It is
difficult to discuss how good and bad Chelsea’s previous season was. Despite
winning the FA Cup, their league season was extremely disappointing ultimately
missing out on the Champions League therefore, costing Antonio Conte his job.
However, at times during the season they showed why they were the defending champions,
but this wasn’t often enough consequently costing them severely. Due to their poor
season and off field issues, Chelsea begin yet another new season with a new manager.
The very much unknown Maurizio Sarri, the unfancied Italian who despite his
various jobs, has yet to really gain any success in terms of silverware and
this will be an issue for the Chelsea fans because they will expect silverware
every single season and Sarri despite his exciting style of play, he has yet to
reap the rewards. However, could this finally be his year for success only time
will tell.
Chelsea’s
title winning season was certainly ignited on a change of formation implemented
by Conte and this solid foundation of a back 3 changing to a 5 when defending was
pinnacle in their success as well as N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic anchoring
the defence. However, the previous season wasn’t as successful with their defensive
solidity disappearing with captain Gary Cahill struggling to get in the team
and David Luiz barely being seen in the matchday squad. Furthermore, the disappointing
displays and mistakes from their new acquisitions like Antonio Rudiger and the
returning Andreas Christensen means Chelsea were very inconsistent defensively.
However, another key component in Chelsea’s success was Nemanja Matic and his
sale was the beginning of Chelsea’s disappointing season with replacement
Tiemoue Bakayoko having a nightmare debut season. Maurizio Sarri will be
assessing his defence and midfield following their disappointing seasons as a
collective. However, with Conte and Sarri having deferring styles, Chelsea’s
defenders and midfielders will be worrying further as to whether they are part
of Sarri’s plans in the new season. Despite this, Chelsea’s usual talents the
likes of Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro were relatively consistent and were
always a threat despite their season being relatively flat and I’m sure Sarri
will aim to keep all three of his creators. Sarri will aim to bring consistency
to the whole club because the constant change in management is difficult for any
fans but it is the reality of modern football with more owners like Roman Abramovich
wanting success season after season.
Maurizio
Sarri has had an interesting career in management and arguably his successes
have been in his previous two jobs Empoli and Napoli. He brought excitement to
both clubs and a style of football which entertained fans and brought a never
say die attitude to their clubs and he hope to implement these ideas at Chelsea.
He sparkled in Naples bring the best out of players like Dries Mertens, Marek
Hamsik and Jorginho who has coincidently followed him to Stamford Bridge. He
regularly brought Champions League football to Naples and he will hope to bring
this success and style to Stamford Bridge. However, for all his positives, he has
frequently been in trouble with the Italian FA for his comments and behaviour
and this will concern the Chelsea hierarchy and fans alike, so he will have to quickly
learn to curb his comments to have any success in the English game. Despite this,
the unfancied, chain-smoking Italian will hope to make a big statement in the
English game and with admirers such as Pep Guardiola, he will desperately to
make his mark and create a dominant force in West London.
Sarri will
take time to assess his squad for the new season but he will be targeting
players who know his philosophy and style such as Jorginho and who he believes can
play to his style. He will be assessing all areas and has been linked with various
defenders, midfielders and attackers. Chelsea certainly need a consistent goal
scorer with goals drying up for Alvaro Morata and limited appearances for
Olivier Giroud. I’m sure Sarri will assess Michy Batshuayi after his excellent
loan spell at Borussia Dortmund. In addition, he will be looking at all his
midfielders after a collective poor season all round and signing Jorginho
instantly suggests his intentions. However, Sarri will be desperate to keep
star players like Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois with both seeming to suggest
their futures lie elsewhere and it would be extremely difficult to replace both,
but the pull of giant European clubs may be hard to resist.
Chelsea will
hope a change in management and playing style will put them back amongst Europe’s
best because simply they must make the Champions League at whatever cost by the
end of the season. This is certainly the bare minimum Chelsea fans will expect
and they hope Chelsea can mount a serious title challenge but with the strength
of both Manchester clubs and Liverpool, this may be difficult in Sarri’s first season,
but they are not out of the race completely because they have players that have
been there and done it on several occasions. Chelsea fans will hope this new era
under Sarri will bring success and the West London club back on the European
map but also brings consistency to the whole football club.
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