Nobody in the Transfer Tavern is backing Chelsea to win the Premier League title this season…
After a shock defeat to Burnley on the opening day, things were looking pretty bleak for Chelsea. Indeed, with the Blues still needing a number of new signings, the outlook at Stamford Bridge was very negative indeed.
Coming off the back of that, Chelsea have won two games – against Tottenham and Everton respectively – but still, nobody is backing the Blues. Indeed, BBC Pundit Garth Crooks has the same opinion – recently suggesting that Chelsea will challenge for the FA Cup but he has refused to back them for anything else.
It’s a very strange suggestion to be honest, especially given Chelsea’s success last season. The Blues looked absolutely deadly throughout the campaign, and in truth, after Christmas, no other side looked likely to come close to them. Sure, they’ve lost the qualities of two important players in Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic – but what does that matter? They’ve brought in Alvaro Morata and Tiemoue Bakayoko to replace them, and both have made strong starts in the Premier League.
You also can’t underestimate the importance of Antonio Conte. The Italian worked wonders with what was, undeniably, a relatively weak Chelsea team last season. Who is to say that he won’t do the same again this season?
Sure, teams now recognise how Chelsea play, and Man City and Man Utd have invested heavily this summer – but Chelsea cannot be ruled out. They’ve come back from adversity before, and their performances against Tottenham and Everton suggest that positive change is coming at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea fans – thoughts?
Let us know below!
