Football: What to Expect from Chelsea this Season

Antonio Conte is approaching the new season facing a similar problem to Jose Mourinho, as both have struggled to sign the exact players they want. Despite Chelsea being the Premier League champions, the club has failed to land any of its main transfer targets and has had a mini-meltdown with one of its key players, Diego Costa. Chelsea has defended the title successfully once before under Mourinho but in that follow-up season

The Blues spent more than £60m on new signings, back when that was a big transfer budget. Let’s take a look at how Conte can replicate the back-to-back success that Chelsea enjoyed in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Chelsea’s summer transfer window has been dominated by one bust-up, the fallout between Conte and Costa. The exit of the Spanish striker is imminent due to his relationship meltdown with the Chelsea manager who believes Costa has become a bad influence in the dressing room.

Costa’s exit has prompted the arrival of Alvaro Morata, who is similar in physique but not quite as powerful. Sharper with the ball at his feet, Chelsea’s record signing may not have been the club’s first option but he could turn out to be the best one.

The Blues have let go 13 players this transfer window including John Terry, Kurt Zouma and highly rated Nathaniel Chabolah, leaving the squad desperately low on numbers. With Nemanja Matic set to join his old boss at Manchester United, new signings are in big demand for the London club.

Conte has 20 senior outfield players in his squad and the exits of Costa and Matic would leave him with just 18 players. He clearly needs to dig deep into the club’s resources and his own contacts to find the right players. Chelsea has missed out on Leonardo Bonucci as a centre-back option to fill the vacancy left by Terry’s exit and has also missed out on Real Madrid’s Brazilian defender Danilo, who turned down The Blues to go to Manchester City.

Alex Sandro is now at the top of the Italian manager’s wish list and a £43m deal isn’t far off being agreed; he would be the perfect wingback for the 3-4-3 system favoured by Conte. On the opposite side of the defence, Victor Moses has done a decent enough job but Chelsea has to deliver better quality from both sides if it is to dominate games with its preferred formation. Antonio Candreva, who has a fantastic relationship with Conte, has been rumoured to be close to making a move to London.

The right-sided midfielder has played as a wingback for Italy and has impressed for his country in that position so he would fit perfectly into Conte’s system.

With Matic’s exit around the corner, Chelsea has managed to bring in Tiemoue Bakayoko as a potential replacement but just one injury in the central midfield position would leave Conte stuck for options with only Cesc Fabregas to supply some quality in that position.

A move for Barcelona’s centre-midfielder turned right-back Sergi Roberto is on the cards and if he did come aboard he  could be the perfect utility man Chelsea is lacking.

 

How Chelsea could line up:

 

Courtois

Cahill  Luiz  Azpilicueta

Candreva  Bakayoko  Kante  Sandro

Willian      Morata       Hazard

 

by Nubaid Haroon

YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCtMg-fWm7awR41vM1GhVOkA  Twitter: twitter.com/rambofyi

The post Football: What to Expect from Chelsea this Season appeared first on Felix Magazine.