Premier league experience should not be considered for Chelsea targets

Chelsea's English striker Tammy Abraham (L) speaks with West Ham United's English midfielder Declan Rice (R) on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge in London on December 21, 2020. - Chelsea won the game 3-0. (Photo by John Walton / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by JOHN WALTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

5 of 5

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – APRIL 4: Gokhan Tore of Besiktas and Danny Drinkwater of Kasimpasa during the Super Lig match between Kasimpasa and Besiktas at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium on April 4, 2021 in Istanbul, Turkey (Photo by /BSR Agency/Getty Images) /

Conclusion

Generally, managers combine all three things and account for them in their game plans and playing styles. The uniqueness of each league accounts for very little, if any, of a players’ success. Buying a player from a domestic league doesn’t guarantee anything at all. The Premier League is faster than every other league and that is the only unique thing about it. It doesn’t have better creators, better scorers or better defenders.

A player who is press resistant and doesn’t dally on the ball would be fine in the Premier League regardless of where he comes from. Fans and clubs have to start looking for real attributes in players. They have to start looking for actual indicators of players that would do well in certain formations and systems. “He has Premier league experience” is not a criteria.

Chelsea bought N’Golo Kante from Leicester City, but also Danny Drinkwater. The latter hasn’t made up to 20 appearances for the Blues despite having played Premier League football for much longer than Kante. Chelsea bought Fernando Torres from Liverpool, and no one can say that was a success. Many fans called for Chelsea to pursue Lukaku over many other suitable targets “because he had Premier League” experience, yet Lukaku has just five goals in 16 games, and has only gotten five clear cut chances.

Next. Chelsea's good luck in cup draws continues in this year's FA Cup. dark

The latest rave is fans calling for Rice, and one of their reasons being that that he has Premier League experience and he would not need to adapt. That’s a myth. The Premier League doesn’t have a way it plays. Rice plays in a different system, with different teammates, in a different role under a different manager. There’s no way Rice would not need to adapt to any team he goes to, in the Premier League or elsewhere.

Home/Chelsea FC News