A lot of changes have occurred at Chelsea Football Club over the past eighteen months. Ownership has changed. Coaches have been fired and hired more than once. The change of ownership has triggered an exodus of players, which in turn has led to an influx of players. To put it simply, Chelsea is rebuilding after a turbulent period that culminated with the Londoners finishing a disappointing 12th in the Premier League last season.
What is clear from the club’s recent transfer dealings is that the new ownership has placed a premium on youth in the rebuilding process. Eight of the 12 players Chelsea signed in the summer transfer window were 22 or younger, and before that, in the winter transfer window last January, even the first-team signings were all under 22. Mauricio Pochettino, a manager with a track record of nurturing young players in prior roles, was handed over the reins at Stamford Bridge in May, and Chelsea had a strong preseason, winning three of their five games and drawing the other two.
The first game back in the Premier League for Chelsea, even if in west London, could not have come against tougher opposition than Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. It would end in a 1-1 stalemate. But in all honesty, Chelsea were the overall better team, and generated a higher xG. An encouraging performance for a team that had six players making their first official appearance for the club.
Chelsea would lose 3-1 at West Ham, defeat Luton Town 3-0 at home, and win 2-1 against Wimbledon in the EFL Cup in the games that followed. After that, they failed to win or even score in their next three games to begin September…until Cole Palmer was named to the starting lineup against Brighton in the EFL Cup third round. Palmer, a £40 million deadline day addition from Manchester City, was making his fourth appearance and first start for the club.
