lastwordonsports.com

Why Chelsea Will Be This Season’s Biggest Surprise Package

Chelsea Confirmed Lineup

This time one year ago, we accurately discussed why Chelsea would struggle in Enzo Maresca’s second campaign in charge. Having gone trophyless and missed out on Europe, our criticisms and worries were proven correct. As the world gears up for the beginning of the new Premier League term, there is reason to be optimistic if you’re a true blue as a new manager, some additions, and one key injury return are presenting very positive signs.

Chelsea Will Pull A Surprise In the 2026/27 Premier League Campaign

Xabi Alonso arrives at the stadium during a round of 16 match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Xabi Alonso Effect

There was a sense in the previous year that teams figured out how to play against and defeat Enzo Maresca’s system. Pressing with energy right at the start of either half or sitting back and absorbing pressure nullified his impact more often than not. With a new coach in charge, this will be one of the first things that changes as teams will now have to figure out how to stop an entirely new mastermind.

Read More:Final Projected Chelsea Squad For 2026/27

In pre-season, we’ve already seen some benefits of the way the new manager aims to play. The ability to flow between a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-4-2-1 type base is accompanied by an increased insistence on direct play, the players no longer probe for opportunities, they have enough runners to keep the back line occupied with balls over the top with Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, and Marco Palestra having the kind of burst that can create an attacking chance out of nothing.

Wesley Fofana Revamped

None of the Blues’ centre-backs had particularly good years in the 2025/26 stretch, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Mamadou Sarr, and Wesley Fofana all had opportunities to stake their claim as a starter and, more often than not, made mistakes and looked vulnerable at the back. Maxence Lacroix joining has already been a benefit here but another one could come from a return to form for another Frenchman.

While Fofana came in for some rightful criticisms at times, his better qualities often went ignored. He is a decent aerial dual winner, he is a defensive ball carrier, and he’s one of the best in his position per 90 for interceptions. His weaknesses were often exposed in a back four but when he was on form, he was able to cut out attacks before they could become dangerous.

With a back three being one of the primary tactics being used by Alonso, this provides a better margin of error for the way the 25-year-old aims to play. Now he’s no longer leaving one defender exposed, he has a likely pairing of Colwill, Lacroix, and the wing-backs attempting to make up for any situation where he doesn’t win his duel. This could bring out the best of the Frenchman and turn him back into the defender that made him one of the most expensive of all time.

Following the Leader

Football is a bit cyclical; at times, physicality and pace are more important than others, as we approach the latter half of the decade, physical attributes appear to be back in fashion. Leeds United were an underreported story last season but they embraced a physical, tall lineup under Daniel Farke and eventually stayed up with ease. The obvious story was league winners Arsenal, boasting a lineup of tall, physical players and utilising set pieces to their maximum potential, which saw them clinch their first Premier League in two decades.

Read More: Chelsea Sign Sought After Centre-Back as Planned Squad Overhaul Continues

This summer, the Blues addressed their big shortfalls in that regard. At times under Maresca and Liam Rosenior they were physically outmatched and lacked pace, being absolutely mauled in transition too often, particularly when Tosin was left to deal with counter-attacks.

In signing Palestra, Lacroix, Morgan Rogers, and Danny Welbeck, they’ve added some much-needed versatility to their approach, they now have more physicality in the squad, they’ve added genuine pace to the back line and wide defenders; they’ve gotten taller, and the hope is they’ll avoid being left behind as the league enters a new meta.

Levi Colwill Is Back

Chelsea players celebrate a disallowed goal from Moises Caicedo

CREDIT: IMAGO / Sebastian Frej

From the outside looking in, it was hard for people to understand how catastrophic Colwill’s ACL injury was to Chelsea’s hopes of having a successful season. He is a leader at the back, capable of being a positive passer in build-up, and works as a decent cover for a more aggressive centre-back partner.

Go back and wonder how some of the great Blues teams would have fared without John Terry, how would the recent Champions League winning unit have fared without Thiago Silva, for almost an entire term of league games we got our answer as Colwill was unavailable and two seperate managers failed to put together a competent defence. With him back, we’ve already seen improvements to the defensive coordination in pre-season, something that will only improve as he builds chemistry with his partners in the back line.