The Premier League is finally back! Brentford and Arsenal kicked off the campaign with a London Derby on Friday, but Saturday is the day we’ve all been waiting months to see. Chelsea hosts Crystal Palace just days after its win over Villarreal in the UEFA Super Cup. Stamford Bridge welcomes a near capacity crowd as the new season kicks off. The Blues are hoping to improve on their fourth place finish last season, Romelu Luakaku looks to be the man to get them over the line. There are a lot of unknowns as Thomas Tuchel guides his team through his first full season in charge in west London. Nevertheless, the expectations are high and it’s looking like the Blues have all the pieces in place to have a successful season.
Ahead of the domestic return, The Pride of London team makes its Premier League predictions:
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1. Who will finish top four in the Premier League?
Abhishek Pancholi: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
Anthony Gatt: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
Akshat Mehrish: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
Barrett Rouen: Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United
Daniel Oyebamiji: Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United
Gabe Henderson: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
Kevin Peacock: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
Leighton September: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
Mike Malley: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
Nate Hofmann: Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United
Olaoluwa Nwobodo: Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United
Olly Smith: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
Travis Tyler: Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester City
Tan Yi Hao: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Leicester City
Vansh Ambashta: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
Varun Dani: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool
2. Who will finish bottom three in the Premier League?
Abhishek: Brentford, Burnley, Watford
Anthony: Norwich, Watford, Newcastle
Akshat: Newcastle, Brentford, Burnley
Barrett: Watford, Newcastle, Brentford
Daniel: Brentford, Norwich, Southampton
Gabe: Norwich, Southampton, Watford
Kevin: Wolves, Brentford, Burnley
Leighton: Watford, Brentford, Norwich
Mike: Brighton, Crystal Palace, Watford
Nate: Brentford, Norwich, Crystal Palace
Olaoluwa: Norwich, Watford, Newcastle
Olly: Burnley, Watford, Brentford
Travis: Burnley, Newcastle, Brentford
Yi Hao: Norwich, Newcastle, Watford
Vansh: Norwich, Watford, Newcastle
Varun: Watford, Norwich, Newcastle
3. Where will Chelsea finish in all competitions? (Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Champions League and Club World Cup)
Abhishek: Winners, winners, finalists, semifinalists, winners
Anthony: Second, winners, winners, finalists, winners
Akshat: Second, winners, finalists, semifinalists, winners
Barrett: First, semifinalists, quarterfinalists, winners, winners
Daniel: First, quarterfinalists, winners, semifinalists, winners
Gabe: Second, winners, semifinalists, finalists, winners
Kevin: First, winners, semifinalists, semifinalists, finalists
Leighton: First, semifinalists, quarterfinalists, semifinalists, winners
Mike: First, winners, semifinalists, quarterfinalists, winners
Nate: Second, winners, winners, semifinalists, winners
Olaoluwa: First, winners, finalists, winners, winners
Olly: Second, winners, semifinalists, finalists, winners
Travis: Second, winners, winners, semifinalists, winners
Yi Hao: First, winners, semifinalists, semifinalists, winners
Vansh: First, winners, winners, winners, winners
Varun: First, winners, winners, winners, winners
4. Who will win the Premier League’s major awards? (Manager of the Year, Player of the Year, Golden Boot, Playmaker of the Year, Golden Glove)
Abhishek: Thomas Tuchel, Kai Havertz, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Edouard Mendy
Anthony: Pep Guardiola, Harry Kane, Harry Kane, Mason Mount, Edouard Mendy
Akshat: Pep Guardiola, Jack Grealish, Mohamed Salah, Jack Grealish, Alisson
Barrett: Thomas Tuchel, Romelu Lukaku, Romelu Lukaku, Kai Havertz/Jack Grealish, Edouard Mendy
Daniel: Thomas Tuchel, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Jadon Sancho/Emi Buendia, Edouard Mendy
Gabe: Pep Guardiola, Kai Havertz, Harry Kane, Kevin De Bruyne, Edouard Mendy
Kevin: Thomas Tuchel, Romelu Lukaku, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson
Leighton: Thomas Tuchel, N’Golo Kante, Romelu Lukaku, Bruno Fernandes, Edouard Mendy
Mike: Thomas Tuchel, Kai Havertz, Harry Kane, Kai Havertz, Alisson
Nate: Graham Potter, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Alisson
Olaoluwa: Thomas Tuchel, Hakim Ziyech, Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech, Edouard Mendy
Olly: Marcelo Bielsa, Jadon Sancho, Son Heung-min, Jadon Sancho, Edouard Mendy
Travis: Thomas Tuchel, Harry Kane, Mason Mount, Edouard Mendy
Yi Hao: Thomas Tuchel, Kai Havertz, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Edouard Mendy
Vansh: Thomas Tuchel, Mason Mount, Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech, Edouard Mendy
Varun: Thomas Tuchel, N’Golo Kante, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Edouard Mendy
5. What is considered a successful season for Chelsea?
Abhishek: A sustained title challenge right until matchday 38 and at least one trophy. Champions League qualification is non-negotiable.
Anthony: I believe a successful season for Chelsea is closing the gap on Man City in the league, being competitive right to the end and also dominating cup competitions like last season. This year, winning the EFL Cup, FA Cup and Club World Cup while reaching another Champions League final.
Akshat: Given that Chelsea will compete in at least six competitions next season, winning a third of them should be considered a success. Realistically, a title challenge until the end of the league and a semifinal run in the Champions League will be adequate. Anything above that is a bonus.
Barrett: The prism of power in football has shifted up to the north in recent years with Chelsea really the only side south of Birmingham to offer anything to fight them. People have forgotten this. Chelsea must break up that dominance in the table and win at least two meaningful trophies. You don’t buy a £100 million striker on the back of a Champions League win to not win trophies. The Blues must compete with City and Liverpool for the title and hopefully take advantage of City’s focus on the Champions League to win it.
Daniel: I believe Chelsea can win it. Structurally, the Blues’ system has been proven to be efficient and a striker finishing off the chances that they create propels them into a situation where they are challenging on all fronts. A successful season is one with silverware/one that has shown Chelsea has competed until the end.
Gabe: Trophies. At the very least, Chelsea needs to compete until the dying days in the Premier League and win two other trophies (in addition to the Super Cup). The Club World Cup is non-negotiable and an early Champions League exit (anything pre-quarterfinals) would be an embarrassment.
Kevin: Any cup and a top four finish can be considered a successful season. A special season involves winning the Premier League or Champions League. Bringing youth players through can contribute to successful season for the club too.
Leighton: A successful season would be to go deep into every competition Chelsea competes in. In the Premier League, the Blues need to close the gap to Man City and I believe Chelsea will surpass City to go on and win the league.
Mike: Trophies. Winning silverware is undoubtedly the most important objective for the upcoming Chelsea season, especially considering how high expectations are in west London following the club’s triumphant Champions League campaign. A Premier League title would be particularly sweet, seeing as the Blues have not won the English top flight since 2016/17.
Nate: Goals. If Chelsea finishes within 10 points of the eventual league champion and picks up a trophy or two elsewhere, I’ll live. I’m just praying for something a bit wilder and more aesthetically pleasing. There’s no reason Chelsea shouldn’t be the top scorers in the league.
Olaoluwa: 80 points. Chelsea making a 13-point jump from last season will be considered a success. This is isn’t so low, as 80-point has guaranteed a second place finish or better over the last few seasons. This is going to be another tough season for the Blues, though they have the squad depth to handle any injuries, provided they don’t sell someone they’re not supposed to. A semifinal Champions League place will be expected, as well. English domestic cup competitions are a coin toss mostly, so no one should pay any mind to that.
Olly: Normally it is just titles, titles, titles with Chelsea and even when that wasn’t on the cards last year, the Blues still came away with a major trophy. Chelsea, more than anything, needs to nail down second place this year and continue its upward momentum. The Blues don’t need to win it all, but they need to be consistent. Chelsea needs to separate itself from the ‘lower top four’ and it has to be contending for everything come next summer.
Travis: Chelsea is, theoretically, two years into what was supposed to be a three-year plan. Winning the Champions League may have accelerated that, but it would be wise not to jump too many steps in the expectations of the club because of the Champions League win. Chelsea should make top four long before MD38 and that should put the Blues in the title race, as well.
Yi Hao: One word: competitiveness. Chelsea has to compete on all fronts, regardless of the kind of reinforcements that can or will be brought into the club this summer. Winning a cup or two along the way would be good, of course, and it would most certainly allow Tuchel more time to build upon his success from last season.
Vansh: Chelsea needs to finish very close to the top spot and win a couple of trophies on the way. The Club World Cup and Carabao Cup are good chances, and the club has a strong squad to compete on multiple fronts.
Varun: 85 points. I expect Chelsea to mount a title challenge, and not lose by a huge margin. If we do lose (which we won’t), we can’t let our rivals (City) run away with the title. It has to be a title race, not a one-sided gallop—unless it’s us doing the galloping.
6. Who will be a surprise player for Chelsea this season?
Abhishek: Timo Werner. Despite a statistically successful debut season, Werner failed to live up to his billing as a prolific goalscorer. Now that the burden of expectation has been passed to the incoming Lukaku, the German forward will find his feet and thrive playing alongside the big Belgian. Most people would be surprised to see Werner score 20-plus goals this season; I won’t be one of them.
Anthony: Timo Werner. We all know Werner has blistering pace and seems to always play a part in any game he plays, but hopefully his finishing will improve this season. If it does, he will prove why Chelsea bought him in the first place. With the arrival of Lukaku, Werner has nowhere to hide anymore and won’t be chosen frequently like last season if he doesn’t perform.
Akshat: Callum Hudson-Odoi. Fit, hungry and nearing his best, Hudson-Odoi will be the surprise of the season in the entire league—let alone for Chelsea. The youngster was earmarked as one of the most threatening players in the league recently by The Athletic, and I believe he will be able to convert that threat into tangible results this season.
Barrett: Timo Werner and Reece James. Not much of a surprise because both of them were excellent last year, they’ll both have better seasons than the last.
Daniel: Hakim Ziyech. He struggled in his first year to really make an impact, with big goals here and there, but he is due to set the season alight. Dirk Kuyt is quoted as saying Eredivisie players need a year to adapt and Ziyech has had his adaptation period, he will surprise Chelsea fans for the better this year.
Gabe: Andreas Christensen. Christensen has quietly put in two incredible seasons in a row and not gotten much recognition for it. Thiago Silva is continuing to age, expect the Dane—coming off a great tournament at Euro 2020—to fill some big shoes this season. Christensen will nail down his place as a regular in Tuchel’s starting XI.
Kevin: Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Spanish keeper spent most of last season watching Edouard Mendy excel, and he did so quietly and respectfully. He will get his chance for a run of games in January and February when Mendy departs for the AFCON. EPL Games against Manchester City and Tottenham, as well as potential League and FA Cup ties, will provide Arrizabalaga the chance of regaining the No. 1 spot.
Leighton: Timo Werner. After a very difficult start to life in England, I believe this season he will come good and with adjustments made to VAR, Werner will score plenty of goals when being called upon.
Mike: Hakim Ziyech is a decent shout in this category. The Moroccan wizard had a spectacular preseason, scoring twice against Tottenham in the Blues’ final friendly on August 4, and is making a serious push to contribute following a difficult season in 2020/21. Chelsea’s plethora of attacking talent could make minutes hard to come by, but Ziyech’s skill is beyond reproach.
Nate: Hakim Ziyech. I’ll gladly label myself as an eternal skeptic of Ziyech’s ability to be a regular contributor at Chelsea, which is why I’m bracing myself for him to suddenly find his footing and go on a tear. It might be to the detriment of the development of players like Havertz and Hudson-Odoi, but it would be a boon for the likes of Lukaku and Werner.
Olaoluwa: Timo Werner has been written off by the Chelsea fanbase, not just as a finisher, but as a forward overall. As impactful as Werner was last season, everyone expects him to be tossed to the sidelines due to the arrival of Lukaku. Werner will come back so strong that people would wonder if we needed to even buy Lukaku.
Olly: Very tempting to say Trevoh Chalobah here, but this one is going to Hakim Ziyech. We have seen flashes of the Moroccan winger, but never the consistency we saw at Ajax. With injuries in the review view mirror once his shoulder recovers, and his place in the line-up under question, Ziyech will start slowly but end the year with his wonder of a left peg, striking fear into the hearts of all defences.
Travis: Cesar Azpilicueta. Far, far too many “predicted XIs” have excluded the captain for Jules Kounde (despite his signing still in the air). They say those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it and calls of Azpilcueta’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. So long as Chelsea continues with back three (and honestly, even if it doesn’t given how Spain used him), Azpilicueta will remain a starter this season no matter what.
Yi Hao: Callum Hudson-Odoi. Having largely failed to kick on since his debut season under Maurizio Sarri, this season looks like the one which could see the young English winger establish himself as a constant starter. Hudson-Odoi has looked sharper and fitter than ever in preseason. Not being involved in the Euros this summer could provide him a vital head-start to the season.
Vansh: Ruben Loftus-Cheek. It looks like Loftus-Cheek will stay with the squad for the season as the fourth option in midfield. The world has forgotten about this man, and I can’t wait for him to announce himself in spectacular fashion, again.
Varun: Hakim Ziyech. He’s statically creative (even if it doesn’t seem that way via eye tests), he rises to the big occasions and he’s had a great preseason. This is Ziyech’s redemption story (and mine since he was my signing of the season last year).
7. Who will be Chelsea’s best signing (or returning loanee) of the season?
Abhishek: Romelu Lukaku. He left as a boy and is returning to the club as a man who finally has the opportunity to wear Didier Drogba’s crown. With Lukaku leading the line, sucking centerbacks into his orbit and crashing past opposition defences, the Blues will finally look like the team they were meant to be.
Anthony: Romelu Lukaku. Obviously it couldn’t be anyone else but him, not only because Marcus Bettinelli is Chelsea’s only other signing to date (and I highly doubt he will even play this season), but because Rom is back. He is back to fulfill his dream for succeeding with Chelsea. Lukaku returns to Stamford Bridge at the age of 28, not only as different person, but as one of the most clinical strikers in world football. He’s got a point to prove.
Akshat: Romelu Lukaku. It’s difficult to look past Lukaku at this point, given how desperate Chelsea was last season for a prolific striker. Lukaku will return to England with a point to prove, and that should be motivation enough for the Belgian to fire in the goals.
Barrett: Romelu Lukaku. He will score 30 goals in total this season and chip in with five or six assists, as well. Picking anyone other than him on the back of that would be stupid.
Daniel: Romelu Lukaku. Revenge tour. He proves to himself and the rest of the league that he is a world class striker capable of leading a top Premier League club. Lukaku becomes the Player of the Season because of his big goals and his number of goals. Great signing anticipated.
Gabe: Romelu Lukaku. In addition to the fact that this one is a no brainer, Lukaku is going to excel for the Blues this season. Tuchel—much like Antonio Conte—will get the absolute best out of the Belgian.
Kevin: This answer must have been given across the whole remit of PoL writers. Romelu Lukaku is coming home. What an outstanding signing for the club and testament to the faith Roman Abramovich has in Tuchel. Chelsea has missed having a combative striker since the maverick Brazilian born Spaniard, Diego Costa, left these shores.
Leighton: Romelu Lukaku. At the peak of his career and looking physically stronger since last he was in England, he will bully defenders willingly and score vital goals for Chelsea to fire the Blues to Premier League glory.
Mike: Romelu Lukaku, full stop. Big Rom’s return to Stamford Bridge has supporters in an absolute frenzy following a dominant campaign in Serie A for the Belgian that resulted in Inter Milan’s first Scudetto in 10 years. A lack of composure in front of goal plagued Chelsea last season, and Lukaku’s arrival will surely help solve this problem.
Nate: Ruben Loftus-Cheek (as the classic “like a new signing” guy). This is pretty much the last chance saloon. If it doesn’t work out this season, it probably never will. While the team is deep, central midfield is just thin enough that he could see plenty of minutes if he takes advantage of early-season opportunities.
Olaoluwa: Aurelien Tchouameni*. Tchouameni would be Chelsea’s signing of the season because he’d arrive—much to everyone’s surprise considering he hasn’t been heavily rumored as of yet—and he would be so good that he’d make the most appearances and starts among Chelsea’s central midfielders. He’d also wipe away the stereotypes that Blues fans have prematurely attached to young, AS Monaco central midfielders.
Olly: Ruben Loftus-Cheek. I was always going to pick RLC here because he’s only 10 months my senior and growing up four miles away, I’ve always thought he must have seen me playing school football and modeled his game on mine. Anyway, he will be back to his barnstorming, driving run best (much like I did as an under-eight).
Travis: As of right now, this defaults to Romelu Lukaku. Kounde, if he signs, won’t be a starter right away and a midfield signing remains unclear. One could always go the Arsene Wenger route of a player returning from loan being “like a new signing” but even that is pretty unclear at the moment.
Yi Hao: Romelu Lukaku. I mean considering the limited number of players Chelsea has been linked with and the even lesser number of players the club is looking poised to sign, I would be surprised if anyone says any different, am I right?
Vansh: Ruben Loftus-Cheek. I could take the conventional route, and mention the blockbuster signing that the club has made, however, I have my superstitions about certain things. Loftus-Cheek knows that it is “now or never” for him at Stamford Bridge. The club knows his potential, his caliber and this is his last chance to convert it into world-class performances.
Varun: Romelu Lukaku. I don’t have to get creative here (our midfielders should though), he’s the only signing we’re making and need. We’ll get by using our loanees as the squad players, but Lukaku is the elite striker we have been crying out for years; he might be the signing of the last five seasons.
8. Who will be the first manager to be sacked in the Premier League?
Abhishek: Dean Smith. Aston Villa has spent a tidy sum of money in this window, and as a consequence, mere survival in the Premier League just won’t do. Unfortunately, the Villains also lost their assistant manager, John Terry, in the summer, which is a worry for their defence. As they struggle near the foot of the table around December, the powers that be might decide to pull the trigger on Smith and see if someone else can extract some kind of performances from their new signings.
Anthony: Xisco Munoz. Do I really need to explain why Munoz will be the first one sacked or does him managing Watford tell the whole story already? The trigger happy Pozzo family will pick up where they left off and sack Munoz by Christmas time.
Akshat: Xisco Munoz. For someone just 38 games into his managerial career, leading a lower-mid table Premier League side is a huge ask. Though Watford players waxed lyrical of him as they secured a surprise promotion back to the top division last year, the chance to lead the Hornets in one of the most competitive leagues in the world has come too soon for Munoz.
Barrett: Steve Bruce. Newcastle are in terrible shape and as is the case 99 percent of the time, the manager will pay the price for the club’s failures.
Daniel: Ralph Hasenhuttl. Southampton has just lost its top scorer and its talisman. He’s been there for awhile with a couple of scares, so I believe this year will be a scare too many for Hasenhuttl.
Gabe: Xisco Munoz. Anthony and Akshat summed it up nicely. Watford is an abysmally run football club, the Hornets’ owners are braindead and Munoz is going to look like a deer in headlights in the English top flight. Harsh? Perhaps, but Watford is a shoe-in to get relegated, which means Munoz (and perhaps a handful of other managers throughout the year) will pay the price.
Kevin: Dean Smith. Jack Grealish has gone, John Terry has gone and a poor run of form before Christmas will see the owners look to salvage the club’s season. Of course, it will be JT they turn to in his first outing as a manager and he will drag them away from the relegation zone and Premier League safety.
Leighton: Ralph Hasenhuttl. Having lost Danny Ings, I struggle to see how Southampton will score goals. It will be a long and hard season for the Saints in my opinion and they’ll be in the mix at the wrong end of the table.
Mike: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should be the first manager sacked for the same reason that Frank Lampard was last year; he is just fine. Manchester United have a squad that is more than capable of winning the Premier League with the arrivals of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, but Solskjaer’s lack of tactical aptitude will hold the Red Devils back. As much as I love watching our rival fans suffer this trophyless period of almost four years, United should take a page from Chelsea’s playbook and sack the cheerleader on the touchline. Standards are on the floor.
Nate: Xisco Munoz. I’ll be honest, I’m just betting it’ll be the Watford manager. I had to look it up to even see who it was, but he’ll be gone before Christmas.
Olaoluwa: Mikel Arteta. Arteta has escaped a sacking for far too long. The Arsenal hierarchy will have had enough when they finally realise that “he was Pep’s assistant” is not a coaching qualification. Arteta delivered the FA Cup and Community Shield and has seemingly been immune from responsibility by the Arsenal fans and board alike. The FA Cup tinted veil would finally be pulled away from their eyes when they play Norwich.
Olly: Steve Bruce is going to win this most undesirable race. It was tempting to say Sean Dyche for the betting odds considering he the longest serving PL manager, but Burnley will stick with Dyche cause it’s Burnley. That means, unfortunately, ol’ Brucey has got it coming. Newcastle wants to be on the up, but it’ll figure out Bruce is not the route to the top (of the middle part of the table).
Travis: Watford are in the Premier League again, so it’ll be Xisco Munoz by October if they aren’t top of the table.
Yi Hao: Patrick Vieira. The new man in charge of the Eagles just does not seem to have the necessary pedigree or experience to handle a job as tough as this. Yes, Crystal Palace has recruited well and will most likely stay up. However, a poor run of results at the start of the season will most likely see the Frenchman make way when the board gets cold feet from making such a bold appointment.
Vansh: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. At some point, United’s board will realize that he is NOT the man.
Varun: Steve Bruce. Newcastle is a horribly run club that has small periods of surprising stability from time to time. Bruce has enjoyed that so far, but his cycle is due to come to an end soon.
9. What will be the wackiest personnel decision made by Thomas Tuchel?
Abhishek: Taking the ‘build from the back’ approach to the next level, Thomas Tuchel will deploy Romelu Lukaku as a centerback. The striker will be tasked with receiving the ball from the goalkeeper, charging straight through the midfield, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake as bodies go flying in all directions, and smashing the ball in the bottom corner, with the goalkeeper hitting the back of the net before the ball does.
Anthony: Christian Pulisic at left wingback. With so much competition in the attack for Chelsea, I believe Tuchel will try and get Pulisic to play wingback for some games and ensure him regular playing time.
Akshat: Reece James at attacking midfielder. Tough guy James absorbing challenges high up the pitch, spraying passes forward to Lukaku and Co. while stinging goalkeepers’ gloves, flashing his mint Champions League tattoo—he’s everywhere! As the attacking midfield variant of James shrugs off Harry Maguire, the centerback falls to the floor, catches a glimpse of the pile-driver, which takes the roof off David de Gea’s net, and the keeper says to himself “I’ve made a huge mistake.”
Barrett: I actually don’t think anyone will play anywhere wildly out of position because we have enough good options. Maybe the Callum Hudson-Odoi left wingback situation could be, but he’d be doing it to try and have him as a left winger, which is CHO’s best position. I also like the idea of Reece James in the right DM position with Azpi behind him and CHO to his right.
Daniel: Mason Mount at wingback. Tuchel will justify it with Mount’s energy and work rate. Tuchel will play the Englishman at wingback to accommodate for some of the other attacking players.
Gabe: Marcos Alonso at striker. I can dream, right? Let’s try to speak this one into existence.
Kevin: Let’s face it, Danny Drinkwater is going nowhere. If Tuchel plays him at all, he’ll be out of his usual position in the players lounge or, he could try Drinkwater and Ross Barkley in a double pivot, whatever the hell that means.
Leighton: I think Tuchel will play Kai Havertz at centerback the back end of a game for his height and to defend set-pieces off opponents.
Mike: Tuchel’s past team selections do not suggest that he is a tinkerer in the mold of Pep Guardiola or Claudio Ranieri, but there are bound to be some head-scratchers over the course of this season. Playing either Pulisic or Ziyech at wingback would be disastrous in my opinion, seeing as neither of them offer much defensively, but any injuries to players that normally occupy those positions could force one of the more attacking wingers to step in.
Nate: Marcos Alonso at striker. Alonso has always been a striker at heart. Hopefully a free-thinking artist like Tuchel will finally employ Alonso up top like God always intended.
Olaoluwa: Trevoh Chalobah at right wingback. Yes, the Blues have Cesar Azpilicueta, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James. However, there will come a time when Chelsea, due to accumulation of games, will have to rest Azpilicueta, pushing Reece James to right centerback. In one of Tuchel’s unpredictable team selections, where we expect to see Jules Kounde at right wingback, boom, Chalobah comes in and bosses it.
Olly: Marcos Alonso as a striker. The worst left back Chelsea has in the squad right now, defensively a massive liability but boy oh boy, what a finisher this man is. Alonso actually used to be striker when he was younger before a manager turned him into a left back (apparently . . .my Spanish is a little rusty). Tuchel will see he has nothing to offer defensively (like every other manager has seen) but his height, finishing and “back-post-sneak” are unrivalled. Tuchel makes this change and Alonso becomes the club’s top scorer.
Travis: It’s not totally off the wall to see Mason Mount play in the pivot, but people will be surprised with how often it happens at first. He played there a few times last season and it never looked great, but the attacking bottleneck may be alleviated by Mount going deeper more often than not.
Yi Hao: Ruben Loftus-Cheek at striker. Loftus-Cheek could yet stick around and serve as an auxiliary striker/false nine and step onto the pitch in place of Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner or Kai Havertz in games of lesser importance.
Vansh: Pulisic at LWB. To be honest, Pulisic seems to be behind in the pecking order at the moment and accomodating him at LWB might be a smart way of giving him some crucial minutes.
Varun: Marcus Bettinelli in general. Tuchel will controversially play Bettinelli on the field, as opposed to his universally accepted position on the bench.
10. What will be the biggest threat to Chelsea’s season?
Abhishek: Danny Drinkwater. As long as the former Leicester man remains at the club, there is a slim chance that he might find himself back on the pitch wearing a Chelsea shirt. No one wants to see that.
Anthony: Huge squad size. I think the huge team will cause a lot discourse, which will trickle down through the entire squad. Chelsea must try to cut down this squad before the end of the window or Tuchel will have a tough time managing all these players who want to play every week.
Akshat: As is usually the case, the biggest threat to Chelsea is, well, Chelsea. We have, as Blues’ faithful, witnessed this before. All eyes will be on the Champions of Europe, whose much-awaited post-title implosion shall bring joy to those starved of silverware and success (your Arsenals and your Spurs’ of the world). Uneasy lies the head which wears the crown.
Barrett: Themselves. The Blues have a squad that should be competing healthily for five trophies this season. They should get on with it and the only thing that can stop them is themselves.
Daniel: Pep Guardiola. He’s simply too good, best manager in the league, best squad in the league. Elite front runners, elite chasers, weaknesses are few and far between. He and his Man City team are the ones to beat.
Gabe: Finishing and creating chances. No matter what the Blues do, it seems as if they always struggle to either create or put away chances. Romelu Lukaku’s arrival is likely going to help, but I won’t believe it until I see it. This team has hurt me too many times for me to blindly jump head first into the idea that it’ll be cured with one signing.
Kevin: Danny Drinkwater.
Leighton: Inconsistency. Can Chelsea win on a cold night at Watford, can we break down a stubborn defence, can we scrap a dodgy win away at St James’ Park? Games Chelsea often struggled to win in the past. These key moments in a season can defy whether or not we can challenge at the very top of the league.
Mike: The biggest threat to Chelsea’s season is the number of cooks in the kitchen. Tuchel himself has lamented the current size of his squad, revealing that he simply cannot coach more than 40 players at one time. Competition for places in the starting XI is generally a good thing, but it can also foster resentment among those players left out in the cold, as we saw at the end of Frank Lampard’s tenure. If the board is not able to sell a few expendable pieces, the camaraderie that was so crucial in last season’s run to UCL glory could be at risk.
Nate: Hakim Ziyech. I’m admittedly hedging my bets here because I’m also worried he’ll be the standout performer. That said, on a micro level, he’s capable of ruining so many promising situations by trying to be too clever or taking too big a risk. That micro problem could quickly become a macro one if he keeps doing just enough for Tuchel to pick him, and then getting complacent and wasteful as he gets comfortable. Repeat ad nauseum.
Olaoluwa: Chelsea’s decision making in the final third (not even a bold prediction at this point). Many people talk about Chelsea needing to go to a back four to accommodate for more attackers that could create more and score more. Except that the Blues’ current formation doesn’t stop them from creating quality chances. Inter Milan and Dortmund play a back three. In fact, Dortmund plays a 3-4-3, yet it created 3.1 big chances per game, 0.7 per game more than Chelsea did. Several times, the central midfielders miss a chance to spray the ball wide, play it quick to a more advanced player or dribble one too many times. Several times the attackers will stop a chance from being a clear cut chance or even a goal because of the wrong decision on the ball. The only thing that hinders Chelsea from achieving what it can this season is its decision making, especially with Hakim Ziyech injured for God knows how long.
Olly: Those snazzy blue shirts will be the end of the Blues’ title ambitions this season. Seeing speedsters like Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Hakim Ziyech sprinting around with zig zaggy runs in a zig zaggy shirt … might as well blindfold the rest of the team and spin ’em around 20 times. Players will be seeing double, misplacing passes, fans in the Matthew Harding Stand: duck, because the balls will be coming at you thick and fast. Runner up: First ever instance of team wide blindness as a result of Jorginho and Thiago Silva’s new hair…
Travis: Believing that they are European Champions. Chelsea was a very deserved winner of the Champions League at the end of the day, but at the same time, it was still highly unexpected. The best thing Chelsea can do this season is to treat the CL win as a fluke. The Blues need to look at this season with a point to prove rather than as a season after the point was proven.
Yi Hao: Complacency. European Champions they may be, the Blues did not have a great end to the season by any stretch of imagination. Losing the FA Cup final for the second season in a row aside, Chelsea also required a win from Tottenham against Leicester City on the final day of the season to guarantee itself a place in the top four. Be it through a lack of proactiveness in the transfer window or overconfidence within the playing squad, the biggest threat to Chelsea this season very much exists within the club itself.
Vansh: Club World Cup. This may sound a bit weird as the CWC will be added to the trophy cabinet if Chelsea wins. However, travelling to random places to play random clubs will end up taking a toll on the squad.
Varun: Egos and complacency. Champions of Europe is a big title, one that fulfills most players. It’s the highest of highlights, so following it up can be an underwhelming task. If players lose motivation (like they have under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte), Chelsea will be in for a terrible season. There is the fear of players becoming too big for their boots and clashing with the manager when things go wrong, and this title of ‘Champions of Europe’ leads the club to side with the players who won it, rather than the manager who masterminded it (as it has before).
What are some of your predictions for the upcoming campaign? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!