Having been handed a transfer ban for two windows, Chelsea seemed to be in deep trouble. However, former legend Frank Lampard, who is now the manager, turned things around quickly. Relying on their youth players including newly acquired American Christian Pulisic, along with Michy Batshuayi, Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, Chelsea became a force to reckon in the Premier League and Europe. Although Chelsea’s ban was lifted for the winter transfer window, Chelsea made no moves to acquire any new players. Many thought this would be a very costly decision, but it was just part of their master plan.
With an unknown return date for the next season, Chelsea has already started looking at their future. Having just signed Timo Werner, Chelsea is looking stronger than ever. Yet, the signing is going to have a deep impact on the team, the players, and also the league.
For the team, Werner is another striker being added to the lineup. Werner will probably be the top choice to start every game, and others will compete including Abraham, Batshuayi, and Giroud. Although many people are saying that Chelsea can opt to use a system with two strikers, their lineups throughout this season have indicated that this probably will not happen.
At the beginning of the season, Lampard had opted with a 4-2-3-1 system, but with the start of the new year, he has opted with a 4-3-3. He has also opted with a 3-4-3 system for some games, including the league and UCL. However, Lampard has made it clear that he is not leaning toward a two-striker system. Since Chelsea’s defense is already weak, Lampard probably will not opt for a 4-4-2 or even a 5-3-2. In both these lineups, the play will have to start from the back and/or the defenders will be playing an important role, which Chelsea’s defense is not really up for.
Furthermore, Werner’s move will make the other strikers very frustrated especially Giroud, a veteran who is still trying to prove he can be the first-choice striker. The other two – Abraham and Batshuayi – who are still young, but Lampard has shown confidence in them, will also realize that the competition just got much harder. As for Werner, he has great expectations and knows that Lampard will not hesitate in rotating him if he is not performing. However, Werner will probably make a great player at Chelsea’s young, developing team. He will surely have to make a partnership with Pulisic, Mount, and Willian if his contract gets extended.
Besides the team and the individual players, Werner’s move makes Chelsea a very strong competitor. They are likely heading into the Champions League for next year, and require a striker who is pacey and can score, which Werner brings with him. This season against Bayern, their defense lagged behind, but even up top, Giroud and Abraham could not get it done. Their strikers scored just two goals in the UCL group stage, relying very heavily on their midfielders to score. Werner will definitely improve them in this area, and give Chelsea a chance to advance further than the Round of 16, at which their current European campaign is seemingly going to end at. As for the Premier League, Chelsea will contest for a top-3 spot but will have a difficult task getting into the top 2. But as for other domestic cups including the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, Chelsea have a really good chance of winning a trophy.
Werner has been a great player for RB Leipzig, and Chelsea fans can do the same for their team. Chelsea is looking like a newly transformed team under Lampard. Further cause for celebration is that Chelsea are already the frontrunners to sign Chilwell, Tagliafico, and Havertz. Werner’s signing will have a massive impact on the team, the players, and the competitions in which they play.
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