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Samuel - January 11, 2025
Chelsea’s performance so far this season as we approach the halfway point has been exceptional and much above expectations, considering their past two seasons’ performances.
Enzo Maresca’s appointment seems to be going smoothly, and he appears to be the ideal manager to integrate the youthful Chelsea squad and develop them to into top talents.
The Blues have made a considerable leap this season, vaulting to fourth place with thirty-six points after match-day 20, a notable improvement from last season’s tenth-place standing with twenty-eight points.
However, their remarkable run seems to hit a stumbling block in December 2024, as they were just two points behind league leaders Liverpool prior to the festive season and are now ten points behind The Reds.
Chelsea are currently on a four-match league winless run, raising concerns about whether clubs are suddenly getting the better of Maresca’s tactics.
The winless streak has highlighted the squad’s deficiencies, and this transfer window provides an excellent opportunity to reinforce and put them back on track for a respectable finish at the end of the season.
Therefore, we will examine the key positions which Enzo Maresca needs to strengthen in order to get his team back to winning ways and finish the season on a high note.
Defensive Reinforcements
One of Chelsea’s greatest shortcomings thus far has been the lack of proper defensive balance, which causes them to concede goals in almost every encounter.
They have shipped in twenty-four goals in twenty league games so far this season, which is a major concern for the coach and the team.
Enzo Maresca has a huge squad depth on the defensive line, but he seems to be struggling to find the perfect defensive pairing among his defenders.
The team’s defense line appeared to be taking shape at the start of the season with the centre back partnership of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana, but since the Frenchman was sidelined with a long-term injury, the coach has struggled to find a suitable paring.
Furthermore, Maresca’s made a tactical change by introducing academy graduate Josh Acheampong into the defensive line in their most recent league game against Crystal Palace, but the problem still persisted as they conceded a late equalizer.
Since the departure of Thiago Silva from the club, Chelsea have lacked a defender with a leadership quality who can command the back line, and it is a contributing factor to their defensive woes.
A January deal for an experienced defender should be one of Enzo Maresca’s top priorities to bolster the defense and reduce the number of goals conceded.
Meanwhile, there have been speculations that the Blues are targeting Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi as one of their top transfer priorities. If they eventually secure his signature, he will be valuable addition to their defense line.
Reinforcing the Frontline
Chelsea is in dire need of an experienced striker in the winter transfer window to help them effectively utilize their chances.
The Blues boast a trio of strikers, including Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu, yet none have consistently demonstrated the box presence necessary to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
First-choice striker Nicolas Jackson appears to be doing well with nine league goals this season, but the Senegalese international is not a natural finisher or box-predator.
Moving forward, clubs have begun to curtail Enzo Maresca’s attacking tactics by employing a low-block strategy and launching counter-attacks against the Blues.
This strategy seems to be working well, as it limits Cole Palmer’s chances creation, thereby influencing the overall team attacking performance.
One way to counter this approach is to make use of the wings, as Chelsea wingers are skilled chance creators with crosses but less prolific goal scorers; however, the absence of clinical box finisher has been limiting their effectiveness.
A move for lethal strikers like Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres cannot be ruled out in the January transfer window, and Chelsea is expected to make a swift move if the opportunity arises.
Strengthening the Engine Room
Chelsea appears to be doing well in this department, thanks to the partnership of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, but there is a lack of a suitable replacement.
The duo has started in almost all league matches this season and have played the full 90 minutes without being substituted.
However, due to the large number of games to be played, weariness has started to kick in which has hindered their overall performances in recent weeks, necessitating replacement in the winter transfer window.
The Blues have a suitable option in Romeo Lavia but the Belgian international has been battling with injuries, which has hampered his availability.
Nonetheless, the consecutive deployment of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo in full matches increases their injury risk, which could greatly affect the team’s performance. To mitigate this risk, the Blues need to secure the signature of a box-to-box midfielder in this transfer window.
Verdict
Chelsea’s performance thus far has been outstanding, and they can consider themselves a top four contender. However, in order to compete effectively, they must reinforce the aforementioned areas during the January transfer window.
