A lot has been made of the Chelsea squad this season. While some believe that the Blues are good enough to compete for the Premier League title, others are of the opinion that they lack the experience to go all the way.
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and his team have invested heavily in the current Chelsea squad, following a successful debut season for Enzo Maresca last term, during which they won two trophies.
Many fans and pundits were expecting Chelsea to build on their good performance last season and compete for the domestic title this term.
However, the team has endured an inconsistent start to their season as they find themselves languishing in ninth place after nine games.
When asked to share his views about the squad, Maresca said they weren’t good enough to compete in the Premier League and the Champions League.
Now, former Arsenal star Paul Merson has given his verdict on the current Chelsea squad and has not held back in his assessment of them.
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Paul Merson’s ruthless assessment of the current Chelsea squad
According to Merson, the Blues squad may not be as great as people actually claim.
Enzo Maresca
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Merson told Sky Sports: “I like the options Chelsea have in the centre of their defence. The likes of Trevoh Chalobah and Josh Acheampong have done well, but they are all young players.
“I don’t think Levi Colwill would have come through as well as he has without having Thiago Silva to help him. It’s important for young defenders to have that sort of foil to learn from. That’s why I think Chelsea need to bring in an experienced defender to try and help the young players they have progress further.
“Then there’s the goalkeeper. Robert Sanchez is a good shot-stopper but I think he’s always got a mistake in him.
“In midfield, they’ve got one of the best in Moises Caicedo, but up front, I think the decision to let Nicolas Jackson leave is coming back to bite Chelsea a bit. Marc Guiu wasn’t up to the task against Sunderland. To only touch the ball nine or 10 times when you are playing for a dominant team, that’s not good enough. Joao Pedro is also not training much as he manages an injury.
“It leaves Chelsea short, and I think it shows that the squad is not as great as everyone makes out.”
Though Chelsea may not have the squad to compete for the Premier League title, Champions League qualification would be the bare minimum for them, given the amount they have invested in the squad over the summer.
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