Chelsea are on a mission, but they need to deliver

 

While the big clubs in Europe have remained pretty defensive financially during this COVID-19 Pandemic, Chelsea seem to be unaffected and are on a mission to build a team for the future.  

The arrival of Ben Chilwell at Chelsea means, Chelsea have spent £134m ($177m) on three players ahead of the new season, with the England international following in the footsteps of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner after their transfers from Ajax and RB Leipzig respectively.

That expenditure is set to break the £200m ($264m) mark once Kai Havertz's move from Bayer Leverkusen is confirmed, with the west London outfit having agreed to pay an initial £72m ($95m) to secure the Germany international's signature in a club-record deal.

 Free-agent center-backs Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr are all set to join the Chelsea adventure 2020-21 with the Blues’ aggressive summer recruitment drive coming after 12 months which saw them shackled firstly by their FIFA-imposed transfer ban over the summer, and then a lack of viable options in January.

Roman Abramovich, who provides all the finances of the club by himself, has decided to bring the Blue Train back on track and he is supporting Frank Lampard fully.

The 2019-20 season had been an average one – they did secure the spot in the Champions League next season, but losing the finals of the FA Cup and that thrashing at the hands of the Champions of Europe Bayern Munich hinted that the Blues needed to organize the house without wasting any time.

Abramovich breaking the bank.

Lampard using his brain to organize the Blue Train.

As the Goal reported, “Chelsea's transfer policy has always revolved around using the money raised from player sales to fund their own spending, and this summer is no different, even if the arrivals have come before the departures.”

Bakayoko, Emerson Palmieri, and Michy Batshuayi are all understood to be on the chopping block, with it expected that their sales alone will raise £60m ($79m).

“Few, if any clubs could realistically follow up annual losses of £96.6m ($127m) and the removal of matchday income with this scale of spending. But few, if any, have a Russian billionaire backing them.”

“Abramovich is able to cover any temporary shortfall, and with Champions League football secured for a second successive season after Lampard guided the Blues to a fourth-place finish last term, the accounts should look rosier heading into the new decade.”

“The 53-year-old has also overseen the building of the club's world-class academy and gave Marina Granovskaia - who now has a reputation as one of the best negotiators in Europe - a seat on the board.”

“Such decisions mean Chelsea now find themselves in the enviable position of having a first-team squad full of world-class talent that is part-homegrown and part-signed from elsewhere without ever having been forced to truly break the bank.”

But how the Chelsea line-up would look in the next season, remains a moot question.

Throughout the last season, there was a lot of debate surrounding what should be the ideal starting line-up of the Blues if all the players were fit and available for selection. And it’ll be the same for next season, especially considering the stature of players coming in.

Although he experimented with other formations during his first season as Chelsea manager, Lampard may look to utilize the 4-3-3 to get the best out of those at his disposal.

The Blues have not spent anything on the shot-stopper position. Thus, despite a poor 2019-20 season, Kepa Arrizabalaga would maintain his position. Cesar Azpilicueta at right-back for the experience and defensively solidity with Chilwell would be the automatic choice on the left.

Kart Zouma would the ideal center-back to partner with Thiago Silva.

At the center of the park, N’Golo Kante would drop deeper and display his defensive abilities more, thus, giving the look a bit like 4-1-2-3: Now, it would be tough decision to choose the best two from the likes of Mateo Kovacic, who was named the Chelsea's Player of the Season, Mason Mount, who had an outstanding last season and the new recruit Kai Havretz.

If Lampard has to make a hard choice then he might go with Mount and Havretz.

The frontline would be a headache for the opponents: Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, and Hakim Ziyech.

Tammy Abraham did his job well last season, but Werner’s prowess in front of goal could be a difference changer, scoring 28 goals in 34 Bundesliga appearances for RB Leipzig last season.

Then, there remains that attacking intent of Lampard, which cost him the defence last season.

If he really wishes to go with the Julen Nigelsmann way then he must strengthen the flank with the two full-backs in the midfield with Kante playing the defensive role in the center and both Mount and Kovacic playing the creative role to aid the support for two forwards upfront: Havretz and Werner – Pulisic and Ziyech have to be sacrificed and at the back Zouma and Silva would be supported by Christensen.

The shape would be like a 3-5-2, but to get best out of the players signed this season, the 4-3-3 would suit the Blues better and in a fairly long season, players could be rotated accordingly when the momentum is gained.

At the end of the day, each and everyone would demand the desired results.

Despite signing such world-class talents, if the Blues fail to deliver, then the expectations would take a telling blow.

Note: This article has been posted by Cricketsocer as CSdesk on 27/08/2020 Chelsea are on a mission, but they need to deliver

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Faisal Caesar