The Athletic recently urged Chelsea supporters to partake in a survey that revealed that 80% (from 1,105 responses) were less confident in the ownership following the events of the summer transfer window.
Indeed, fans are discontented with the club’s approach, and though Enzo Maresca is working night and day to inculcate his tactical style into the team, his scope is limited.
The Italian is Chelsea’s head coach, not manager, which means that he does not hold the same influence across the board as, say, Thomas Tuchel did. He does have some say, however, and having deemed Conor Gallagher to perform outside the tactical sphere fitting for his ball-playing style, he was sold.
Why Chelsea sold Conor Gallagher
Gallagher had been hailed for bringing "balance and chemistry" to the Chelsea first team by reporter Liam Twomey, but now plies his trade elsewhere, for Maresca could not promise the England international a starting role in his team, and he had entered the final year of his contract.
Atletico Madrid signed the 24-year-old in a £33m deal, ending a career-long permanent residence at Stamford Bridge and commencing a career in Spain, where his energy and multi-functionality in the engine room appear well suited to Diego Simeone's tactical approach.
The robust midfielder has recently countered claims that he is not technically sharp enough to thrive under Maresca's wing, though refused to engage in a diatribe against his boyhood club.
Will Chelsea come to regret his departure? It's hard to tell, but the Blues are certainly not short of options, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was signed in a £30m deal in what seems to be a like-for-like switch, but there's no question that Gallagher's loss has stung the fanbase, for he was a talismanic figure, straight from Cobham.
Matches (starts)
37 (37)
44 (41)
Goals
5
12
Assists
7
14
Pass completion
92%
84%
Touches*
70.4
62.3
Key passes*
1.4
2.5
Ball recoveries*
6.0
5.1
Tackles*
2.3
1.0
Dribbles*
1.0 (68%)
1.3 (63%)
Duels won*
5.7 (50%)
4.6 (54%)
And anyway, Chelsea's financial dealings in recent years have meant that cashing in for pure profit was always going to be an option hard to resist, with Dewsbury-Hall signed for less and offering more creative and ball-playing qualities that, in Maresca's mind, will positively impact his west London outfit.
Perhaps, considering the different facets, it wasn't the worst piece of business conducted over the summer. Indeed, Gallagher has been replaced, whereas Chelsea have something of a conundrum at right-back, and it could have been solved by keeping hold of Trevoh Chalobah.
Chelsea must regret loaning Trevoh Chalobah
Chalobah was a non-entity throughout the opening months of the 2023/24 campaign, with thigh problems isolating him on the sidelines until finally making his debut under Pochettino in February, away against Manchester City in the Premier League.
Once hailed as a "soldier" by former boss Graham Potter, Gallagher's fellow Cobham graduate has rejected numerous bids from interested suitors across the years, notably turning Nottingham Forest down in the summer of 2023 despite having been told he would sit on the fringe at Chelsea, who had even agreed to a £25m sale with the Tricky Trees.
Chalobah, moreover, has the kind of technical control that Maresca craves. As per FBref, the Englishman ranks among the top 21% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 13% for passes attempted per 90.
However, he has moved away following a lack of assurances that he would earn minutes under Maresca's wing, joining Crystal Palace on a season-long loan move. The deal doesn't include an option to buy at the end of the term but it might give the 25-year-old the taste of regular action that he has been craving and convince him to push for a permanent move away.
From a shorter perspective, it could prove to be a damaging move for the Blues, who have plenty of depth in central defence but might come to regret his leave given the issues that Stamford Bridge is currently beset with at right-back.
Reece James' interminable wait for a lasting run of fitness continues, with the club captain still yet to play a minute this term, albeit he has been out of action due to suspension, superimposed over a recurrence of a hamstring injury.
Malo Gusto has excelled in his stead, though the 21-year-old was forced off during the side's 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace last weekend and might be set for a period of recovery himself, consequently withdrawing from France U21 international duty and building himself back up in the English capital.
Chalobah's ability to shift between central and wide defence would make him the perfect third fit for Maresca, especially since he completed 90% of his passes and won a whopping 65% of his ground duels in the Premier League last year, denoting his passing quality and combativeness.
He's been described as a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past and has the dynamic and versatile qualities to succeed under Maresca, so it's perhaps frustrating that another academy graduate has been allowed to leave – albeit on a loan deal.
Gusto's injury puts a magnifying glass on the potential quandary that's apt to bubble and surface on Chelsea's defensive right flank, and with the Frenchman's return to match action uncertain, Maresca may well be wishing that Chalobah was kept on the books.
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