After the climax of a memorable champions league campaign in June, fans have been starving for the return of football. Thus, the eight-day Premier League Summer Series was very much welcome. While the appearance of Messi and Ronaldo in their respective league and the FIFA Women’s World Cup fill part of the void, it pales to the competitive nature of premier league teams facing off. Staying true to the competitiveness of the Premier League, the eventual winners, Pochettino’s Chelsea, won the Premier League Summer Series in the very last match by beating London rivals Fulham. Thus, we will unravel Pochettino’s Chelsea triumph in the Premier League Summer Series and what to expect from them moving forward.
#PLSummerSeries winners! 🏆#BluesInTheUSA
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 30, 2023
Chelsea’s Impressive Run in the Premier League Summer Series
Expectations are the norm when you are in a new club, but when you are in a prestigious club like Chelsea, it is not an exaggeration to assume fans will label you a flop just in pre-season. Remember when Erling Haaland hit the post from three yards out in the Community Shield last season? Good times for rival fans.
After the lacklustre season, Chelsea fans expect a strong bounce back from the team in the Premier League Summer Series, and Mauricio Pochettino’s team did not disappoint. For example, new signings such as Nkunku and Jackson showed their quality and desire to fight for the badge as they delivered their first few goals for the club. Furthermore, youngsters such as Maatsen, Gusto and Chukwuemeka also impressed when called upon in the Premier League Summer Series.
Overall, the display in the Premier League Summer Series was a sight for sore eyes for Chelsea fans as it was finally the team performance they were expecting the whole of last season. While it is only a pre-season cup, and Chelsea fans will not celebrate it like Spurs celebrating their new Tiger Cup, it gives the fans hope of accomplishing something in the new season.
Expectations for Chelsea After Their Performance in the Premier League Summer Series
Youngsters in Defence
Pre-season is always the time for trials and experiments, as Pochettino fielded a different defensive lineup each game. While veterans Thiago Silva, James and Chillwell remain a constant in the team, youngsters such as Humphreys, Colwill, Maatsen and Gusto also make their mark on the first team.
After England’s U-21 European Championship victory, hopes were high on Colwill to replace the injured Fofana, but he was satisfactory, not sensational. Maatsen and Gusto, on the other hand, delivered brilliantly on their respective aspects, as the former scored two goals against Wrexham and the latter was solid in defending 1v1 situations.
While their performances may not edge out future Chelsea captain James and Chillwell in the pecking order, we expect Pochettino to keep their names in his mind in preparation for the new season. As we all know, a good attack wins games, but a good defence wins trophies.
An Over-Relied Midfield
The Champions League winning quadruple of Mount-Jorginho-Kante-Kovacic is gone. While Chelsea fans may hold onto the solace of having World Cup winner Enzo in midfield, Chelsea’s midfield has severely weakened. To make matters worse, Chelsea is not pursuing any backup for the position.
While Gallagher is a similar player to Mount with his high work rate and occasional goals, it does not solve the issue of having cover-ups for the position. For instance, if Enzo and Gallagher injured themselves, the only midfield options left are the 19-year-old Andrey Santos and Chukwuemeka.
In comparison to their rivals, Chelsea’s midfield is really lacking. However, with the absence of European Football, this midfield does not need to overwork and play three games a week. Despite sounding like a benefit, we cannot help but feel worried about Chelsea’s midfield engine.
Rejuvenated Attacking Duo
Strikers are always a reoccurring problem with Chelsea. Since the days of Drogba, Chelsea has been dreaming fervently of a striker that can deliver goals. While Diego Costa did fit the bill in the two title-winner campaigns, others were not so good. We’re talking about you, Lukaku.
Now, after the masterclass attacking display of the two new strikers in the Premier League Summer Series, Chelsea fans dare to dream again. We are sure the Chelsea fans are thrilled about their strikers finally scoring, but we are confident that the Chelsea fans are celebrating their work ethic more. Which Chelsea fan is skipping the highlight of Jackson closing down the defender and creating a chance all by himself?
Nkunku is also something of a highlight reel himself with his timely run and adept finishing. The way he stays onside compared to Havertz is something Chelsea fans could not help but taunt their rivals. However, here is a warning for Chelsea fans. Morata and Lukaku also started their Chelsea careers well. Now, look at where they end up.
Is Chelsea Signing Axel Disasi?
Yes. At the time of writing this, Chelsea has agreed to sign France defender Axel Disasi from Monaco. The reported fee is around £38.5 million, meaning he will join Chelsea a year after Chelsea signed another Monaco defender, Badiashile.
Chelsea have sealed Axel Disasi deal — documents and paperwork set to be exchanged between clubs 🔵✔️ #CFC
◉ Five year deal, option until 2029.
◉ Chelsea will pay €45m to Monaco.
◉ Medical booked — early next week.
◉ Interest but no bid from United or #NUFC.Here we go ✔️ pic.twitter.com/fBsJdjOZUk
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 30, 2023
Takeaways
Pre-season is not indicative of the form of a team, but Chelsea fans are allowed to be excited about their team’s performance in the Premier League Summer Series. While we can congratulate Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino for winning a trophy in his first 30 days in charge, the Premier League is a totally different ball game. Chelsea, the squad, and the manager really need to step up from last season to have any chance of returning to the summit.
