In the clamour to bring in exciting new players many of us forget what we have. Our squad as things stand is large and extremely impressive. I look at the names there and am really excited about what they and we may achieve this season.
I’ve heard some credible rumours this morning that Chelsea apparently made a formal approach for Danielle De Rossi from Roma at the weekend and that we are expecting to begin dialogue with them shortly on a fee. We all know what we would be getting with De Rossi – he’s an old school hardman who loves a tackle and just does not lose the midfield battle. Whether this will go down well with referees this season if he comes is another thing but were we to bring him in, where does this leave the rest of the midfield?
Right now, we stack up as follows:
Mikel
Romeu
Ake
Chalobah
Loftus-Cheek
McEachran
Ramires
Lampard
Oscar
Essien
Van Ginkel
That’s a lot of players chasing two starting berths. OK, lets weed out the loanees. Romeu will probably go on loan, with Valencia reported to be interested and we here at Vital-Chelsea Towers think this will be tied up shortly. Ake has asked not to go out on loan, and has left a Netherlands U19 camp early to fly home to try to impress Jose, but the impression is he’ll likely be loaned for a season, more than likely to Vitesse Arnhem. Loftus-Cheek has traveled with the U21s to the USA and will either spend another season with them, or out on a loan. My gut says Chalobah will be retained. The impression on Josh is that he needs more regular games and that his successful loan spell at Middlesborough may well be extended, but much depends on how he does over the next couple of weeks back with the first team squad training with Jose.
So this leaves the following:
Mikel
Chalobah
Ramires
Lampard
Oscar
Essien
Van Ginkel
Were De Rossi to come in, it would strongly suggest that Mikel would be the player to make way, and that Chalobah would be his nominated back up at DM.
By my reckoning we’re still heavy for the other spot in the double pivot alongside the DM, and with Van Ginkel coming into the side it seems to me that one of Essien, Lampard or Ramires would make way. Oscar is a utility player and anyway is one of the squad’s crown jewels so will not be sold. Given that Chelsea have already said Ramires is a key player for us during the Cavani negotiations, and that Lamps signed a new contract, the spotlight can only fall on Essien. Is Jose ruthless enough to sell him given the relationship they have?
Hard to know. My heart says no, but my head states logically that he probably has to.
So how do we see it working next season?
If De Rossi comes he’d be our first choice DM and would probably play every single game he was available. Alongside him Lampard or Ramires would probably expect to play the majority of games, opposition dependent. Van Ginkel looks third choice for this berth.
Fact is none of us really know. I’d be interested in your tactical thoughts in answer to the below questions:
Against teams that are pacy in the middle and move the ball quickly through the middle, who would you play here?
Who would you play against teams that sit back, soak up the pressure, are happy to let us have the middle and pack their own box, looking to hit us on the counter?
What about lower league teams with much less technical ability in the middle but who will kick lumps out of us and hustle and press with six in the middle?
Against teams that are happy to open it up and attack us – who then?
Lot of questions to be answered there. I’m sure Jose has his ideas on how to play it.
Lets hear yours.
CAREFREE.
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