Season Preview: Chelsea

Chelsea, under a new manager yet again, will be looking to gatecrash the European spots this season after another summer of heavy spending. Is it going to be a case of too much, too soon or is this the season it finally clicks for them?

What happened last season?

A bit of everything.

Chelsea struggled initially under Mauricio Pochettino, winning just one of their opening six matches. At the halfway point of the season, the Blues had just seven wins to their name in the Premier League. For context here, they had eight losses after matchday 19.

Respectable draws with Arsenal (2-2) and Manchester City (4-4) were false dawns.

But then things started to fall into place. They finished the season with just one defeat in 15 and this run included nine wins. They put together a five match winning streak to end the campaign.

This form allowed them to claim a sixth-place finish and earned themselves a Europa Conference League spot. Impressively, they finished just five points off of fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Had they been able to get their act together a little sooner, a Champions League place would’ve been a genuine target.

Chelsea also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the final of the Carabao Cup.

Despite the narrative, it wasn’t a bad season at all for the Blues. Obviously, people expect success given the money pumped into this project but, for a campaign under a new manager with a number of players to bed in, they did quite well.

The star was, of course, Cole Palmer. He was a revelation following his move from Manchester City, netting 22 goals in the Premier League and chipping in with 11 assists. His 33 goal involvements in the Premier League could not be bettered by anyone.

Nico Jackson also finished the season under the radar with 14 goals.

What has happened during the summer?

Same old, really.

Chelsea have hired a new manager, pinching Enzo Maresca from Leicester City after he guided the Foxes to promotion.

The Blues have also been fairly active in the transfer market, reuniting Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with his former boss while also bringing in Filip Jörgensen, Omari Kellyman, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, Marc Guiu and Tosin Adarabioyo.

To fund this spending, Chelsea have cashed in on Ian Maatsen and Omari Hutchinson while Conor Gallagher, the stand-in captain last season, has joined

Atlético Madrid according to reports. Expect to see more movement at Stamford Bridge before the transfer window comes to a close.

What they should be aiming for next season?

Had Pochettino remained, a top four push would’ve been very much on the agenda for the Blues this season. But with Maresca now at the helm and looking to put his stamp on things, who really knows how long things will take to settle down? He could hit the ground running as Graham Potter did, or he might struggle for a while, like his predecessor before things take shape.

They could finish anywhere between 5th and 10th, it really does depend on how well players adapt to yet another new manager and how quickly he can get his points across. It is a guessing game at this stage.

Prediction: 10th

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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