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Chelsea: Management of players may be an issue going forward

By Michael DeVito

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Thiago Silva of Chelsea looks on during the Carabao Cup third round match between Chelsea and Barnsley at Stamford Bridge on September 23, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around United Kingdom remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Neil Hall - Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Thiago Silva of Chelsea looks on during the Carabao Cup third round match between Chelsea and Barnsley at Stamford Bridge on September 23, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around United Kingdom remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Neil Hall - Pool/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s man management will have to be better than ever in order to keep players fit during this hectic year, or risk injuries in the future.

Man management is crucial to the success of any team and Chelsea is no exception. Unfortunately, the Blues seem to have a bevy of these issues all the time these days with no letup in sight. The most immediate concerns are the resting of Thiago Silva and injuries of Christian Pulisic. Quarantined Kai Havertz also poses a tricky quandary in the present and Timo Werner was run into the ground by Germany. When all added together, these man management questions make the job harder for manager Frank Lampard as he contemplates his starting squad for the Newcastle contest.

Resting Silva makes all the sense in the world. He needs the time off to stay in top condition and Lampard has recognized that reality and acted accordingly throughout the season. Yet, the questions remains: who will deputize for the Brazilian star? Lampard has shown little faith in any of the choices on the bench. Between Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christiansen and Fikayo Tomori, nobody seems to have gained the gaffer’s confidence. It will be interesting to see whom he inserts into the line-up.

The Blues can’t be held back because of a drop-off and that’s why they may turn to a back-up centerback in January. It seems that Lampard sees a drop-off in central defense should Silva need to be rested or if an injury keeps he or Kurt Zouma on the bench. A solid No. 3 centerhalf is essential in a rotation to keep everyone fresh and fully fit. This addition has to be a priority in January.

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In the case of Pulisic, Lampard’s usual modus operandi has been to insert Werner on the left side and start Tammy Abraham up front. Werner needs rest and he should be on the bench for Saturday’s match. Chelsea is now thin at winger because of poor player management. Hudson-Odoi is the only back-up outside of Werner—whose best position is center forward—with Pulisic out. That’s why Callum Hudson-Odoi needs to be slotted into the rotation beginning Saturday at St. James’ Park. Further, Lampard should Olivier Giroud a run out. Giroud tallied a brace in France’s latest win over Sweden and Hudson-Odoi notched a goal for England’s U21s. Late subs can include Abraham and/or Werner if the game requires, but for the mean time, the usual starting crowd needs a break to avoid injury.

The club will also suffer next season when the Africa Cup of Nations resumes in January/February 2022. While this is a long way away, the club needs to be prepared to lose at least two of its top players in that competition. Both Hakim Ziyech’s Morocco and Edouard Mendy’s Senegal are likely to qualify for that competition and could be away from the squad for weeks. This could cause major problems, especially at the keeper position. Therefore, Chelsea needs to acquire another top keeper as neither Kepa Arrizabalaga nor Willy Caballero would be a solid interim. The drop-off is monumental and anyone not recognizing that fact should look at the tapes.

In addition, the loss of Ziyech will be monumental. He is now being recognized for the brilliant player he is after overcoming the unfortunate early injury he sustained in the preseason. Now, his talents are there for all to witness and for Chelsea’s fans to relish. The club will have to consider this fact next summer and decide if it will be necessary to bring in another winger to cover for that situation.

Those are a few of the personnel situations that Chelsea must confront and manage both in the short and long terms. This club is now loaded with talent thanks to last summer’s great transfer window. However, some of the talent is fragile, and some positions still need reinforcement.

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Strength-in-depth is a necessity for any club that hopes to weather the inevitability of injury and rest requirements during the long football season in which top teams are engaged in numerous competitions. The planning is ongoing and the steps to manage must be, as well. Any club that rests on its past merits and fails to provide for the future, will be left second-best. With Chelsea heading for the top, that should not be allowed to happen in SW6.

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