The distance between Chelsea and their title opponents may appear to be wide on paper, but it isn’t.
The Blues had made tremendous efforts in reducing the gap with Liverpool, but due to a slew of injuries and, of course, horrible COVID-19-related sicknesses, they finished 18 points back.
Despite a disappointing second part of the season, Thomas Tuchel guided his team to three finals. They lost two of three to Liverpool, but it isn’t the whole tale.
Jurgen Klopp believes that his squad played well against Chelsea but was unable to defeat them in regulation time.
It took penalties on both occasions to defeat the Blues, which could cause problems for the Reds. More importantly, it may give Chelsea supporters hope for a great season ahead.
In an interview with ESPN FC, Klopp stated that Chelsea might be right up there with Liverpool and Manchester City in terms of competition.
“When we played Chelsea, we didn’t win one game. And that’s not because we were bad that day. No, we were really good in those games. In the end, with the penalty shootout, we could win it, but in 90 minutes, we didn’t. So that shows you Chelsea are incredibly strong.”
Chelsea are currently in a rare situation in which they are undergoing a rebuild at an ideal time. They’ve got a new owner who is hungry for championships and a winning, long-term structure for the club.
They have a manager who has made water into wine with the players he has inherited. To be honest, they do have a really good side right now.
Of course, as the transfer window progresses, fans will understandably expect more players. Tuchel lost two of his finest defenders in a single window and may lose another. It’ll be interesting to see if Chelsea can find these replacements.
Negotiations with Jules Kounde have broken down, and it is expected that Matthijs de Ligt will prefer a move to Bayern Munich over a move to Chelsea, making things difficult for Todd Boehly.
Kalidou Koulibaly is the next name on the list of possible replacements for Antonio Rudiger.
If Tuchel plays his cards correctly, Chelsea could have a far longer claim to the Premier League title in 2022/23.
They gave Klopp and his team a run for their money last season. Now that you have the necessary resources, it’s time to boost the ante!
