This weekend’s Community Shield will offer us a hint at how Chelsea might line up this season. What does the future hold for Roberto di Matteo and his men?
The idea of the new Chelsea is certainly an exciting vision. Any team with Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, and Marko Marin creating chances is going to be a joy to watch, and add in young Oscar who has been superb at the Olympics and the results could be sensational.
Which brings it’s own problem. The prospect of the ‘fantasy football’ Chelsea could play is a spectre which will hang over them. Expectation will be really high on Chelsea, and Roberto di Matteo will have to manage those hopes and ask for patience along the way.
Supporters will have to be patient, and the most realistic ones will be, but the problem will come via the tabloid press who as soon as results don’t start clicking into gear will no doubt begin questioning the ‘project’.
Moulding the new squad will not be easy, as demonstrated in pre-season, which of course counts for nothing, but a 3-1 defeat to Brighton showed at the very least that work still has to be done.
But Chelsea are a club full of players capable of rising to the occasion when it truly matters. Look at how they limply lost at Liverpool in the league in a dead rubber at the end of last season, but won the game which truly counted in the FA Cup Final days earlier.
Improving on last season’s sixth place finish shouldn’t be difficult, and supporters should be asking themselves what is the minimum acceptable target to them this season and what is realistic.
There is one thing Roman Abramovich is aiming for, and that is the Premier League title. That is exactly why he has plied in £66 million worth of his money and the spree may well push £100 million by time the transfer window closes.
But competition will be tough. Manchester City will resolutely defend their crown and push the 90 point mark once more. Manchester United are always in the mix and have not weakened this summer either. Even Arsenal have pushed forward, despite the Van Persie situation, the signings of Cazorla, Podolski and Giroud have supporters dreaming of a title challenge.
Chelsea will be in there too, but need their side to gel quickly, or they will find catching the leaders will be a tough ask.
So last season’s Champions League winners need to have a bit of balance in their own expectation too. Would a top four place be an over achievement or an under achievement?
Or is it simply a minimum requirement? How about trophies? Would another FA Cup win make up for disappointment of finishing fourth?
Surely no Chelsea fan will be satisfied at finishing below Arsenal, despite the wise investments made by Arsene Wenger this summer.
In our view the minimum requirement should be for Chelsea to finish as the top London side and a minimum of third position. If their new signings can click by around mid-September and a proven goalscorer is brought into top Fernando Torres, they certainly won’t be far off the top two and a title challenge.
What are your expectations for Chelsea this season. What about the minimum requirements?
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