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Five Reasons Chelsea Can Mount A 2018/2019 Title Challenge

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Top of the table after eight games, fans and pundits still don’t think Chelsea will  challenge for the title this season, results, and style suggest it is time to change that thinking.

The season may still be young but there is a level of optimism about everything Chelsea at the moment.

The results speak for themselves; 8 games, 6 wins and two draws. A run that has seen the Blues beat Arsenal and come close to defeating an otherwise rampant Liverpool.

Before the season began the Premier League best predictions were that Manchester City and Liverpool would go toe to toe fo the title with Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham battling it out for the other two Champions League spots.

Liverpool and Manchester City have met this expectation so far with both clubs sharing the lead at the top with the Blues on 20 points apiece. Manchester United have struggled under Mourinho, whilst Tottenham and Arsenal sit just two points behind the league leaders.

Sarri has so far continued to dismiss the prospect of a Chelsea title challenge but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

New Signings Have Blended Into The Team

Sarri may have arrived late to Cobham after the World Cup, but he has been given a few talented new players to work with and they have hit the ground running.

Kepa Arrizabalaga has made Thibaut Courtois a long lost memory, Jorginho is making the midfield sing and Kovacic looks like an incredible player considering he is on loan as a makeweight in the Thibaut Courtois sale to Real Madrid.

The Style Of Football Is Sexy

Chelsea have not played with such an attacking style of football in over a decade. Against Southampton there were 31 passes across both sides of the pitch before Alvaro Morata was played in to score the third goal.

The Blues look solid on the ball and have so far provided goals to match the slick passing and fancy flicks, fans are excited and it translates to results.

Eden Hazard Is On Fire

Despite his attention being slighty turned by Real Madrid, Eden Hazard has taken his game to the next level since returning from the World Cup. He has scored 10 goals across all competitions and been the match winner on multiple occasions.

His opening goal against Cardiff was magnificent and he seems to be on a one-man crusade to score the goal of the month every time he steps onto the field of play.

Squad Depth

Chelsea have one of the strongest squads for a Premier League season since the Mourinho era with depth in every position.

In goal Callabero, Green and Bulka sit basking in the talent of Kepa, in defence Gary Cahill and Andreas Christensen are warming the bench behind Rudiger and Luiz.

In midfield there is an embarrassment of riches with Kante, Jorginho, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Pedro, Willian, Drinkwater, Kovacic and Hazard all able to be rotated and rested as required.

A key development has been the fitness and emergence of Ross Barkley who is being tipped for great things by Eden Hazard. His form has seen him return to the England squad and onto the scoresheet against Southampton.

Up front we have a £57m striker just finding his feet after a rough couple of months who is being pushed all the way by Olivier Giroud who offers a different kind of tactical option for Sarri to unleash from the bench.

Lack Of Champions League Football

FA Cup or Champions League

Already in the Europa League we have seen key names like Kante and Hazard rested or even left at home when traveling across the continent for games.

With advancement to the knockout stages with games to spare extremely likely the squad is likely to be well rested heading into crunch games over Christmas.

The squad depth is matched by a lack of Champions League football which means that despite the number of games Sarri is going to be more empowered to rotate the squad.

Sarriball Shed Upper Stamford Bridge

Sarriball Most Attacking, Free Flowing Style Since Ancelotti?

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Chelsea have started the Premier League season with five wins on the bounce as Sarriball takes hold. With Eden Hazard firing on all cylinders and a midfield that clicks Blues fans are being treated to an attacking football masterclass.

Is it one that makes it the most exciting teams the Blues have had for almost a decade.

Cardiff, Huddersfield and Newcastle have all tried to upset the expert weekend accumulator tips and bust a few coupons with defensive teams and tactics that have taken time to break down.

Chelsea are managing to break down even the most defensive of opposition tactics through sheer weight of passing and being able to change gears and add a touch of class at just the right moment.

When early goals have not come, they have stuck to their task, probing and passing their way to create chances and puncture the opposition with sheer weight of effort.

Sarriball means Jorginho is having more touches of the ball than the entire outfield unit of opposing teams as the Blues recycle the ball and probe defences. When the time is right Hazard, Pedro, Giroud and even Morata have been there to add a sprinkle of class to make the difference.

Sarriball dominates  Dominate & Add Attacking Excitement

Against Cardiff Chelsea played with a zip and intricate passing that had Cardiff on the back foot the entire game.

The Blues have stood up to the tests ahead of them and top the table on goal difference. A stat that shows just how prolific the Blues have been despite conceding against Newcastle and Cardiff.

Whilst defensively there are questions to answer it was an incredibly enjoyable site to see the Blues building attack after attack in a game where they could have scored 7 or 8.

We were watching from the Shed End and even though the Blues went behind they produced an almost instant response and were deservedly ahead before the break with the equaliser a showcase of the attacking flair and movement we currently possess.

The last time Chelsea were such a consistent threat was under Carlo Ancelotti in 2009/2010 season when the team scored 103 goals on the way to a historic league and cup double.

This team has potential, but it has not yet been properly tested. The true challenge will come when autumn turns to winter and the Blues travel to sides with no intention to give Chelsea space to attack into.

There may not be Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba tearing up defences and scoring goals this time around, but Eden Hazard looks like he might take a stratospheric jump and place himself at the pinnacle of Europe’s elite.

Sarriball looks like an exciting experiment.

Fantasy Football Can You Beat Your Man Utd, Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal & Spurs Mates?

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Fantasy Football is one of the best things about pre-season as fans get to pore through the new signings to pick their team for the year ahead. 

Unlike our childhood most games are now free to enter and are a great way to prove to your mates that you know the game better than they do!

It is great to beat your mates, particularly if they support a different team. Although it can be conflicting when you have Harry Kane in your fantasy team and you almost fist pump when he scores to boost your points total.

This year we have partnered with Fansbet to offer a FREE fantasy football game. There is a top prize of £20k and it is free to enter – http://bit.ly/2M3m6yl

 

Should Chelsea Sell Gary Cahill?

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Having won every conceivable trophy since arriving at the club and being our captain, Gary Cahill is a hero to many Chelsea fans.

Unfortunately, as time moves on his credentials as a top-level Premier League central defender are being severely tested. He did not have his best season in Blue last time out and lost his place to Rudiger in the New Year and only got back into the frame at the back end of the season.

If Chelsea sign Danielle Rugani then the writing would really be on the wall for Cahill. He is already going to be competing against Kurt Zouma, Rudiger, David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and even younger guns such as Ethan Ampadu.

Why Should Cahill Stay

The argument for keeping Cahill is simply his previous record and the influence he can have on a team in transition. He will undoubtedly add something to the dressing room but may struggle to get game time.

The real question is can he rally and get back into a position as a first choice centre-back?

If he can then he should definitely stay and remain as captain in the Sarri ball era.

However if not then it might be time for Cahill and the club to look at other options as he deserves to be allowed to leave the club with dignity and plot the path for the rest of his career.

Where Would He Go

Cahill is at an odd point of his career.

At 32 he is too young to be put out to pasture and could still do a role in a Premier League club and is not ready for his MLS or Chinese payday.

He could walk into any Premier League defence outside of the top six or he could go abroad, hopefully the decision to stay or go is in his hands.

Time For Chelsea To Act In The Transfer Market!

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

The season is almost here and despite a poor season and a new manager Chelsea have not gone crazy in the transfer market and time is running out. 

The transfer window closes at the start of the season for the first time meaning there are less than two weeks before the window closes.

The club are bound to be targeting some signings but the time to act is NOW if we are to get the players we want at the right price!

The appointment of Maurizio Sarri has seen Jorginho arrive with him from Napoli, however, the only other reinforcement is veteran Robert Green who joins as a homegrown third choice goalkeeper for registration purposes.

Realistically Chelsea should have decided if Thibaut Courtois, Willian and Eden Hazard will be allowed to leave the club by now. If they have we should be signing replacements before the ink is dry to avoid any deadline day panics.

If that is going to happen we need to ACT NOW before it is too late to identify, negotiate and complete the signing of appropriate replacements.

Positions Where Chelsea Must Act!

Regardless of departures Chelsea realistically need to sign a defender and striker to improve upon the line up from last season.

Defensively we have been linked to Rugani and a host of others, whereas up front we have been linked with every European striker going without much progress.

Without direction for quite some time, it will be interesting to see who Sarri and the board are targeting. There is bound to be some activity but it is unclear who the club will be going after and why.

Let’s hope that they are ahead of where we think we are and on the verge of the signings Sarri and Zola will need to get Chelsea back into contention next season.

Video of Every Jorginho Touch on Chelsea Debut v Perth Glory

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

Chelsea got more than a manager when Maurizo Sarri arrived from Napoli. He brought with him the highly rated Jorginho.

Here is a video of his debut thousands of miles away from his new home in Australia. It covers pretty much every touch he made in this low-key promotional friendly debut.

A few decent touches will be good to see how he develops to the English game once that new club smell wears off.

Check out his performance

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap8Ijk4f–U

Time For Courtois To Put Up or Shut Up

By Chelsea NewsOne Comment

Thibaut Courtois talks to the media frequently and has the arrogance you need to succeed as a top-level goalkeeper which is not a great combination.

He is generally quiet when at the club and handled by the club’s PR but once he is on international duty it is like a Bonus Code from Mobilbet for the media who get a much more candid account of his relationship with the club than usual.

Courtois has had a difficult relationship with the club since he was signed and sent out on loan, he felt that he was a superstar from day one and liked to tell whoever who would listen what he thought.

This calmed slightly when he usurped Petr Cech as number one at the club but every international break he gets in front of the media and says whatever the hell he likes and normally this involves complaining about the club or courting a move back to Spain.

His performances for Chelsea have been ok on average, but nowhere near high enough to justify the “star of the show” attitude that he brings to mentions of his future.

Courtois Yearns To Return Home

I do have some sympathy for Tibo, as his family including his children have remained in Spain rather than relocating to England. If he wants to leave then I think he should be allowed to do so.

However, it should be on Chelsea’s terms rather than his and he seems to be conducting himself via the media than the club.

One Year To Go

The complicating factor on the future of Tibo is that he only has one year left on his contract. Meaning that for his future to be in control of the club he either needs to put up (request a transfer) or shut up (and sign a new contract).

The best scenario for the club would be for him to sign a new contract and leave next summer for his market rate. If he leaves this summer we will get less for him than he is worth (around £35m) however if he leaves next summer without a new contract we will get nothing.

It is a little frustrating that the club have let Tibo run down his contract to the point where he has all the power. We should avoid letting players negotiate and delay to the point of power and being near the end of their contracts whilst in their playing prime.

Should he stay or should he go? I don’t really care but it does need to be sorted soon.

Let’s hope Tibo’s future and the club’s goalkeeping options are secured well before the transfer deadline.

Chelsea, Man Utd and Everton In Grip Of Transfer Silly Season – Man City and Liverpool Settled

By Chelsea NewsNo Comments

With the World Cup over the media is resuming normal service when it comes to transfer rumors and filling their pages with enough hot air to power a country.

The settled squad of Manchester City means the betting offers from Moplay are mostly focused around the comings and goings at Chelsea and Manchester United.

On Merseyside, Liverpool seem to have done most of their business straight out of the gate having already nailed down a concussion-free goalkeeper, whereas their Goodison Park neighbours seem ready to go mad.

With Jose Mourinho as manager Manchester United were always likely to be the target of extensive gossip for comings and goings. Over his tenure at Old Trafford Mourinho has continued to abuse, whinge and complain about a number of different players so we are likely to see his favoured targets fly out the door and him to try and demand high-quality replacements.

Recent rumours have seen Manchester United linked to Willian, however, Chelsea fans would rather punch themselves in the eye than gift Mourinho any more players from his second stint at the club. He has already taken Matic and we would be stupid to let him take another star of that team.

The only way this might work is if Anthony Martial was to move in the other direction as some are suggesting the club want.

Rumours on the future of Willian do continue though, it is thought that Barcelona have made him a top target following the World Cup making a bid of £65m, this is tempting until you realise that Everton are about to pay £50m for Richarlison from Watford and suddenly he seems wildly underpriced.

The potential sale of players does seem to be more of the focus of Stamford Bridge in recent weeks with Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois both keeping the club guessing as to their commitment to staying at the club.

Whilst it would be a shame to lose either, Courtois needs to either sign a contract or sod off and Hazard can attract a high valuation after a successful World Cup. I would be sad to see him leave but he has more than earned the right to determine his own destiny after a successful few years at the club.

As for targets to bring into the club, it seems that Sarri is trying to bring the entire Napoli team with him. Jorginho has already arrived but rumours persist that Napoli have laid down the law to Chelsea’s board that they will not be able to cherry pick the best and brightest of Sarri’s former club.

With only two weeks of the window left Chelsea will need to act fast if they are to improve on last seasons 5th place finish.