Chelsea are currently edging rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, while are good strides ahead of Liverpool and Manchester United. Some really sharp transfer business by boss Jose Mourinho saw Chelsea instantly fill all the voids in the team. The manager even claimed that he is done for the transfer window. Chelsea still have a lot of budget to spend after the marquee sale of maverick defender David Luiz, so we cannot solely rely on Mourinho’s words saying that there won’t be any more signings. Club legend Didier Drogba re-joined the club which now looks to have the quality on and off the pitch as well.
Amazing Squad Depth
Chelsea have a very deep squad. They have two first team players for each position on the pitch apart from a single Centre Back position. That is an absolutely strong position to be in, as they match Manchester City on the quality of the substitute players! If we establish a 5 man midfield consisting of Matic, Fabregas, Oscar, Hazard and Willian, Chelsea have 5 top substitutes in Mikel, Ramires, Schurrle, Salah and Moses. Players like these coupled with the managerial brilliance of Jose Mourinho, we can expect them to be deadly. Depth is something which hurts teams like Arsenal and Liverpool. Chelsea and Manchester City can rest their entire first team and start with substitutes in the League Cup and FA Cup games.
A Very Strong Defence
Chelsea have the league’s best defence. It would be a mighty task to score against the Blues this season especially with the midfielders contributing heavily in the defence. Defenders like Kurt Zouma and Filipe Luis have added to the defence which now has quality as well as depth. Apart from one central defender’s position, Chelsea have top quality substitutes as well for each defense position. A back-line of Azpilicueta, Ivanovic/Terry, Cahill, Filipe looks better defensively than Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis/Mangala, Kolarov (definitely the weak point). Having an edge in defense allows the team to soak pressure in matches. There would be situations when scoring would be tough, but not conceding would help the team save the game.
Offense has improved
The signing of Diego Costa and his visible hunger seen in the pre-season gives an ominous touch to the Chelsea side. A fully functioning Chelsea with Mourinho at the helm can win the league before the final week. Quality as well as industry, Costa has a lot of responsibility and his previous season tells us that he can do the job for the Blues.
Then they have loaned out starlet Romelu Lukaku who’d be joining the Blues’ strike-force consisting of Costa, Torres and re-signed Didier Drogba. Drogba adds a lot of value to the team with his experience. He knows what the manager wants and can deliver the information to Lukaku and also Costa. Lukaku considers him a role model too. Drogba’s presence in the dressing room is also going to be important as two legendary players Lampard and Cole departed the club. With four strikers available to the team, who can be ably played in the system, Chelsea look menacing in the striking department.
Final Verdict:
When we look at the current Chelsea squad, they seem to be picture perfect. There is a deep seated central playmaker in Cesc Fabregas who can carry out the all action job. Someone like Nemanja Matic is always solid and strong in the heart of the midfield. Star players Hazard, Oscar, Willian and Schurrle have really settled down and have found their rhythm with manager Mourinho. With Chelsea’s ability to adapt to any style of play depending on the match, and the ability to work tirelessly off the ball gives them a competitive edge over Manchester City and other rivals. Industrious players coupled with quality is something that assures you that the team is ready to win dirty if the time comes. Add to that, the killer instinct the manager possesses and you know Chelsea are firm favourites for this season.
Comments are closed.