With the 2015/16 English Premier League season a matter of weeks away, Richard Jolly provides his thoughts on each of the 20 teams and predicts their final league finish. Here he looks at champions Chelsea.
The bare facts are that Chelsea only lost four games in all competitions last season, one when they had nothing to play for. They had the Premier League’s best home, away and defensive records. Most hypothetical sides of the season contained a sizeable contingent of Jose Mourinho’s players. In short, they are the team to beat. The best news for their rivals, many of whom have been spending heavily, is that while Chelsea are trying to buy John Stones, they are yet to make a major purchase and seem to have traded down, rather than up, by replacing Petr Cech with Asmir Begovic and Didier Drogba with Radamel Falcao. But they are also a team where virtually everyone is near his peak and one with the ruthlessness and efficiency that tend to be hallmarks of a Mourinho side. Chelsea will almost certainly be outscored by some of their peers. Yet they were prolific when Diego Costa was fit and firing and much rests on the availability of the combustible striker. However, Eden Hazard compensated for his absence last season and starts the campaign with the title of the division’s best player. Chelsea could benefit if others in midfield contributed more goals but no side has as many match-winners in defence.
Key Man: John Terry – By common consensus, he was the best defender in England last season; once again Mourinho has brought the best from him. But Terry turns 35 in December and it is a question of how long he can stave off the ageing process.
Pivotal Signing: Radamel Falcao – Will only be a back-up but scored a mere four goals for Manchester United. Surely the Colombian cannot reach the heights he did earlier in his career. Surely he cannot be as bad for a second successive year.
Crucial Factor: The big games. Mourinho is at his best as a tactician on the major occasions and has an outstanding record against Arsene Wenger, Manuel Pellegrini, Louis van Gaal and Brendan Rodgers. They will have to outwit him if they want to dethrone Chelsea.
Prediction: 1
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