Call it optimism, call it blind faith, call it the usual pre-season delusion of a football supporter — but I genuinely think Chelsea can win the Premier League this season.
There are obviously plenty of very good teams standing in the way, and I’m not pretending Chelsea are flawless. But looking at the squad, the new manager, the way I expect us to play and one potentially huge advantage over our rivals, I think there’s a real case to be made.
A New Manager With a Winning Record
The biggest reason for my optimism is the arrival of a new manager with a strong record of winning.
A new manager always brings an element of uncertainty. There will be a period where players are adjusting to new ideas, new roles and a different way of playing. But if Chelsea are going to challenge at the very top again, we need someone who knows how to build a winning team rather than simply one that looks good on paper.
That winning mentality matters.
Over the course of a Premier League season there will be matches where the football isn’t flowing, where the opposition make things difficult and where you simply have to find a way to get three points.
Those are often the games that separate champions from everyone else.
No European Distractions
This could be Chelsea’s secret weapon.
While several of our rivals are dealing with European football in midweek, travelling across the continent and rotating squads, Chelsea can put far more focus into the Premier League.
That means more recovery time.
More time on the training pitch.
More opportunity for the manager to work tactically with the squad.
And potentially fewer injuries caused by playing twice a week for months on end.
That advantage might not seem enormous in August, but once we get into the winter months and the fixture schedule becomes relentless, it could be massive.
If Chelsea can regularly go into Premier League games with fresher players and a full week of preparation, I think that gives us a genuine edge.
The System Suits the Squad
I’m expecting Chelsea to line up in something resembling a 3-4-2-1, and I actually think the squad is well suited to it.
The structure would essentially be:
Three central defenders
Two wing-backs
Two holding midfielders
Two number 10s
One striker
It gives the team a really interesting balance.
The three centre-backs provide defensive security while allowing the wing-backs to push higher up the pitch and provide width.
The two holding midfielders can protect the defence and control possession, while the two number 10s operate in those dangerous areas between midfield and defence.
Then you’ve got the striker leading the line.
When it works properly, it can almost become a front five in possession while still leaving plenty of protection behind the ball.
With the attacking players Chelsea have available, I think that could cause serious problems for teams.
The Squad Is Strong — But Not Perfect
I genuinely think this is a strong Chelsea squad.
There is competition for places, plenty of attacking quality and enough depth that the manager should be able to rotate without the whole team falling apart.
That doesn’t mean I think everything is perfect.
My biggest concern is still goalkeeper.
I’m just not completely convinced by our current options.
If you’re going to win the Premier League, there will be moments during the season when your goalkeeper has to earn you points. You might be playing badly, you might be hanging on at 1-0, and suddenly your goalkeeper has to produce a save that changes the game.
That position still worries me.
I’d also like another full-back or wing-back.
If we’re committing to a system where the wing-backs are asked to provide width and contribute heavily at both ends of the pitch, those positions become incredibly demanding.
An injury or loss of form there could have a big impact on how the entire system functions.
One more quality option would give us much better depth.
So Why Not Chelsea?
Nobody is handing Chelsea the title.
There are excellent teams in this league and there are going to be difficult periods during the season.
But the ingredients are there.
A new manager with a winning record.
A strong and talented squad.
A tactical system that should suit the players.
No European football eating into preparation and recovery time.
And perhaps most importantly, a Chelsea team going into the season with something to prove.
Sometimes a title challenge starts with momentum. A few wins become confidence, confidence becomes belief and suddenly everyone starts looking at the table slightly differently.
So I’m putting my prediction down now.
Chelsea will win the Premier League.
And while I’m already setting myself up to have this article screenshotted and sent back to me for the next ten years, I may as well go all-in:
Alonso’s Chelsea are going unbeaten. The new Invincibles are coming.
You heard it here first.
Although I reserve the right to quietly edit that sentence sometime around October.