Chelsea: How to solve for a lack of size and grit hitting the Blues

Chelsea’s tepid performance against the Seagulls is indicative of more than one game’s flop. Rather, it’s due to a systemic lack of size and grit.

This issue has been raised before. It’s an issue that has to be addressed this summer or similar games will eventuate in the future. Chelsea is largely a finesse-centered side populated by smaller, skilled players who are artists rather than brawny brawlers. This is not always a detrimental situation. When they face a side of similar make-up, they will fare quite well since their coterie of smaller players usually is superior in talent to their opponents.

The issue and problems eventuate when the Blues face a side like Brighton and others in the Premier League who are far less talented by miles than the Blues but possess big, tough, strong players throughout who basically can out maul and out bull Chelsea players throughout any match. This is neither a new concept illuminated here nor any revelation. It’s as clear as day to anyone who watches any of these matches when more Championship-level sides face a far more talented side like Chelsea. And frankly, they are built to do just that.

Championship level sides cannot afford transfers for the talent and finesse of a big six club like Chelsea so their operating strategy is if you can’t match them in skill, batter them with bashers. Frankly, it’s a strategy that makes perfect sense for the management of these sides. They really have no other way to even try to compete on an even footing so they adapt and adopt the more basic method of trying to beat a side like Chelsea by roughing up the smaller and physically weaker players and knocking them about the pitch for 90 minutes.

And, one point needs to be made at this point before addressing this situation. This discussion in no way means to suggest that the Seagulls “bullied” the Chelsea side in their recent nil-nil match. This author has seen and witnessed that outrage being perpetrated on a smaller Chelsea player last season by a true bully (it was unanswered by the Blues, by the way, a shameful non-action), and roundly criticized it as despicable and unacceptable in an article. That’s not what was seen in the game on April 20, 2021. This was clearly just the physical domination of one side over another. Fair is fair enough and this was fair.

There actually is one. And it ain’t “rocket science” as we say over here across the pond. It has everything to do with squad aggregation, also known as, who you sign and for what reason. The answer is simple.

Every squad, and that includes Chelsea, has to avail itself of players who are bigger, tougher, and stronger than the average Premier League player at times. If not, it may not be physically able to overcome tactics of either true bullies on other sides or teams or sides that simply must resort to employing usually larger and more physical players to try to even the odds against a clearly better, more talented side.

The only player on the current Chelsea side who seems to have that necessary grit, inclination, and near the size to play that type of role is Antonio Rudiger. Another to a lesser extent does, a player who has the will and grit but not necessarily the physical attributes to be effective is Cesar Azpilicueta.

Other than that, it’s just not very visible on the Chelsea side due to size, temperament, and also an inclination to play a “beautiful game” and not dodge’em cars on a football pitch. So the remedy for this deficiency is clear to see and easy to comprehend. This side needs to acquire several bigger, stronger, and/or tougher players to balance the equation between finesse opponents and the physically overpowering and usually far less talented ones who often create even greater difficulty.

The problem is, there aren’t many of this type of player with both the physical tenacity and the top-level talent to go around. They’re there, but not in abundance and they are highly prized possessions. The John Terry’s and Diego Costa’s of world football are just not always available. But in the rough and tumble of perhaps the toughest league in world football, the English Premier League, if you want to consistently beat not only the top teams who have finesse and tough payers but also the teams that are simply populated with the tough physical variety, you had better get yourself a few of them, as well. Otherwise, results like those against Brighton should not be surprising and have not been rare as Chelsea has been subjected to these seemingly humiliating losses or ties since the departures of Terry and Costa.

This summer should be the time when Chelsea makes two or three moves to bring in players of the required size and grit to rectify this situation. They would surely be deployed against the sides in question yet still have the ability to play against any team at all. One who has been slammed by some fans who is purportedly on Thomas Tuchel’s list is Bayern Munich center-back, Niklas Sule. Sule is very big, said here to pinball smaller opponents. I disagree with those critics of this prospective move this summer. It would be a very solid move for far more than just his size and grit and He’s exactly the type of player Chelsea requires.

Sule is a top center back and he’d fit just nicely, thank you. Another possibility being mentioned is a shorter player but one with the size, toughness, and demeanor to not only hold his own against any center back but be a handful for any. That’s one pitbull of a magnificent player, Sergio Aguero. Aguero is not only a top scorer but also a gritty, determined player who will go toe-to-toe with any defender at any time. With the underrated and underappreciated Olivier Giroud’s time at Chelsea seemingly coming to a close this summer due to Tuchel’s ignoring this fine player (and also strangely Tammy Abraham, as well), Aguero would be a top addition if he is healthy.

Other than bringing back Costa, a personal and fan favorite, who just won games, not certain who would fit the mold being suggested here. Perhaps Chelsea should raid some of the bigger, tougher, and better players on those lower table sides who have been thorns in their side over the past few seasons. Now that may just be an economical yet effective way of evening the playing field. And far less costly, as well.

It would be nice to hear the reader’s ideas on who would be the type of players to help meet this obvious deficiency on Chelsea’s squad. Please share your thoughts in the comments!