“There
is still some way to go,” was Thomas Tuchel’s realistic assessment of the
amount of work Chelsea have to do in the final week of pre-season to be
ready for the start of their Premier League campaign at Everton on Saturday
Night Football.
The Chelsea boss was speaking after back-to-back wins over Udinese but
clearly still felt the effects of, in his words, a tiring and exhausting
tour of the United States.
During that leg of their preparations for the new season, Tuchel had called
his players “not good enough” and “not competitive” in their humbling 4-0
defeat to Arsenal.
The German has also voiced his frustration at his side’s transfer business,
with Raphinha and Jules Kounde among the ones to have got away in a summer
in which Tuchel said Chelsea had an “urgent appeal for a huge amount of
quality players” to be signed.
The Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital ownership era has dawned but the impact of
the sanctions imposed on the club at the end of Roman Abramovich’s tenure
have been felt beyond the Russian’s exit. It means Chelsea head into the new
season with concerns over whether they can replicate, let alone improve on,
the third-place finish and couple of cup finals they achieved last time
around.
Kalidou Koulibaly and Raheem Sterling have been signed and look like
impressive additions. However, with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen
gone on free transfers and Romelu Lukaku loaned back to Inter Milan, those
two new arrivals will need supplementing before the transfer window closes
on September 1.
There is also uncertainty around the futures of a number of other players at
the club, including Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Marcos Alonso, captain Cesar
Azpilicueta and ‘keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, with Marc Cucurella, Wesley
Fofana, Frenkie de Jong and Denzel Dumfries among the players Chelsea are
reportedly chasing.
It all adds up to a major overhaul when Manchester City and Liverpool, the
top two Chelsea would like to be closing in on, have built on their
fantastic foundations.
The gap between Chelsea and champions City stretched to 21 points last
season, two more than the year before. With City’s attack now bolstered by
Erling Haaland and Chelsea still trying to find their feet after their
summer shake-up, it is no surprise Tuchel wasn’t interested in talking about
the title.
His focus has to be on the immediate opening weeks of the season, where,
despite their issues, Chelsea must find a way to get off to a good start if
they’re to keep pace with their rivals – not only City and Liverpool but
also Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United, three sides rightly
optimistic of improvement this term.
However, Chelsea have been presented with an extremely tricky run of home
games up to the World Cup break, with Tottenham, Leicester, West Ham,
Liverpool, Wolves, Man Utd and Arsenal coming to Stamford Bridge in that
order before the pause in November.
Chelsea had the weakest home record of the Big Six last season, winning just
nine of their 19 games there and suffering damaging defeats to Brentford
(1-4) and Arsenal (2-4) in the final weeks of the season, as well as the 3-1
loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter final.
Early setbacks on their own patch will only ramp up the pressure and
frustration after a less-than-ideal pre-season.
It’s not all doom and gloom. Ben Chilwell’s return to fitness means Chelsea
once again have two of the finest wing-backs in the division available for
selection, with Reece James on the other side set for a standout season.
Key man N’Golo Kante also looked healthy against Udinese, after frustrating
niggles throughout 2021/22 stunted his game time, while Conor Gallagher will
bring fresh energy to the midfield following his excellent season on loan at
Crystal Palace.
Up front, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Sterling combined well as a fluid
front three in Italy – although goal-scoring and chance conversion remains a
clear weakness of this side which needs addressing. Boehly, who has shown
real willingness to back Tuchel in the transfer market, is sure to
strengthen the squad further before the window shuts.
Plus, there is a feeling the congested schedule either side of the World Cup
break could see the Premier League’s top two struggle to post the kind of
meteoric points totals they have in recent seasons, which could play into
Chelsea’s hands, too. If there is more margin for error, the prospect of
someone toppling City and Liverpool becomes a bigger possibility.
Approaching the new campaign, it feels like something remarkable would have
to happen for Chelsea to be celebrating a first Premier League title in 2023
after a five-season drought. Perhaps the World Cup break could be that
catalyst.
But if there is to be any let up from the leading duo, Chelsea will have
their work cut out to ensure they are the best of the rest and ready to
capitalise. Tired and exhausted? Tuchel and his players are just at the
start of a long and challenging road to return to success.
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