2015 Team Guide: Chelsea FC

[Dec]

Chelsea FC Guide

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An introduction to Chelsea FC:
Founded in 1905 Chelsea are currently one of the strongest sides in the World. Based in London, England, the club ply their trade in the Barclays Premier League and compete in Europe in the UEFA Champions League. The Blues; as they are known, are nicknamed as such due to their home colour of blue that is complimented with white trim. The team last won the Premier League in 2009-10 (their 4th time) and the Champions League in 2011-12 with a Europa League trophy the following season.

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Information:
Nation: England
Status: Professional
League: Barclays Premier League
Last Finish: 3rd
Continental Competition: UEFA Champions League

Kits: Blue/White, White/Blue, Black/White
Training Facilities: Superb & Academy
Stadium Capacity: 41798
Finances: Okay
Transfer Budget: £49m
Wage Budget: £3.456m
Current Wage: £2.4m

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The Squad:
Chelsea FC have a very strong squad as you would expect with depth in all areas of the pitch. Their team can easily fight for a title without any changes.

Strengths:

• 2 World Class Goalkeepers
• Solid Defence
• Strong Attacking Midfield
• Plenty of quality out on loan that can bolster your options if you choose to recall them

Weaknesses:

• Lots of average players
• A few key players are aging
• Not much cover in defensive positions

In Numbers (not including loans out):
Goalkeepers (3) - Cech, Courtois, Schwarzer
Defenders (9) - Ivanovic, Omeruo, Zouma, Cahill, Terry, Wallace, Azpilicueta, Filipe Luis, Ake
Midfielders (13) - Matic, Mikel, Hazard, Kakuta, Piazon, Willian, van Ginkel, Oscar, Ramires, Schurrle, Bertrand Traore, Fabregas
Forwards (3) - Remy, Costa, Drogba

Key Players:
Cesc Fabregas - M/S C
Eden Hazard - AM RLC
Diego Costa - SC

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Signings:
With £49m and a healthy wage budget it is very easy for Chelsea to attract big name players for a vast amount of money and not have to worry too much. However are they what you need? With possibly one of the best starting XIs in the business there isn't a needed to buy in abundance but instead to make one or two subtle changes.

Transfers In:
Goalkeepers-
While it isn't a necessity to make a signing here with Schwarzer and Cech both aging it may be a good option to bring in a cheap goalkeeper while their price is low to play back up.

• Mattia Perin (21 years old, Genoa, £4.3m)
• Kadu (19 years old, FCP, £240k)
• Thomas Kraft (25 years old, Hertha, £1.6m)

Defenders-
Chelsea are very thin on defenders, especially in central defence. While many players can cover; Ivanovic in the centre, Azpilicueta on the right, to give options a signing or two is perhaps a must in this area as Wallace, Omeruo and Ake aren't "first choice" standard.

• Niklas Sule (18 years old, Hoffenheim, £4.4m)
• Raphael Varane (21 years old, Real Madrid, £12m)
• Mattia De Sciglio (21 years old, A.C. Milan, £9.5m)
• Nathaniel Clyne (23 years old, Southampton, £5.5m)
• Eder Alvarez Balanta (21 years old, River Plate, £2.5m)

Midfielders-
The attacking midfield is very strong for Chelsea so can largely remain untouched. Without any signings Chelsea's attacking midfielders can still make a big impact; though I have included one or two on here just in case you have money left over. Your problem is with defensive midfielders. With only one great player and two average - Mikel is an adequate back up but not wholly reliably upon an injury and Romeu in the same boat, this is where Chelsea need an extra player. The same goes for midfielders. While Fabregas is a great passer and Ramires makes a good "engine" the rest are lacking quality. These two areas are your *MUST* address in my opinion.

• Victor Wanayama (23 years old, Southampton, £8.5m)
• Lars Bender (25 years old, Leverkusen, £6.75m)
• Sven Bender (25 years old, Dortmund, £6m)
• Lucas Romero (20 years old, Velez, £4.5m)
• Leon Goretzka (19 years old, Gelsenkirchen, £7.75m)
• Will Hughes (19 years old, Derby County, £4.2m)
• Kevin Strootman (24 years old, AS Roma, £13m)
• Paul Pogba (21 years old, Juventus, £33.5m)
• Kevin Volland (21 years old, Hoffenheim, £12.75m)
• Stephan El Shaarawy (21 years old, A.C. Milan, £12.25m)
• Juan Fernando Quintero (21 years old, FCP, £8.25m)

Forwards-
Chelsea's 3 forwards are great, if you want to play 1 up front that is. Each of them brings something different but similar to the table and while Drogba may be a season or two from retirement the other two have plenty of time left. However if you want to play 2 up front then you will say another is needed for cover. You may also fancy splashing that last bit of cash if you have made some good deals on a striker to compensate for Drogba's impending retirement.

• Christian Benteke (23 years old, Aston Villa, £10.25m)
• Paco Alcacer (20 years old, Valencia, £11.5m)
• Imoh Ezekiel (20 years old, Al-Arabi (QAT), £2.5m)
• Gabriel Barbosa (17 years old, Santos, £7.5m)

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Transfers Out:
Goalkeepers-
While you are fairly sorted for goalkeepers when you manage Chelsea there is always room for improvement. Selling these two aging stars (providing you play Courtois as first choice) may be the best option; even more so Petr Cech, before you get next to nothing for them. However they are both still very good players and wouldn't harm your team in keeping them though the wage of the Czech Republic goalkeeper may be an extra reason to cash in early.

• Petr Cech
• Mark Schwarzer

Defenders-
You can't really say Chelsea need to sell a defender. They are lacking in numbers in the defensive area anyway and each player is very, very good in general. While you could argue for Wallace going out on loan if cover is bought in and Omeruo to gain valuable first team experience, yet as for actual sales only Nathan Ake despite being young doesn't match up to the other youngster in his position; Kurt Zouma.

• Nathan Ake
• Wallace (potential loan)
• Kenneth Omeruo (potential loan)

Midfielders-
This is where the fun and games begin. With many, many midfielders and a lot of deadwood there is a lot of deals to be done and players to sell in this aspect. First off Gael Kakuta, the French winger that never was what was expected. At 23 years old now he is never going to be a superstar or close to Chelsea standard. A quick sale for this player is what is really needed. Lucas Piazon is in the same boat yet he has the potential to be where he should be. With some patience he can either be a substitute but with a £7.25m value he is never going to be first team in my opinion so it may be worth cashing in.
Mohamed Salah is another who looks good on paper but really isn't, 5th choice attacking midfield isn't ideal (then factor in Fabregas can play there) and with some green attributes you have to inspect to see that he is all running and no delivery. His lack of a finish or pass/cross can mean he isn't anybody who can deliver. A big YES to sell and he should be the first on your transfer list.

Next up is Marco van Ginkel, while he is pretty all-rounded, he isn't superb and there are many players out there on the market for a similar price and at similar age who can be so much more than this 20 year old Dutchman. While there isn't a desperate need to sell the player, if you want a tidy squad after your first season it isn't a bad idea, he will surely be sold after a few seasons if not by yourself anyway.
The other two that could be potentially sold are John Obi Mikel and Oriol Romeu. Romeu at 22 years old has a good set of attributes while Mikel is a bit older and on a huge wage so it may be worth selling the Nigerian. With just 15 tackling he doesn't lend a great hand at being a top quality BWM though Romeu with low positioning (14) could be replaced by better players if needs be. Neither come close to Matic in all honesty.
Bertrand Traore is the last player in the spot light but it is a loan that you should be looking for, he has good growth potential and should develop nicely in the future. Giving him first team experience can lower the wage bill and help his growth tenfold.

• Gael Kakuta
• Lucas Piazon
• Mohamed Salah
• Marco van Ginkel
• John Obi Mikel
• Oriol Romeu
• Bertrand Traore (potential loan)

Forwards-
If you play just one forward then Chelsea have potentially three of the best you can ask for, no complain about lack of first team spots and each can bang in the goals. The only potential sale you could possibly make is 36 year old Didier Drogba but at £1.8m value you won't get much for him and will be benefiting more from the wage bill going down.

• Didier Drogba

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Tactics:
As with most big teams, Chelsea aren't really a side that need to be managed as much as a lower league team. You can put most players out there and they will do a job and expect to win. However Chelsea's team means they need to focus on a strong and balanced midfield. With this in mind I have selected potentially 3 formations that would do the job for your side.

4231:
GK - T. Courtois/P. Cech
DL - C. Azpilicueta/Filipe Luis, DC (x2) - J.Terry/G. Cahill/B. Ivanovic/K. Zouma/K.Omeuro, DR - B. Ivanovic/C. Azpilicueta/Wallace
MC (x2) - C. Fabregas/N. Matic/Ramires/O. Romeu/J. Mikel/M. Van Ginkel
AML - E. Hazard/A. Schurrle/L. Remy, AMC - Oscar/E. Hazard/C. Fabregas, AMR - Willian/A. Schurrle/M. Salah
SC - D. Costa/L. Remy/D. Drogba

Player Roles:
 

GK
WB-CD-CD-WB
CM/BBM-BWM
INF/WNG-APM-INF
CMF/ADF/TM

433:
GK - T. Courtois/P. Cech
DL - C. Azpilicueta/Filipe Luis, DC (x2) - J.Terry/G. Cahill/B. Ivanovic/K. Zouma/K.Omeuro, DR - B. Ivanovic/C. Azpilicueta/Wallace
DMC - N. Matic/O. Romeu/J. Mikel
MC (x2) - C. Fabregas/Ramires/M. Van Ginkel
AML - E. Hazard/Willian/Schurrle, AMR - Oscar/Willian /M. Salah
SC - D. Costa/L. Remy/D. Drogba

Player Roles:

GK
WB-CD-CD-WB
BWM
CM-BBM
INF/WNG-APM/INF
CMF/ADF/TM

4222:
GK - T. Courtois/P. Cech
DL - C. Azpilicueta/Filipe Luis, DC (x2) - J.Terry/G. Cahill/B. Ivanovic/K. Zouma/K.Omeuro, DR - B. Ivanovic/C. Azpilicueta/Wallace
MC (x2) - C. Fabregas/N. Matic/Ramires/O. Romeu/J. Mikel/M. Van Ginkel
AML - E. Hazard/Willian/Schurrle, AMR - Oscar/Willian /M. Salah
SC (x2) - D. Costa/L. Remy/D. Drogba

Player Roles:

GK
WB-CD-CD-WB
CM/BBM-BWM
INF/WNG-APM/INF
CMF - ADF/TM

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Want to make a team guide? Feel free to use my layout!

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[xHadex]

I don't agree with the transfer out.

[Dec]

Thanks...Care to expand. What you have said is valid but pointless if you don't expand. A guide is always meant to be opinion and is a base. I am not saying sell all in the first window.

[xHadex]

Mark Schwarzer and John Obi Mikel should be transferred. Gael Kakuta, Lucas Piazon, Oriol Romeu, Mohamed Salah, Marco van Ginkel and Nathan Ake should be all loan... They are all future world class. Petr Cech still can be decent for Chelsea at least 2 more season. Didier Drogba let him retire at chelsea

 

my option

[Ashez]

A great read Dec

[Dec]

Kakuta is poor, Romeu you can find better for the price he is, Salah is 22 so isn't ever going to develop to the standard of the others, van Ginkel doesn't have any good attributes for any role for Chelsea's standard, same with Ake. Petr Cech could yes, I am not saying to sell him, I am saying it is a possibility as you can easily sell him for £10m and buy someone for £5-6m and that £4m can go to other sales. Plus he will get unhappy if you don't play.

[Lian Cortez]

Wow Great guide Dec ! 

[Dec]

Subotic is good yes, but would he be happy on the bench or would Terry/Cahill be ousted?

 

Cuadrado is the same, he's a lot but Willian and Schurrle is great, you don't want a 26 year old for a lot of money to sit on the bench.

 

Great work though and glad you enjoyed the guide .

[Dec]

Zouma will be brilliant after 1 season with the correct training though you could always get Varane or Balanta, they are younger and still good enough to do well.

[Dec]

Witsel isn't needed anyway, the good thing about Chelsea is that they have no real holes they just lack depth.

[Kun Aguero]

How abt Torres? Sell or keep after loan ?

[Dec]

It is hard to judge. He could score lots for Milan and Drogba could retire giving you that free slot but from the start of the game he has poor attributes and confidence issues so should be sold.

[ersofier]

Really nice read. Won't be playing Chelsea anytime soon but the guide layout is really neat i think it will help me when i make one myself.

 

Great job Dec!

[Lee-Roy]

Brilliant work Dec. All I would change (should've said this before) is in your list of potential replacements for Drog - Bony. Obviously the guys you mentioned are more fitting seeing as they have age on their side, but I see Bony as the most ideal replacement.