On July 24, Chelsea made their preseason debut against third division English side Wrexham. The team sheet offered a good glimpse of several Chelsea talents who were castaway with long injury spells amidst the previous campaign. Going into the new season, the likes of Romeo Lavia, Christoph Nkunku, and Wesley Fofana will likely give them the jolt of a new summer signing. There is no doubt the talent level is high, but the integration of these pieces will be a work in progress for Enzo Maresca as he continues to simultaneously incorporate his style of football.
When you watch a high level team like Chelsea, most will be quick to jump to conclusions, trying to decipher whether this team is capable of achieving to the standards that fans are so desperate to rekindle with. If you are one of these fans, the Wrexham game may have squandered your hopes and dreams in the same moment you had manifested them. However, the importance of a preseason game has never been about the result, although it would be a nice cherry on top, rather it is about takeaways. To see what pieces may fit, how they may fit, and if they do not fit, what would be the next course of action? So let’s uncover these takeaways.
When signed from Manchester City in 2022, the hope was that he would light up the wing with some of the magic we saw that led to his success at his former club. Little did we know, he would be a shell of who he was or maybe it’s as simple as him being a byproduct of a Pep Guardiola system. In hindsight, it’s evident that whatever reason one of the league’s greatest gaffers had in moving on from his services was without a doubt the right decision to be made. Two years since, the aging wingers falls in the outgroup of a talented young blues team. With a lot of names to draw from within the club in the hat of wingers it is time for them to get the same opportunities that Raheem Sterling has failed to seize. Nicholas Jackson saw a relatively good spell last season, with the highest of highs and lowest of lows, but being favored as the out and out striker in a league known for its overwhelming physicality did no favors for the naturally left sided winger. It is time for him to get his shine on the wing and give Mykhaylo Mudryk some competition as he attempts to revitalize fans hopes of the infamous performance of his debut game at Liverpool, where he showcased a free flowing, careless attitude to take on the best of the best off the dribble.
Little was to be made of the signing of Marc Guiu. Who was signed from Barcelona for $6.2M, and with the financial stakes low, came an opportunity for the 18 year old to consider himself as a member of the squad going into the new season. Guiu displayed a high work rate, unparalleled by most strikers of the day. He showed an effort of closing down on the ball, getting into the passing lanes, and making runs in behind. The quality is there and with the striker crisis Chelsea have faced since the parting of Diego Costa, we have come to realize that throwing large sums of money into the market as not proven to be the tactic to undo the curse. Although tempted by the likes of Victor Osimhen, who displays the qualities of Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, and his endorsement at that, it may be time to try to develop their own talent up front for a change. His counterpart, Armando Broja, should be moved on from considering he does not have the ability to get involved in play to the capabilities of this 18 year old.
The last thing to be tuned in on, is the right back position which will be operated by some of the most talented players at the club between Malo Gusto and Reece James. With the debate of who will make face at the position for the seasons start, it is suggestive to say the least that neither of them should be left off the starting lineup. With Reece’s versatility, he could take on a role higher up or potentially move into a crowded center back position where he saw a successful spell in route toward their Champions League triumph. His defense would be dearly missed in the back, yet so would his offense, as he remains one of the best at delivering on target crosses. Luckily for me, it is not my position to make the decision, but it is clear neither of them should be left out.
The first team squad size is without a doubt bloated beyond utility and a massive overhaul will be required to bring it down to a manageable size where chemistry and a proper competitive training ground atmosphere can be ignited. At this point there remains too many pieces who no longer fit the bill as this club attempts to reestablish its name amongst the best in Europe.