Chelsea Analysis

Chelsea fans rejoiced when Michael Emenalo left Stamford Bridge. With few knowing what value he truly added he was seen as a disruptive force that stopped successive managers getting the tools they wanted for the job.

Lampard — who is currently working for BT Sport and studying his coaching badges since announcing his retirement in February — has been mentioned as a possible candidate.

When it comes to replacements the idea of Frank Lampard Technical Director as even an outlandish international break rumour has gotten fans excited.

It would be replacing one of the club’s most hated figures with one of the Premier League and Chelsea’s favourite players.

Lampard did not leave Stamford Bridge the way we would have wanted, there was no fanfare, fond farewell or testimonial just a flight to America.

Then he came back in a different shade of Blue and I am sure that he and Blues fans want him back at the club and involved.

Frank Lampard Technical Director At Chelsea – Could It Happen?

As the rumour is just that, a rumour it is hard to know where it has come from and how likely it is to come to pass. Chelsea fans want Emenalo replaced with someone knowledgeable with a connection to the club.

Lampard is one of the greatest players in our history so would fit the bill.

Michael Emenalo was not qualified for any of the jobs he held, with his experience and silverware Lampard has an immediate head start, add his badges and his study of the game he already seems like a better fit.

There would be a learning curve, but if Emenalo can do it anyone can. Given his connection to the club it would be like a homecoming and he would get bags more patience and respect from the fans.

Ultimately it seems like a pipe dream, but given the way the club operates anything is possible.

One of the building selection headaches that Antonio Conte may face iin the coming months is Moses v Zappacosta in a battle to be Chelsea’s first choice right wing back.

To succeed at home and abroad squad depth is important and the signing of Davies Zappacosta gives Conte two solid choices on the right hand side of defence.

The Case For Moses

After a lifetime on loan Victor Moses was plucked from squad periphery to take on a key role at wing back.

It was like we signed a new player and was important in giving Chelsea the edge in the title race.

The incumbent Moses had a great title winning season but as a natural winger he is still not the whole defensive package which may leave the door open.

Zappacosta has both attacking and defensive attributes that could see him become first choice.

Introducing Zappacosta

Davide Zappacosta was signed on deadline day with few Blues fans having him on their radar. Fortunately Conte did having called him into the national team. Zappacosta made his full Chelsea debut against minnows FK Qarabag, but his performance and cameo against Leicester should have Victor Moses worried from the outset.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSyZG1HtaFU

He has looked solid in attack and defence and an early goal in his career will help him build his reputation amongst the fans.

Moses v Zappacosta

Ignoring his wondergoal/fluke against Qarabag, Zappacosta looks more mobile and controlled than Moses. I think once he has time he could show himself able to outperform Moses in both areas.

With a busy schedule both players will get game time but it will be interest to see what happens in key games once Zappacosta has fully acclimatised to the Premier League.

Either way it looks like we have two competent and popular players and whoever wins the battle this gives the club a good chance of winning the war.

Due to the sale or loan of English squad players, the Chelsea homegrown players 2017/2018 Champions League list features less well-known players than it would have done last season.

The Blues have lost Nathan Ake, Ruben Loftus Cheek, Nathaniel Chalobah all would have been likely to feature if they had stayed at the club. Then there are the likes of Tammy Abraham who is out on loan for the second season in a row who we really wish was available given our lack of options up front.

What Is The Homegrown Players Rule?

UEFA homegrown player rules mean that Antonio Conte has to name 8 homegrown players within his 25 man squad.

Homegrown Player Definition – UEFA defines locally-trained or ‘homegrown’ players as those who, regardless of their nationality, have been trained by their club or by another club in the same national association for at least three years between the age of 15 and 21.Four of the locally-trained players must be from the club itself, with the others being either from the club itself or from other clubs in the same association.

A quirk of this is that Spainaird Cesc Fabregas is considered Association homegrown a significant bonus for Conte. He is joined on that list be new signing Danny Drinkwater who will be taking part in his second Champions League campaign.

Chelsea Homegrown Players 2017-2018 Champions League

B Squad (qualified at Chelsea)

• Kyle Scott (Midfield)
• Andreas Christensen (Defence)
• Charly Musonda (Midfield)
• Jake Clarke Salter

Association Homegrown

• Danny Drinkwater
• Gary Cahill
• Victor Moses
• Cesc Fabregas

Although these players are in the squad Conte has full autonomy in who he picks for each game from the list of 25.

Here are some videos that may help introduce you to our B list players and show you what they might bring to the table in the Champions League

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldJR8gkmOwc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWOAiuZZ8n0

Chelsea lost their first game of pre-season and fans should be pleased by the challenge Bayern posed and the lessons that can be learned.

Chelsea were quickly on the back foot against Bayern Munich and went three goals down quickly to a possession and pressing focused Carlo Ancelotti side. Although Alonso scored in injury time of the first half it took Conte’s half time team talk to improve the performance.

Batman scored in the second half, but Chelsea were unable to get the equaliser.

Overall it was a tough performance but one that will have got the rust out of the player’s legs and is better preparation than a comfortable defeat to lesser opposition.

I am always wary when Chelsea go through pre-season undefeated it feels like it has the opposite effect than you would expect.

So I am choosing to take this defeat as a positive rather than a negative and think other Blues fans should too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N288X7P74SE

The Nou Camp, Munich, Leicester City and even humble Lincoln City have shown us that anything can happen in football.

After all predictable football would be boring.

As Chelsea enter the final moments of a tied match, there’s no doubt that there’s plenty of anticipation that comes with not knowing if we can score the game-winning goal. At the beginning of the season, there’s no way to tell which team is going take the title in each league, but researching trends and recent records will definitely indicate who the favourites are. While the exact actions that take place in a match can’t be predicted, betting specialists and football analysts agree that the sport may be more predictable than ever in terms of the teams that are most likely to win and the players who are most likely to score.

Viewing the Sport from a Betting Perspective

If you’re betting on a match, it’s probably a good thing that the sport is predictable, because that means an informed bet maker has a good chance of winning. However, those who choose to bet on the under dogs will also stand to gain more when their team does win. With people using virtual betting platforms like free bets UK to place bets conveniently online, the practice of betting on matches is becoming more popular than ever. Plus, people who bet online also typically follow the latest football news and stay on top of developments in their favourite leagues, so they’re more likely to place winning bets than offline bet makers who are often less informed and less savvy.

Consolidated Power Results in More Consistent Outcomes

Perhaps the primary reason why Europe’s top leagues are becoming more predictable is because there are certain powerhouse teams that are just consistently getting better. Some teams just have more money, better management, and better players, and so as they say, “the rich get richer.”

A winning team is more likely to attract star players, and successful clubs are also good at finding and recruiting the best talent. As the stronger teams become increasingly stronger and the weakest teams continue to struggle, the consolidation of power into super clubs is making for a more predictable, yet possibly more exciting field of play in UK football.

Taking Advantage of the Sport’s Predictability

In a soccer match, there are only three possible outcomes – win, lose, or draw. That means any person betting on a game has a roughly 33% chance of having things go their way, but that percentage increases or decreases depending on the teams involved and circumstances surrounding the match. This differs from other common betting sports like horse racing, where there are many different possible winners. It also means that a person who is knowledgeable about the sport has a good chance of picking winners most of the time.

If you take into account the fact that about a third of the time the match ends in a draw, it’s no wonder that many users of sites like Free Bets are able to enjoy repeat winnings. Studying a team’s past stats can show you a lot of things – from how many points they’re likely to score to how probable it is for them to have a draw. With knowledge of the sport’s predictability, many bet makers looking for bookies on Free Bets are able to maintain a high rate of success in choosing winning teams.

Ratings and Ticket Sales Still High

Despite the predictability of several prominent European leagues, and the increasing analysis of stats and records that allow experts to give such accurate advice, people are still tuning into the matches to see who wins for themselves. In fact, if anything the heightened predictability is good for football’s economy because, as mentioned earlier, it creates powerhouse clubs, happy bet makers and investors, and it’s fun for fans to rally behind dominant teams.

Losing the FA Cup Final to Arsenal was a disappointing end to the season for Chelsea fans, leaving everyone deflated despite an excellent season.

With the victory parade cancelled due to safety concerns (something we totally understand), we had to rely on the end of season awards to bounce back as a club and continue the celebrations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i16V3Gb8L9s

The Cup Final

Losing a cup final is never ideal, it appeared that the last two weeks of relaxation and celebration had left the players heavy-legged and lacking the fire and passion that had driven the club forward for most of the season.

On the day Arsenal were the better team, a phrase that sticks in the throat, the game could easily have been over by half-time and it was only great defending by Gary Cahill and poor finishing that denied the Gunners.

Second half we showed more grit, but the sending off of Victor Mosts made the task almost impossible. Despite the equaliser of Diego Costa it still felt like we would be denied.

Moments later Arsenal regained their lead and with it the trophy.

Looking Forwards

When looking for silver linings, it looks like Arsene Wenger will stay, which means that we can look forward to plenty of drama on Arsenal Fan TV in the coming months.

With the season over we move on, now the transfer window is poised to open and the rumour mill will kick into gear. Over that summer period, we must remember that we are Champions, not defeated finalists.

Because in less than 80 days the season starts up again and we will be desperate to put up a better title defence than we did during 2014/2015.

Much of that may depend on the futures of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, we would be ok with either of them leaving, providing we can get similar ability replacements. Given their records this may be easier said than done.

Until then Champions of England we know what we are!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOAongRYyPw

Before a knee injury ruled him out for almost a year Kurt Zouma was well on his way to establishing himself as a cult hero at Stamford Bridge.

After 11 months out he made his return against Peterborough United, starting and finishing what turned out to be an entertaining stroll for a rotated Chelsea squad.

Having Zouma back gives Antonio Conte a high-quality centre-back to compete with David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta and John Terry. Removing the need to dip into the January transfer window despite the ongoing rumours.

Before his injury Zouma looked set to push Gary Cahill out of the starting line-up or Stamford Bridge altogether, however the heart of the Chelsea defence has changed almost beyond recognition during his time on the sidelines.

Antonio Conte now plays three in the centre of defence giving more opportunities within the line up. However now he must compete with the return of David Luiz and the movement of Cesar Azpilicueta into the central defensive trio.

Will Zouma Get In The Chelsea Team?

Chelsea have gone on a great run with a defence of Cahill, Luiz and Azipilcueta and it will be tough to break that partnership.

Competition for places will be fierce, but with time I am backing the Frenchman to oust Gary Cahill and consign John Terry to retirement. This may sound like a negative but it gives the Blues perfect succession planning. Replacing Terry was never going to be easy but it looks like we have the foundations set.

This may sound like a negative but it gives the Blues perfect succession planning. Replacing Terry was never going to be easy but it looks like we have the foundations set.

The return of Zouma is more than a boost to the current squad but also to the clubs balance sheet. After a cash windfall from selling Oscar a defender was rumoured to be high on the list.

His return means this can be postponed to the summer at the earliest when prices will be more reasonable and the Blues can take their time to identify the right target. So it is safe to assume that the return of Zouma may have saved the club millions in the short term.