It unfortunately did not come home for England and the pulsating Euros has come to an end. However, the football calendar is relentless, and the Premier League season is closing in.
It has been a very successful year for a lot of Chelsea’s players with Champions League glory still fresh in many players minds. Many Chelsea players also reached the latter stages of the Euros, with Jorginho and Emerson Palmieri being winners of the competition with Italy.
The focus now is on the upcoming Premier League season and Thomas Tuchel has several new players to assess, as well as the possibility of some major signings coming through the door. It is now football’s worst kept secret that Chelsea would like to bring Erling Haaland to Stamford Bridge. Declan Rice still has many admirers within the Chelsea hierarchy. Antoine Griezmann has been recently linked with the club and many others. The transfer sagas will run on late into the window for Chelsea Football Club.
Having said this, the prospect of new players arriving at the club is always an exciting time for fans but could there possibly be an injection of statistical output from within Chelsea’s ranks?
There are a number of players that, despite the Champions League success, would say they could have had better seasons. Which three players could heavily shape the success Chelsea have in this upcoming season?
1. Christian Pulisic
The American has shown in glimpses what he is capable of in Chelsea blue. The lockdown form he showed towards the back end of the 2019/2020 season is the sort of form Chelsea fans want to see from him on a consistent basis. Last season’s tally of four goals and two assists in 27 Premier League games is just not a good enough return for someone of his ability.
He will be looking to maintain fitness as he has suffered a lot of injuries over the course of his short Chelsea career, however with the right application and consistency, Pulisic can really light up the Premier League and be the man that so many people see shades of fan favorite Eden Hazard.
2. Hakim Ziyech
We stay in the attacking department of Chelsea and another player Chelsea fans will expect a better season from is Hakim Ziyech. His technique and quality are undeniable as he has a wand of a left foot. However again like with Pulisic, the consistency deserted him when it mattered most in his first year in England.
Ziyech began last year’s campaign injured but hit form with some very impressive performances against Sheffield United and Burnley. We saw him score some big goals against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final. Ziyech has shown he is capable of being a big game player, but he needs to put in top level performances on a more consistent basis.
At 28 years old, Ziyech is in the prime of his career and the West London club will be looking for him to show why the money was invested to bring him to the Bridge.
3. Timo Werner
There might not be more pressure on anyone in this squad than Timo Werner. Bought for close to £50 million, Werner was expected to light up the Premier League in his first season. Instead, shocking misses, an awkward dribbling style at times and a lack of confidence have culminated in the club’s and fans desire for Haaland.
Six goals in the Premier League and 12 goals in all competitions just is not a good enough return for a player who was expected to show the goal scoring ability that he showcased at RB Leipzig. His last season in Germany saw him see the back of the net 34 times and he just did not get anywhere near that this season.
Two positives in his corner, are the fact that he himself recognizes that he needs to do better. Werner when questioned in May on his season by The Telegraph said
“I think a lot of people’s expectations for me, outside the club but also inside the club, were very high because of my goal scoring record,”
“I also assisted many goals last year in my old club, but I think the main reason why they brought me here in the club is to score and maybe at the end 12 goals and six goals in the Premier League, that’s not good enough.”
The second positive is that Tuchel clearly trusts him. He was one of the most used players under the Chelsea boss and that is a sign of his faith and belief that he will come good.
Next season many Chelsea fans, especially if the dream of signing Haaland is not realized will expect a major season from Werner, which will go a long way in solidifying his Chelsea status.
What’s next?
It is no surprise that the three players of focus are all attackers. For all of the praise that Tuchel has received since becoming the Chelsea boss, one of the biggest question marks from critics has been about the long-term sustainability of his system to produce a high number of goals.
Tuchel has mentioned in the past that “The structure is never the problem, and the structure is never the solution, it is always the input of the players.”
These three players mentioned above will be expected next season to raise their input and if they do it could go a long way in ensuring another successful season in the short term but secure their futures at the club in the long term.