The gaping hole in Chelsea's squad that needs fixing for a title challenge
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 8 May 2022 13:03 CDT
- 5 min read
Chelsea haven't won the Premier League since the 2016/17 season. They've also only registered more than 70 points on one occasion in the time since that title. And there's a reason.
It's a reason that could cost a lot to fix, but it'll be worth it.
While Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and potentially Cesar Azpilcueta are all leaving and creating a huge issue in central defence, Chelsea's recent struggles may not be hampered too much by those absentees.
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Of course, the departure of Rudiger will hurt the most, but if a replacement can be sourced, in the mould of Jules Kounde, Josko Gvardiol or even Levi Colwill, then Chelsea won't suffer as much as many expect.
However, if another area of the squad isn't addressed then the Blues will be doomed for another top four fight even with the genius coaching of Thomas Tuchel.
Chelsea's recent league finishes
Since winning the league in such impressive fashion under Antonio Conte in 2016/17, Chelsea have finished no higher than third, and have never contested for the title.
That looked set to change this season with the arrival of Romelu Lukaku and the impressive start to the campaign that saw the Blues lead the way in the early months, but it soon faltered away.
Perhaps the most worrying thing is that it faltered away at the exact same time of the campaign as every other year. Between 20 November and 1 February over the past five seasons, Chelsea have won just 27 of a possible 64 games.
That form over the festive period has meant Chelsea have finished with a points tally between 66 and 72 in every campaign since their Premier League triumph in 2017. The closest they've been to the title-winning side is the 19 points they finished behind Manchester City last season.
Chelsea are stuck in a cycle and their woes this year clearly aren't a one-season issue. A restart is needed.
The biggest issue in the squad
While it can be argued that many facets of the squad need changing, there's one area that stands out.
Tuchel created a rock-solid backline when he arrived at Stamford Bridge and it helped deliver the Champions League back to West London. But, they've conceded two or more goals in seven games so far in 2022. The Blues are no longer an elite defensive team.
They've conceded 10 more league goals than Man City at this stage of the season and eight more than Liverpool. While they still have the third best defence in the league, the fundamentals Tuchel built the side on are showing cracks.
While it's easy to point the finger at the defence itself, the issue is further forward. The issue is central midfield. And it's a huge problem.
In the 2-2 draw against Wolves, Chelsea played with a double pivot of Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek due to the injuries to Jorginho and N'Golo Kante.
While the pair are both technically gifted with immense ability on the ball, neither provide a reliable defensive presence. Kovacic is an active defender, with over three tackles P90, but he can't be relied upon to defend alongside such an attack-minded Loftus-Cheek who's career has mostly been as a No.10.
Even the two absent midfielders may not have made a huge difference in the draw to Wolves, though. Both Kante and Jorginho have declined this season due to age, fitness and poor form, and neither were ever true defensive midfielders.
Kante has long been considered as one of the world's best midfielders, but he's never played as a true defensive midfielder. At Leicester he sat alongside Danny Drinkwater, while at Chelsea's it's been a combination of Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas and Jorginho.
On the other hand, Jorginho may play deep, but he dictates play with his passing and isn't selected for his defensive work. In fact, he can often be bypassed in midfield due to his lack of pace.
So, a combination of all those factors has seen Chelsea's defence become more leaky than many would've predicted.
Furthermore, their most recent title win came in the last season in which a true defensive midfielder featured in the side - the aforementioned Matic.
Under Conte, Matic and Kante formed a devastating partnership with the Frenchman enabled to leave his position to press thanks to Matic's presence.
Matic was sold to Manchester United after the 2016/17 season and Chelsea haven't been the same since.
In short, Chelsea need a true defensive midfielder in order to finally mount a title challenge again. But, who could that be?
The options in defensive midfield
Aurelien Tchouameni should be the first name on Chelsea's list. He's a fully-fledged France international and has been arguably the best midfielder in Ligue 1 over the past two seasons.
A defensive powerhouse, he combines his match intelligence and physical prowess with ability and calmness on the ball, as well as an eye for goal when he does move forward.
Liverpool and Real Madrid are the two clubs more heavily linked with a move for Tchouameni, but if Chelsea arse serious about backing Tuchel then making a statement signing like the Frenchman is needed.
Declan Rice also fits the bill, but West Ham are likely to set an asking price that far exceeds his market value which cost rule the Blues out of a deal this summer.
However, Tchouameni should be top of Chelsea's summer wishlist to fix the gaping hole in their squad and find a way to mount a title challenge for the first time in five seasons.
