By Rafael
The biggest question surrounding Chelsea ahead of this season is; how will they perform? A fair question to ask of any team, in any preseason, however in the case of Chelsea, there are three major factors that will or at least are expected to have an effect on their performance this upcoming term.
The first factor is their transfer ban, after some questionable business practices ultimately got them punished by FIFA. The ban will result in Chelsea not being able to sign any players during the next two transfer windows, which means Chelsea can not be buyers again until January 2020. While this alone might not seem like a big deal nowadays, being excluded from participating in transfers is a huge blow to any team.
Image source: businessinsider.com
Not having a chance to sign new players to improve the squad is a huge problem, especially for Chelsea who will hope they can fight for top four in EPL and possibly contest the UEFA Champions League title.
This problem worsened when it was announced their star player, Eden Hazard will leave for Real Madrid. That left a huge hole in Chelsea’s squad which will not be easily fixed, especially with the transfer ban hanging over their head.
Chelsea does, however, have an alternative for the void on the right wing in Christian Pulisic, the 20-year-old right winger, who has returned to the Blues after serving his loan at Borussia Dortmund.
During his spell at Borussia, Christian Pulisic accumulated 30 appearances, scored 7 goals and added 6 assists. While, by no means, a record-winning numbers, the winger from the United States has shown a huge potential, which he should use to its fullest if he ends up being the man to fit Hazard’s shoes.
Another thing that will work in Chelsea’s favour is the permanent signing of midfielder Mateo Kovacic. The Blues reportedly paid £40.3 million to acquire Mateo Kovacic from Real Madrid despite the transfer ban, able to do so because the 25-year-old midfielder was already registered as a Chelsea player.
Chelsea also lost their manager Maurizio Sarri, who left the club in June to return to his home country, where he will coach the nation’s banner sports franchise, Juventus. In his one year as manager, Sarri helped Chelsea win Europa League and even reached the final of EFL Cup in 2018/19 season.
Who exactly will replace Sarri as the head coach of the Blues is still a mystery, however, if we go by the news and speculations, it will most likely be Frank Lampard, with an announcement likely happening by the end of the week.
Image source: marca.com
So, with a transfer ban, departure of Hazard and a new, inexperienced manager leading Chelsea into the next season, what are the fair expectations for the Blues ahead of 2019/20 season?
Chelseanare one of the world’s best teams, which understandably brings high expectations for them to perform high season after season no matter the circumstances.
Saying that Chelsea will fall out of the top 6 in the Premier League in 2019/20 would be silly. We can’t just disregard the fact that Chelsea is filled with star footballers.
With that many exceptional players on their roster, Chelsea is without a doubt among the top 6 in the EPL and not one spot lower. We need to consider the gap between the top 6 and other teams in the EPL, which is very noticeable, and for one team to break through and get itself in the top 6, that team would have to do something very remarkable.
We have established Chelsea is a top 6 team, but are they a top 4 team or even a legit contender for the title?
Yes and no.
Making it into the top 4 would take some luck, however, we can’t deny that Chelsea is capable of finishing there. So what about Chelsea’s Champions League?
To win the Champions League, a team does not only have to be exceptionally good, but also needs a pinch of luck, which puts them in an easy group and pairs them with the right opponents to make their path as smooth as possible.
All thing considered, Chelsea are expected to once again finish in the top 6, which should be a given considering the players and experience the team has at their disposal. Would Chelsea reach the top 4, it would be a great achievement, however, we cannot count on it as competition for the top 4 spots in EPL is fierce. As far as their Champions League campaign goes, Chelsea should at least leave a mark, however, seeing Lampard and his men lift the trophy for the 2nd time would be a historic accomplishment.