5 Things Chelsea need to do in 2018/19

Chelsea v Manchester United - The Emirates FA Cup Final
Despite FA Cup success Chelsea are in huge crisis.

Since Roman Abramovich took over Chelsea they have enjoyed the best success in their history. But right now under his ownership, the club is in a state of crisis. The Blues are not only facing one problem but many and their Russian Billionaire owner is clearly not helping them.

They want to sack Antonio Conte, but if they do they will have to pay him his compensation package which Chelsea are unwilling to pay. They are also without a director since the departure of Michael Emenalo.

They wanted to appoint Saari as their new manager, they agreed all the terms with him, but they could not do this without paying Napoli his release clause. While they are looking for other candidates but many of them are not good enough.

The future of superstar players like Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois is still unclear whether they will sign new contracts or not. Chelsea despite having Champions League football struggled really badly in the transfer market and it seems like they won't be able to compete with the Manchester Clubs in the transfer market.

While their plans for stadium redevelopment and Abramovich's visa issues have been a constant source of worry for Chelsea fans.

But if Chelsea want to regain their supremacy and once again establish themselves as one of the top clubs in Europe they will have to work hard for it and here are 5 Things Chelsea need to do next season:


#1 Make Stamford Bridge a daunting place to visit

Chelsea Legends v Inter Forever
Many teams managed to take points away from Stamford Bridge.

Every top team has one strong point that is taking points from them at their job is a very difficult task. Last season when Chelsea were Champions they lost just two games at home. While Machester City only lost one game in the Premier League this season.

For any team coming home to a big team, there is always some fear because big teams are always strong at home. But Chelsea this season were very poor at Stamford Bridge, losing to Bournemouth, Burnley, and Spurs, while sides like Leicester, Huddersfield, and West Ham managed to take a point away.

For Chelsea to be again at their best they need to make Stamford Bridge a daunting place for opponents to visit and bring back the fear factor to the place. In 2014/15 when they won the Premier League and the Carabao Cup they only lost one game at Stamford Bridge in all competitions.

While 2016/17 season when they again lifted the title they just lost two games at home. Whoever takes the hot seat at Stamford Bridge needs Chelsea to go on run like they did under Jose when after 78 games they finally lost a game at Stamford Bridge with Jose Mourinho as their manager.

Chelsea will clearly need their fans to help in the situation as they have been often accused of not creating a good atmosphere for their own team.

#2 Win the Europa League

SL Benfica v Chelsea FC - UEFA Europa League Final
Europa League is a realistic target for a club of Chelsea's size.

After finishing 5th in the Premier League this season, Chelse will play in the Europa League which is the second tier of European football. Though it might be the second tier but winning it is no easy task.

Winning it would help Chelsea solidify there place as one of the top teams in Europe. Also, it would be a good test for the Blues in the competition.

It would give this new Chelsea team more European experience if they manage to have a good run in the competition. In the current Chelsea roster, the players have less European experience and it would also help them understand how to balance between the Premier League and European duties week in week out throughout the year.

Europa League is also a realistic target for a club of Chelsea's size and winning it would also add another trophy to Chelsea's trophy cabinet and Chelsea as a club have always been about winning trophies.

Every top club which is the Europa League has managed to win it such as Chelsea in 2013 when they finished 3rd in the group stage in the Champions League, Manchester United in 2017 and Atletico Madrid in 2018.

#3 Finish in the Top 4

Newcastle United v Chelsea - Premier League
Chelsea
have
missed out on Top 4 two times in the last three years.

Finishing in the top four of the Premier League is more than ever important and at the same time, it is more difficult than ever. With the rise of teams like Tottenham and Liverpool, they have successfully managed to dump Arsenal out of the Top 4.

This season Chelsea missed out of the Top four and it means loss of reputation but financial loss as well. Nowadays finishing is not only about playing in the Champions League next season, but it means plenty of financial rewards as well.

For a top club like Chelsea who have missed out on Top 4 two times in three years, finishing in the Top four is a must, as Chelsea is a club that belongs to Europe's most elite competition the Champions League and finishing in the Top 4 guarantees that.

Having a Champions League position makes it a bit easier for a club like Chelsea to attract world-class talents into their squad and perform well in the transfer market. As every player wants to play in the Champions League and for a club like Chelsea offering Champions League to its transfer targets is very important.

If they again in the new season fail to reach the Top four they will be in the danger of becoming another club like Arsenal who after enjoying so much success are in decline.

#2 Use the loan army

A
Chelsea could have been ruling the Premier League had they given their loan players their chances.

Over the years Chelsea have been criticised for the loan policy, in which they sign young players send them out on loan and they only get a chance into the first team when they perform exceptionally well week in and week out at the clubs where they are loaded

By doing so, they have so far only managed to bring in Andreas Christensen into the first team. While they have missed out on players like Mo Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, and Romeu Luakaku. All these players now play for Chelsea's rival clubs and they are their talisman players as well.

The idea of Chelsea loan policy is to make the player better as an individual, but football is team game some of these players may not be performing exceptionally well at their loan clubs, but they can help Chelsea add depth to their squad and sometimes if a player is given a run into the first team he might just gel in.

Had Chelsea given chances to the likes of Salah and De Bryune forget the Premier League they would have been ruling Europe as well. The Blues are being constantly linked with defenders in the transfer market, but they should not put efforts in signing other defenders as they already have someone like Kurt Zouma.

Thus in this difficult situation and inflated transfer market Chelsea should use their loan players very efficiently to cut costs on transfer fees and built a good squad.

#1Keep their best players

Chelsea v Sunderland - Premier League
Hazard and Courtois' futures have been in the news for some time now.

If Chelsea want to once again become a force to reckon in the Premier League and Europe, they must keep their best players. They win the title one season and the next season they lose it so badly.

The future of Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois is always in the news as both of them are stalling on signing a new deal. While they have shown commitment to the club, but with uncertainty over Abramovich's ambition and Conte's future is a major concern of worry for both of them.

For every big club to stay relevant they need to win trophies and Chelsea need their best players to win trophies. It was a superb performance from Hazard and so many good saves by Courtois in the FA Cup final that led Chelsea to glory.

If Chelsea manage to keep their best players, then they have more chances of winning trophies and keeping the tradition of the club of winning trophies despite managerial changes.

Even in the old days, Chelsea managed to keep a core of their top players at the club such as Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, John Terry, Petr Cech, Ashely Cole and Micheal Ballack and the team revolved around them and they delivered Chelsea with trophies season after season.

Therefore it is a must for Chelsea to keep their top players at the club who can win trophies for them season after season.

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