So the transfer window slammed shut, and on deadline day we lost Yossi Benayoun (on loan to Arsenal) whilst picking up Raul Meireles from Liverpool.
That`s on top of the other new faces: Romelu Lukaku, Oriol Remeu and Juan Mata. Thibaut Courtois and Ulises Davila are also new signings, but they have immediately been loaned out (to Atlético Madrid and Vitesse Arnheim, respectively).
Other departures are in the youth area of the squad: a joblot to Hamburg (Michael Mancienne, Gokhan Tore, Jacopo Sala and Slobodan Rajkovic have been sold, Jeffrey Bruma is on loan); Gael Kakuta will be loaned to Bolton, and Patrick Van Arnholt will spend the season at Wigan. Fabio Borini disappeared, to a complicated montage of both Parma and Roma. Elsewhere, Yuri Zhirkov also left a month ago.
Where does that leave Chelsea`s squad? First let`s look at the type of players that Chelsea purchased: unlike previous years, Chelsea has focused more on youngsters. Rather than bringing in established stars (with the notable exception of 28 year-old Meireles) they are promises for the future. There could be an attempt to balance the books better: spend less, focus on player development (and perhaps sell on at a profit). There is, of course, a greater risk that these youngsters might not actually develop into Chelsea material.
Whilst the youngsters in question are already widely praised, we have to point out that Chelsea don`t have a great record in this area. Josh McEachran might be on the cusp of the first team, he is, however, the first youth product to break into the first team squad since John Terry. Too many players have gone on loan as a prelude to a sale than a part of a career development.
Yet there seems to be a break as regards youth this season. Alongside Romeu and Lukaku, McEachran and Ryan Bertrand are included in the first-team squad. Daniel Sturridge might have been linked with a sale on deadline day, but he is also on the cover of this month`s Chelsea magazine (which was published today), which suggests that the club had no intention of selling him.
With 26 names in the first-team squad, Chelsea have a somewhat larger pool than last year, when an unusual sequence of injuries in a short squad contributed to the collapse of our title challenge from October.
One area where Chelsea did not succeed is in offloading some of the elder statesmen who are on high wages. Benayoun might have been very peripheral, he and Zhirkov were the only older player to leave. By accounts, there were a number of other players (Paolo Ferreira, Nicolas Anelka, Florent Malouda) that Chelsea attempted to shift, without success.
Over the pitch, have Chelsea kept a good balance? The 3 goalkeepers have stayed the same, (with Courtois rumoured to be in the running for 2014 onwards). Changes in the defence have been marginal: we lost Yuri Zhirkov, who was a makeshift left-back but more of a left-sided midfielder, ostensibly as the club considers that Ryan Bertrand can be Ashley Cole`s backup. On the right, you can take your pick from Ivanović, Bosingwa and Ferreira (with Ivanović also a possible centreback). In the centre of defence, pick any two from Terry, Luiz and Alex, with Ivanović also a possibility.
Up front, the idea must be that Daniel Sturridge excelled during his loan to Bolton and that he is to be used in the first team. Otherwise, Chelsea have the mystery that is Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, as well as Romelu Lukaku, who has every intention of snapping at the heels of the starting strikers. That`s five forwards for a maximum of two places (and possibly only one), which would suggest that there is a surplus in this department. Even if Nicolas Anelka is recast almost as a left-sided winger, there will be some delicate rotation and management in this department, and I would not rule out that somebody leaves in the winter window. However, bearing in mind that next year will be African Cup of Nations year, Chelsea will need to survive a large part of the season without Didier Drogba (in addition to his current injury).
On the flanks, Chelsea brought in some much-needed rhythm and imagination with Juan Mata. It will be interesting to see how he, Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda are used, and in conjunction with which strikers. Or if Chelsea prefer to play a narrower 4-4-2, in which case either the wingers recast themselves as midfielders (Mata and Malouda are capable of this). For a few months Kalou will be out at the ACN.
It`s in the centre of the park that things become somewhat more congested. On the surface, Chelsea have an excess of central midfielders: Jon Obi Mikel, new kids Meireles and Oriol Remeu, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Ramires and Josh McEachran. That`s seven central midfielders. Some of them might be more defensive (Oriol Remeu, Mikel, Essien) than offensive, but unless Chelsea play a narrow (and defensive) 4-4-2 a number of these are likely to be kicking their heals.
Maybe the solution can come over time. Michael Essien is a long-term injury casualty (and we have to accept that last season he was a shadow of the force of nature the Ghanian was previously). In addition, it might hurt, but Frank Lampard is approaching the declining years of his career. Furthermore, Mikel will be out of action at the African Cup of Nations; should Essien return in time, that`s an additional exile from Stamford Bridge. This could help manage a large contingent.
Overall, we can see some encouraging squad developments: the influx of youngsters and the injection of some creativity (Mata, Meireles) and the ability to change pace (Lukaku) that has been stifling Chelsea. The club has prepared well for the African cup which takes its toll on Chelsea. We have kept the same backline that, on the whole, has served Chelsea well (we are pleased to have held on to Alex and the versatile Ivanović, and Bosingwa has started very brightly), and the squad looks capable of adapting from 4-4-2 to any variation of 4-3-3 or 4-5-1.
However, there are areas of concern, on paper at least: do we have too many forwards to manage (with the eternal questions as to whether certain partnerships will work)? Do we have enough ‘creativity` to break down opposition who have become used to Chelsea`s stale style? There are also too many central midfielders. Are Chelsea really prepared to give youth the chance that is necessary if these youngsters are to develop? And was this not a missed opportunity to offload some of the older players who are on the decline?
On the whole Chelsea have brought in some great youngsters and talented players. We will have to see if they can, however, contribute a balanced squad. I would not be surprised if the exercise just closed ends up being phase one of a two-stage process, with a few additional players leaving the club over the winter.
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