Chelsea has emerged as one of the leading contenders to win this season’s Premier League trophy, and possibly, even more. If you had bet early on them winning it all, you could be in for quite a substantial payday.
They have looked incredibly strong, dominant, and are proving to be a team that looks very hard to beat. Here are the reasons why Chelsea could, and could not, win the Premier League this season.
Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel has clearly had a massive impact on this Chelsea team since he first arrived. Frank Lampard had the same players but lacked the experience to get the best out of them and play in a way that won them games.
The German has found a way to make them strong defensively while allowing his wingbacks to attack. Similar to how Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson play for Liverpool. Ben Chilwell and Reece James have proven to be massive goal-scoring threats, and Tuchel encourages them to roam.
More importantly, Tuchel knows how to win trophies. He has already won the Champions League and Super Cup with Chelsea, adding to his trophy cabinet with individual awards and trophies he won at Mainz, Stuttgart, and PSG.
The players
A trophy-winning manager is only part of the puzzle, and Chelsea’s players have stepped up their game since his arrival. Players such as Antonio Rudiger, Jorginho, Edouard Mendy, and Mason Mount have all transformed into world-class players.
Add the aforementioned Chilwell and Reece James to the mix, established stalwarts like Cesar Azpilicueta, and youngsters like Trevor Chalobah; and you have the perfect blend of youth, experience, and skill.
Chelsea has managed to set up their strong team and will grow stronger as the older players phase out. There will barely be a rebuilding period as their youngsters are already growing stronger by the day.
On the other hand, Timo Werner has still not found his place in the team, and he has struggled to start, let alone score goals, and Chelsea could be better off cashing in on him than trying to make him fit into this near-perfect system.
Romelu Lukaku is also an enigma right now. He was brought back to much fanfare and has only scored three times and played seven times. Granted, he has been injured, but Chelsea has been incredible without him, so even his future could be in doubt.
The League
While Chelsea’s rivals will be discussed next, some teams may not compete for the title but instead could put a spanner in the works. These are the teams that Chelsea needs to beat, even though they aren’t fighting at the top for the league.
West Ham has undergone a metamorphosis under David Moyes and is sitting right near the league’s top. While many are sure they can’t win it this season, they are one of the few teams that can beat Chelsea.
Arsenal has risen like a phoenix. They were at the bottom of the table a few weeks ago and now sit in the top 6, above Ronaldo-led Manchester United. London may be blue right now, but Arsenal can pull off a shock win when the two meet.
Rivals
Now to their rivals. Many pundits and experts already believe the title race is between Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool. Considering each team has the ability to wipe the floor with the others, it is creating an exciting race.
Manchester City has been playing like their usual selves, with massive amounts of possession, slick passing, Tiki Taka, and goal after goal. While they haven’t been as bulletproof as usual, they are still formidable.
City also has depth on its side. While they haven’t lifted the Champions League trophy, they have shown their ability to field strong teams in the Premier League and Champions League. This type of depth is a game-changer.
Liverpool is always a worry for any team, and their destruction of Manchester United proves that no team, or player, can stop them when they are on their game. This should worry Chelsea fans, as on the surface, Chelsea has made more mistakes than Liverpool in recent years.
Jurgen Klopp and his players are also not content with winning the one title in the past 30 years. One isn’t enough, and even though they say they don’t focus on that, you know for a fact that it is always on their mind.
Possible fatigue
The one thing that often ends up being a sticking point for teams is fatigue. The amount of tournaments and matches that get played, domestically and internationally, is more than some players can handle.
They are the defending Champions League champions, meaning they will be taking that competition seriously and fielding their strongest team. International matches are also infamously hated by managers.
Players seem to get injured at a much higher rate while on international duty, and even though Chelsea has enough backup players, upsetting the balance could derail their whole season.
Once again, on the other hand, Chelsea always has a fairly substantial transfer budget at the ready, when or if they need it. Most notably, revisiting the possibility of signing Declan Rice and Jules Kounde.
Declan Rice has been a tank in the West Ham team and has been the cement in their defensive wall. Jules Kounde, the young center-back at Sevilla, is an investment in the future once the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger.
Final thoughts
At the moment, Chelsea is undoubtedly in the driver’s seat. The league isn’t won in November, and with the busy December schedule coming up, this Christmas period could make or break their season, like it has done to other teams many times before.
Chelsea can win the title; there is no doubt about that; they have the talent and the players to go all the way. They can also beat any team put in front of them; we just have to see if they have the mental fortitude to see it through.
