There is a positive vibe surrounding Chelsea Football Club ahead of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign. Antonio Conte is out and Maurizio Sarri is in and many supporters believe that the former Napoli manager can take the Blues back to the top of English football. With the right financial support from owner Roman Abramovich, Chelsea could challenge the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool for Premier League glory this campaign.
Chelsea were disappointing in 2017/18, finishing outside the top four for only the third time in 15 years. The Blues were 30 points behind Pep Guardiola’s City and that was the final nail in the coffin for Conte. The charismatic Italian led Chelsea to the Premier League crown less than one year before his sacking but their collapse was inexcusable – Conte had to go. With Sarri at the helm, Chelsea stand a much better chance of competing for silverware on a regular basis.
Blues to Sparkle with Sarri’s Style and System?
The Stamford Bridge faithful are expecting big things this campaign and Sarri could make an immediate impact in the Community Shield on August 5. Renowned for his high-pressing tactics and ‘keep ball’ philosophy, Chelsea should reap rewards from his European style of play – just as Manchester City have with Guardiola at the helm. Fans have already seen an improvement in pre-season and that bodes well for future success.
David Luiz wants to stay at Chelsea and admits he loves Maurizio Sarri’s style of play: https://t.co/Izk1P3cbv8 #CFC
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) July 29, 2018
With around 30 years of managerial experience, Sarri has worked his way to the top. It has been a long journey but the 59-year-old is now in charge of one of Europe’s biggest clubs and he looks well suited to Chelsea. Sarri had a 66% win ratio at Napoli and a similar return is expected here. You won’t find too many fans expecting Sarri to fail in England’s top flight; Chelsea will be quietly confident of snatching a top-four berth at the very least in 2018/19.
Rumours Rife Ahead of Early Transfer Window
Jorginho made the decision to join Sarri at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea have a real star on their hands in the 26-year-old. Capable of controlling the tempo of a football match, the Italy international could blossom into one of the world’s most influential midfielders this campaign. However, Chelsea are still actively pursuing a forward player and Celtic’s Moussa Dembele could be a prime target in the coming weeks.
Former Celtic man John Hartson recently compared Dembele to Blues legend Didier Drogba and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Chelsea push for his signature this summer. A key figure for Celtic, tipped for Champions League qualifying success at Oddschecker, Dembele attracted attention from Chelsea in the transfer window last year but a move to the Premier League failed to materialise. Blues fans will be keeping an eager eye on the latest news on Dembele’s future…
Hitting the Ground Running Is Key
A fast start to the campaign is absolutely necessary as Chelsea look to plug the gap to City at the top of the table. With the exception of a home clash with Arsenal, the Blues have a fair enough schedule to open up the season. Away fixtures against Huddersfield Town, Newcastle United and West Ham United are all winnable whilst Chelsea fans will expect three points against Bournemouth and Cardiff City on home soil.
14 points should be the minimum objective from their opening six fixtures. Chelsea need to build momentum from the get-go in 2018/19; you cannot afford to play catch-up in the race for Champions League football these days. With six viable contenders for those four spots, England’s top flight is now more competitive than ever before and Chelsea will not want to miss out on Europe’s elite club tournament for the second season running.
Eden Hazard: The Key to Chelsea’s Ambitions
Love him or hate him, you have to admire Hazard’s natural talent. The Belgium winger oozes class and he has a unique ability to glide past two or three defenders in the blink of an eye – he is Chelsea’s main difference maker and creator in the final third. According to statistics available via WhoScored, Hazard was directly involved in 16 goals in 34 league games last season; a decent return considering Chelsea’s domestic woes.
The Blues will need to fend off the advances of Real Madrid in order to keep Hazard at the club. With Cristiano Ronaldo now out of the Santiago Bernabeu exit door, Los Blancos have been linked with a move for Hazard this summer. Chelsea are likely to hold out for a hefty bid and supporters will be hoping that the Belgian stays for at least one more year. Helping to bring the Premier League crown back to Stamford Bridge would be a fair leaving gift ahead of next summer’s transfer window.
Do Chelsea Have What It Takes to Win the Title?
Maurizio Sarri can bring the glory days back to Stamford Bridge. Is he the long-term fix? Only time will tell. His beautiful, free-flowing philosophy should help Chelsea to play a more attractive brand of football and that can only mean positive things for the Blues as they look to get their hands back on the top-flight crown. A much-improved campaign beckons if everything goes to plan before the transfer window slams shut. Sarri’s side will be right in the mix to challenge for the Premier League crown; only a fool would write them off.
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