Barkley. Some bargain buys work out, others don’t. It is what it is.