Chelsea’s disastrous season has finally come to an end. After a disappointing start to their 2015-1 campaign, the side managed to finish their campaign in the 10th spot in the premier league.
Chelsea have announced, that Italy boss Antonio Conte will be taking over at Stamford bridge after the Euro 2016. The arrival of Conte has really cheered the squad as well as the fans and that is just due to his successful managerial records.
With new season comes new rumors, as Antonio Conte have a history of managing the Italian sides, many players from Serie A have been linked with a potential move to the Stamford Bridge. Chelsea showed no desire in the first half of the season, but the team fought back to secure a top half finish. A transformation in the current squad is necessary and Conte will surely do so. The major area where Chelsea was exposed was the team’s backline. Kurt Zouma was sidelined after his injury and missed the entire second half of the season, and besides that, the full backs were also not at their best. Azpilicueta was one of the brilliant performer when Chelsea lifted the Premier League title, but the Spaniard along with others were not up to the task this time around.
Chelsea FC will surely be giving a huge capital to Antonio Conte, as the manager will look forward to rebuild the squad for next season. So, here is the Chelsea lineup, including the potential targets that would start under Antonio Conte in the up coming season-
Players and Roles-
The London club under Jose Mourinho and even under Guus Hiddink played with a 4-2-3-1 formation. On the other hand, Antonio Conte is known for his ‘3-at the back’ tactic. We saw how Louis van Gaal failed to deploy the same formation in the Premier League, and therefore, here we considered the same 4-2-3-1 formation for the lineup.
Chelsea faced a major setback in the defensive line as Ivanovic and Cahill, both were not up to their previous standards. Cahill is a promising defender and the 30-year-old still possess a firepower that can easily out-muscle the opponent’s striker. Furthermore, Kurt Zouma is considered as Chelsea’s leader, and the Frenchman is capable of leading the defensive line once he regains full fitness. His physique is muscular and he is never afraid to make risky challenges. He missed the entire second half of the season, and the 21-year-old will be looking to get a fresh start under Conte.
Baba Rahman did a pretty good job, but the side will be looking for a player who could serve them for the future with a positive assurance. Chelsea have been previously linked with a move for Wolfsburg defender Ricardo Rodriguez, who is considered as one of the toughest full back in the sport. His signing will be a great boost for the entire squad, and can be of great use in the near future.
AS Roma’s veteran Radja Nainggolan has been heavily linked to Chelsea, and Antonio Conte might make this move a reality. The Belgian can be an outstanding addition, as he is capable of playing as a defensive as well as a central midfielder. He has the attitude that would help him to settle down in the premier league with ease, and his addition would help Cesc Fabregas as he will have a much deserved space in the midfield.
Eden hazard had a poor season, but the Belgian hit the premier league by storm in the last few fixtures. Under Antonio Conte, Hazard can revive yet again to exploit the opponent’s defence. Hazard on the left, and Willian on the right, what more does a team want? The Brazilian midfielder had a terrific season with the club and he will surely be looking to improve more under Conte.
The French sensation Paul Pogba has been one of the outstanding performers on a consistent basis over the past few seasons, and it is believed that Anotnio Conte is ready to break the bank to bring Pogba to Chelsea. Well, it will be a tough task as Chelsea will have no Champions League games next season, but as I said earlier, Anonio Conte can make this transfer a reality.
Diego Costa is rumored to leave the club to join his previous side, but the deal looks very unlikely as they already have Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres who were absolutely fantastic last season. So, it is safe to say that Costa will remain a Blue for the up coming season, and therefore, he will be an obvious choice as a center forward for the manager.
Player to miss:
John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Baba Rehamn, Nemanja Matic, Obi Mikel, Pedro, Oscar, Remy, Loftus-Cheek, Miazga, Bertrand Traore and Kenedy.