Rudiger, Pulisic and Ziyech make Chelsea’s January plan clearer in thumping Leicester win
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 20 Nov 2021 08:28 CST
- 3 min read
Chelsea’s January transfer plans just became a little clearer thanks to their 3-0 win over Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel sprang from the bench as Antonio Rudiger headed the opening goal from a corner and would have watched with contentment as N’Golo Kante surged forward to score the inevitable second in surprising circumstances. Christian Pulisic killed the game off after the break.
It was a powerful display from the Premier League leaders, who looked every inch a side capable of winning the league against an opponent that has posed problems for England’s best over the last 18 months.
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Tuchel would have been especially pleased with the outcome of the match given he started without numerous key players.
Trevoh Chalobah stepped in for Cesar Azpilicueta and Callum Hudson-Odoi featured in the midfield while Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea’s marquee summer arrival and the man expected to fire them to glory, was absent due to injury.
Meanwhile, they flexed their strength from the bench by introducing Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech as substitutes after both had suffered a start to the season beset by injury issues. Although it was the USA international who got the clinching goal, it owed much to the trickery of Ziyech off the right.
Both have been linked with possible departures in January, with Ziyech associated with Barcelona. Both look forward to more game time in the busy festive schedule, rendering the prospect of a departure a far more distant one.
Indeed, the manner of the victory once again highlighted that Chelsea have both strength and depth.
What do Chelsea need in January?
January transfers? It’s clear that the Blues already have the requisite squad to win the league.
Instead, Tuchel and Chelsea need to take a longer-term approach in the forthcoming window.
Rudiger opened the scoring and once again gave a commanding defensive performance, making one potentially goal-saving intervention on a rare first-half occasion when it seemed that Leicester might strike.
While rumours linking the Germany international to Bayern Munich might have faded this week, reports suggesting he could go to Real Madrid when his contract expires next season persist.
Saturday’s performance was further evidence that Chelsea will find it hard to replace him should he elect to leave.
Thiago Silva, too, gave the management food for thought. The veteran Brazil star may go back to his homeland when his deal is up in the summer of 2022, yet he played a key role against Leicester, with his rage of passing excellent.
Chelsea’s January transfer window, then, must be about making positive decisions about the future direction of the club, with the Rudiger question especially pertinent.
