The new "Premier" league season will start on August 13, which means that there are only 9 days left until the start of the English championship. As the upcoming competition approaches, Eurofootball.com will provide you with an overview of all twenty "Premier" league teams.
This time, we will review the team that finished in the tenth position in the last season of the "Premier" league, the team "Chelsea", which celebrated the title of English champions in the 2014-2015 season.
"Chelsea" History: The team was founded in 1905 and will play their 25th season in the "Premier" league. Their best finish in this league is 1st place (4 times). They have been playing continuously in the "Premier" league since its creation. Last year's season: The 2015-2016 season of the "Premier" league was tragic for "Chelsea". The champions, who were in the second half of the table from the beginning of the season, did not come close to the leading teams and ultimately finished in the tenth position. Changes after last season: After sacking Jose Mourinho during the last season, "Chelsea" brought in Antonio Conte as the new coach, who arrived at the club just this summer. The former Italian national team coach joined the team after the end of the European Championships and took over from Guus Hiddink, who led the team after Mourinho's dismissal. Although there were talks about several poorly performing players leaving the team after last season, almost all players who played for the club last season are currently still there. Only young forward Stipe Perica and defender Mohamed Salah were sold, after being loaned to other teams last season. The club received 4 million euros for the first player and 15 million euros for the second in transfer fees. The two most important signings of the team during this offseason are Michy Batshuayi and N'Golo Kante. The 22-year-old forward from "Marseille" was acquired for 39 million euros, and the shining star from "Leicester City", Kante, was bought for 35.8 million euros. Currently, the team also has many players who were loaned to other teams last season. The most famous among them is Juan Cuadrado. Players to watch: Thibaut Courtois. Just a year ago, Courtois was considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but his performances last season raised questions among football experts and fans alike. He received a red card in the first few matches of the season, later suffered a three-month injury, and throughout the season did not show the same secure performances that fans of "Atletico" and "Chelsea" were used to seeing in recent years. Throughout the year, the goalkeeper kept his goal "dry" in the "Premier" league only five times, and on average he conceded 1.26 goals per match, as well as being sent off the field receiving a red card twice. All these numbers were the worst in Courtois' career, so to reclaim the title of a top-level goalkeeper, the 24-year-old player will have to demonstrate a much better performance than last year. N'Golo Kante. A fantastic season with "Leicester City" brought Kante to the attention of the entire football world, and the player decided to move to "Chelsea" this offseason, where the club did not spare more than 35 million euros for him. In the new team, he is expected to deliver the same successful gameplay, and the Frenchman is ready to prove that his performances last season were not just a short-term flash in the pan. The 25-year-old player will face much greater competition in this team, but if he demonstrates the form he showed last season, he should have no problem securing a place in the midfield. Eden Hazard. The last season was arguably the worst in Hazard's career, and it would have been even worse if not for the last month, during which he scored all four of his goals in the "Premier" league. Just four goals and three assists are not even close to the results Hazard demonstrated over the past three seasons, but the recovery at the end of the season allows us to hope that Hazard can regain the form he used to display. The defender is just too talented to play so poorly for two consecutive seasons. Team's strengths: Dangerous penalty taking. Many "Chelsea" players have already proven over their careers that they can convert penalties into goals. If Eden Hazard or Cesc Fabregas were not as dangerous converting penalties last season, then Willian and Oscar successfully scored goals from direct penalty shots. Additionally, "Chelsea" is dangerous after a penalty kick with the ball going into the penalty area, where opportunities to score are always expected from Branislav Ivanovic and Diego Costa. Creating opportunities with individual skills. There are several individually strong players in the "Blues" team who can create attacking opportunities on their own. Eden Hazard demonstrated this many times in previous seasons, and even though he did not always succeed last year, players like Willian, Pedro, and other attacking "Chelsea" players can play successfully one-on-one and create chances. After a particularly unsuccessful last season for the club, these players will be even more motivated to prove that they are still among the best players in the "Premier" league. Defense in set-piece situations. In recent years, "Chelsea" has conceded few goals after set-piece situations, and their new coach Antonio Conte is known for his successful defensive tactics with the Italian national team. There is no doubt that "Chelsea" will continue to be one of the best teams defending after set-piece situations in the league, and with Conte's help, they can even improve their game during these situations.
Interesting facts about "Chelsea": In 1928, "Chelsea", together with the "Arsenal" team, became the first teams to run onto the field with players wearing numbered shirts on their backs; In December 1999, "Chelsea" became the first team to field a starting lineup of all eleven foreign players in a "Premier" league match; This team set two "Premier" league records in the 2004-2005 season. They collected the most points (95) and conceded the fewest goals (15); "Blues" biggest victory in the UEFA CUP was 21-0 against the "Jeunesse Hautcharage" team in 1971, which is the biggest victory of all time in European tournaments; "Chelsea" also holds the record for the longest unbeaten run in home matches in the top English league. From March 20, 2004, to October 26, 2008, they did not lose at home for 86 consecutive matches; The team's result last season is the worst in the last twenty years. The last time they finished so low in the "Premier" league was in the 1995-1996 season when they finished eleventh; The player who played the most matches for "Chelsea" is Ron Harris, who appeared on the field 795 times. The top goalscorer is Frank Lampard with 211 goals.
