Chelsea fans will undoubtedly want to forget what has been an abysmal year for the club.
Following the takeover by the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital Consortium in 2022, fans did not know what to expect, but they could not have foreseen the treacherous state of affairs at the club today.
Despite spending aggressively in two subsequent transfer windows, Chelsea ended the 2022/23 campaign as mid-table fodder and failed to qualify for any European competition.
Their dire underlying metrics were enough to fill a book. The Blues finished their Premier League campaign in 12th place with 44 points, tallying 1.16 points per game. They scored only 28 goals last season – only four clubs tallied less.
Chelsea sacked manager Thomas Tuchel at the beginning of the season and spent a record fee to take Graham Potter from Brighton & Hove Albion. He lasted seven months.
The less remembered about Potter’s unremarkable tenure, the better, but he looked terribly out of his depth in a dugout that sat greats such as Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.
Chelsea comically decided to tow an unsuccessful line and brought back Frank Lampard, but his tenure only added more misery as he managed only one win in 11 games.
Apart from the managerial changes, there were too many upheavals at the club as Boehly tried to bring in more of his people to usher out the old regime.
They tried to change the players too, shelling out mindless sums to secure ‘promising talents’ from around the globe despite these players barely being ready to play for a club of Chelsea’s stature.
Potter and Lampard complained about a bloated squad that was too much to handle – a problem the executives created with their incessant signings.
During the 2023 summer window, Chelsea appointed Mauricio Pochettino as manager but continued their policy of taking bets on young talents. Unsurprisingly, Chelsea are struggling again.
What do Chelsea need to do in 2024?
Chelsea must add more goals to their squad. Although he would be expensive, a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s starlet Evan Ferguson would be a good place to start.
The Republic of Ireland star played a massive role in Brighton’s Europa League qualification, and top clubs are noticing his talent. While the odds favour a stay at Brighton for Ferguson, he could still move away from the Seagulls at the right price.
Ferguson’s arrival could be the catalyst for an improvement in Chelsea’s fortunes. The best betting apps would cut their odds of winning major silverware if they signed the Irish international striker, who has bagged 16 goals in 50 appearances for the Seagulls.
Irish sportsbooks would be preparing for a betting frenzy if Ferguson signed for Chelsea – Guinness sales in pubs would probably eclipse all-time records!
You can bet on Brighton owner Tony Bloom playing hardball over Ferguson, particularly given the fearsome reputation he built up while playing in professional poker tournaments.
Ferguson has unbelievable skill for his age and is ice-cold in front of goal – a trait several attackers in this Chelsea squad lack. Aside from Ferguson, Chelsea need to be smarter in the transfer market.
Spending £12 million on the untested Cesare Casadei is the sort of ponderous decision-making that has left Chelsea struggling to break into the top half of the table.
They have spent ridiculous sums on numerous flops including Lesley Ugochukwu, Angelo Gabriel, Kendry Paez, David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos, Carney Chukwuemeka, Diego Moreira and Omari Hutchinson.
Chelsea have broken multiple transfer records of various categories to sign Marc Cucurella, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. Fernandez has shown signs of promise, but the other two have failed to live up to expectations.
There has to be a more cohesive squad-building strategy that focuses more on the present than the future. They need to focus on strategic investments that can make an immediate difference to their fortunes.
This year exposed the cracks in Chelsea’s foundations. The club needs a course correction or it will remain a shadow its former self. Reckless spending and short-term fixes won’t suffice.
