Chelsea fans should be out-of-their-armchairs excited about the upcoming version of the Blues, but more can be done to improve yet.
It’s time to get excited as the new season approaches and Chelsea is in the process of loading up its club with first-class, title-challenging talent. Chelsea fans shouldn’t let anyone tamp down their right to be ecstatic about this transfer window and the players who have been brought in. It’s a master class already and it could get better and better. The team is not finished yet, though that does not mean there are not reasons to be wary.
Great additions in attack
One game and about four minutes was all it took to showcase the top skills of Chelsea’s first two big signings, Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner. Ziyech dropped a beauty of a cross onto Callum Hudson-Odoi’s chest and he obligingly sent it toward Warner in front of the goal and the first scoring collaboration was in the books. A thing of beauty.
Later, Ziyech sent another masterpiece to Werner for a tap-in header and he sent it skyward, unfortunately denying himself a brace and Ziyech of his first Chelsea assist. It was unfortunate, but that’s football. But as far as starts against a good opponent go, it was impressive. It presages much more to come from these two stars but there’s a lot more to like about this attack. Christian Pulisic is still rehabbing an injury and his return will bring another daring, slashing, pacey forward to wreak havoc on Premier League defenses.
Then, if the latest rumors are finalized, the Blues will add another ball wizard to their collection in German wunderkind Kai Havertz. Havertz, despite his tender age of 21, is already an established star and fits best as a number eight attacking midfielder. He, like Ziyech and Werner, is not a “one-trick pony”. All of these attacking talents (and include Pulisic in that grouping as well) are accomplished assist-makers as well as goal-scorers. Provide a lane for a pass and they’ll thread the needle and send it across the pitch to an unguarded teammate. Give them space to shoot, and they’ll take the shot and dent the back of the net. They are all multi-role and multi-talented attackers.
Add to that quartet the starters in waiting, Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham, and Callum Hudson-Odoi (along with Said Benrahma in a perfect world), and you have a bevy of top-flight talent ready to fill in and provide rest for injured starters, and also challenge for the top spots if anyone falters. That’s the strength in depth concept that cannot be minimized in importance at any time during any season. Injuries happen. Tired players happen. Cup games happen. To be able to contend in any and all competitions the best clubs need that depth. It’s invaluable and essential to challenge for titles.
Upgrade the backline
While Havertz will likely be a versatile attacking midfielder, the midfield, except for slotting the versatile Mason Mount on the left, will likely be relatively stable. Absent some surprising sales, e.g. N’Golo Kante, most of last season’s midfielders are probable returnees. One who may be moved to add resources to finance other players is Jorginho who doesn’t really have a position in head coach Frank Lampard’s system. He is a distinct possibility to be sold in this window. But those potential moves notwithstanding, the midfield will likely not change dramatically while the back line has and will. And all for the better.
First, the club has dramatically upgraded the left back position by bringing in England’s first-team player, Ben Chilwell. There is little doubt that Chilwell with his blistering pace will be a major upgrade over last year’s holders of the spot, Marcos Alonso and Emerson. Emerson will likely be sold shortly while Alonso has a role to play in the 3-4-3 as a top wing back who can utilize his shooting and set-piece abilities when called upon. Next, Chelsea conducted a brilliant piece of business by bringing in the terrific champion central defender, Thiago Silva on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Silva is approaching his 36th birthday but that thankfully wasn’t a deterrent to Chelsea’s moving immediately for the player after his last game, the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Silva’s talent, experience, and all-around excellence can’t help but upgrade the central defense. In addition, rumors won’t subside that somehow Chelsea will find a way to bring in another versatile star in the making, Declan Rice.
Rice is seen by Lampard as a central defender and he also can very effectively deputize as a defensive midfielder. With a lately oft-injured Kante, that’s an invaluable asset to the team and he’s worth a sizable investment. Add Reece James to that backline as a starter and you have a tremendously talented back line and fullbacks who will help drive the attack from Chelsea’s own end.
Upgrade the keeper
A recent report has indicated that Petr Cech, former Chelsea world-class keeper and now a club technical adviser, has hinted that Kepa Arrizabalaga may be retained in the squad while not dismissing the notion that a new keeper would be brought in.
Cech said:
"“Additions will be made to the squad, perhaps even in goal, and this is what is being discussed now…But nobody is giving up on Kepa and we all hope he has a great future.”"
Bringing in a new keeper is the optimum move for the Blues at this juncture. This has been explained in detail. Arrizabalaga was a 71 million pound transfer that put enormous pressure on the young keeper and to date he has not been able to live up to that massive fee and may never be able to. The best move for both the club and the keeper is to move him to another club where the stigma of that fee will not be so ponderous. Yet, whatever happens with Arrizabalaga, the Blues need a new top keeper and hopefully, this move will be completed expeditiously. A top signing would be Gianluigi Donnarumma from AC Milan.
Rumors are also floating that Edouard Mendy, the tremendously tall keeper from Stade Rennais in Ligue 1, may be the man. Mendy is listed at 6.46′ tall (1.97 meters). That’s a sold height for a keeper. A good tall keeper is a tremendous asset. While unique keepers like Jan Oblak may be able to overcome their shortcomings in height with other-worldly athleticism and reflexes, a taller keeper with very good reflexes is a good choice much of the time. Mendy at 28 years old would fit nicely with the new Chelsea. Experienced but not too far along in years, Mendy is a good combination for the club now.
Whether or not Arrizabalaga remains with the club for financial reasons, Chelsea needs to move on with a new starting keeper. It looks like Mendy or another keeper, such as Andre Onana of Ajax, will be brought in. This is not a debatable situation. This is a must move. The keeper quality was just not good enough last season for a totally renovated club looking to challenge for titles this season.
The Great Equalizer
The changes noted and possibly others have set the Blues up for a very exciting and potentially spellbinding season. Great additions in attack and on the back line (and hopefully at keeper shortly) have bolstered the club’s quality exponentially. Yet there is one great equalizer that Chelsea and its fans are well-acquainted with. Injury.
Already, three of its top four forwards have been impacted by injury as the new season approaches. Pulisic from last season and now Ziyech and to a lesser extent perhaps Werner have now picked up knocks. This is concerning yet it does not necessarily have to be debilitating.
And that is where strength-in-depth plays its part. The club must be ready with not just squad players but good substitute players who can slot in and not result in too dramatic if any drop-off when injuries take their inevitable toll. With the current injury situation, that is why the addition of a reasonably priced player with great skills like Said Benrahma of Brentford makes great sense. There will be lots of minutes to go around and likely injured players to replace. Having another versatile forward/attacking midfielder like Benrahma around makes perfect sense.
That’s a short recap of why Chelsea’s fandom should be sky-high with excitement in anticipation of the upcoming season. The club has done what its fans wanted, moved early, often, and very aggressively to lock up great talent from around Europe to bolster and upgrade the squad, especially in the attack and on the back line (especially if they are able to bring ion a future leader and maybe captain, Declan Rice.
While no has a crystal ball that can absolutely predict how things will go for Chelsea in this upcoming season. However, this is certain, they have added great new and exciting players to the mix. Hopefully, it works out famously and results in titles, but whatever the outcome, you can’t blame the club for its efforts. It’s A+ for effort all day long.