It is no secret that Chelsea endured a 2022-23 campaign to forget. Following a bottom-half finish and turmoil both on and off the pitch, the Blues are determined to bounce back under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino.
• Manager: Mauricio Pochettino
• Stadium: Stamford Bridge
• Last Season: 12th
Pochettino is back in the Premier League for the first time in four years, having left Tottenham Hotspur under something of a cloud back in 2019.
After failing to win the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-German, can the Argentine take Chelsea back to the big time?
Nico with the opener! 👏#BluesInTheUSA pic.twitter.com/oE82ppXrMJ— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 27, 2023
Nico with the opener! 👏#BluesInTheUSA pic.twitter.com/oE82ppXrMJ
New owner Todd Boehly wasted no time in sacking Thomas Tuchel, firing the German manager in September before replacing him with Graham Potter. However, Potter lasted just six months before receiving his marching orders.
Club legend Frank Lampard was appointed as interim manager in April, but the former midfielder managed to win just one of his 11 matches in charge, suffering eight defeats in the process.
As a result, the Blues finished all the way down in 12th place – just 10 points clear of the relegation zone – after losing 16 of their 38 Premier League games. Worse still, only four teams scored fewer goals than Chelsea’s 38 last season.
Enzo Fernandez needs to produce a big season after joining the club midway through the previous campaign in a deal worth £106.8m.
Chelsea also acquired Mykhaylo Mudryk, Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling last year, and they will need those players to step up in 2023-24.
The full-back duo of Reece James and Ben Chilwell are also vitally important to Chelsea.
If the English pair can stay fit for the duration of the campaign, Pochettino’s side will only be stronger for it.
Chelsea have also signed Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson this summer. The former chalked up 70 goals and 56 assists in 172 games for RB Leipzig, while the latter bagged 13 goals and five assists for Villarreal last season.
Ultimately, Chelsea can only improve on last season.
With Pochettino at the wheel, the Blues look set to make a challenge for a European spot in 2023-24, although snatching a Champions League berth could be tricky.
It is also worth noting that Chelsea have no European football to contend with this year.
Consequently, Pochettino and his players can put all their energy into their domestic commitments.
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