Graham Potter faces a long list of problems at Chelsea, although his primary goal will be try to overhaul a huge deficit to make last ditch effort to reach the Champions League. Optimistic Blues fans could use a free bet with bet365 to back their side to finish in the top four, although the top six might be a more realistic goal.
Even finishing in the Europa League places will be a challenge for a club that is going through the process of a rebuild. Potter will look at his squad list and for players returning in the summer, and will be desperately trying to configure a way forward for the Blues. One of the key issues that Chelsea have dealt with over the last decade is the surplus of players at Cobham.
The list of Chelsea starlets that have been loaned out to clubs across Europe and the lower tiers of English football is endless. However, only a few standout players have managed to return to Stamford Bridge to nail down a starting place in the Chelsea starting XI. Mason Mount and Reece James are the two success stories, while the jury remains out on whether Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher will make the grade with the Blues.
Waste Of Talent?
It is one of the key decisions facing Potter over the summer along with the ownership group. One of the lasting legacies of Roman Abramovich’s era at the club is the bloated squad that Chelsea accrued over 20 years, but especially the last 10 years of his reign. The constant change of managers resulted in numerous players signing and then remaining on the books without a role in the team. Chelsea’s policy of signing young players with a view to the future has been notable, but the pathway to the first team has been a problem. Even the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi have not been able to lock down a first-team place and he seems certain to move elsewhere in the summer. He is just the tip of the iceberg.
At least Hudson-Odoi managed gametime before being loaned out. Matej Delac and Mario Pasalic were under contract for eight and six years respectively at Stamford Bridge before leaving the club after failing to register a first-team appearance. Baba Rahman remains on the books after last playing for the Blues in 2015.
Tiemoue Bakayoko has not appeared in a Chelsea shirt since 2018, having spent the last five years out on loan. His future must be resolved in the summer. The backlog of players is incredible and that is without the spending spree that the club undertook last summer and January, spending over £600m to sign new talent.
Growing Trend
Todd Boehly has made a long-term commitment to the Blues, but he must start addressing one of the key issues of waste that has been hanging over Stamford Bridge. It is not breeding a culture where players can dream of making the first team by rising through the ranks. Mount and James aside, the penny appears to be dropping with the younger players in the squad.
Xavier Simons has already made his loan move to Hull City permanent, and the Blues lost promising striker Jude Soonsup-Bell to Tottenham on a free transfer. There’s no guarantee that these players will be successful, but Chelsea have missed the boat on promising players before, allowing Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah to pass through without being giving an opportunity to shine at Stamford Bridge.
The list could continue beyond Simons and Soonsup-Bell. Ethan Ampadu was supposed to be one of the next great defensive midfielders and has performed well enough for Wales when given the chance on the big stage. But, he has been passed around on several loan moves in Serie and Sheffield United three years ago. Levi Colwill is another concern as he continues to enhance his reputation on loan at Brighton. Ian Maatsen could be a target of Burnley if they wish to make his move permanent on their expected return to the Premier League.
Potter has shown a willingness to blood young talent and this is where his skill will come to the fore. Lewis Hall has shown glimpses of his pedigree at the highest level after being placed straight into the firing line. Chelsea may need to adapt their approach in the future to change the culture at Stamford Bridge.
