Predicting the end to the season – and how Chelsea might fare next term
It’s unclear when the football season will resume. But when it does, Chelsea will be in the driving seat in the battle for the fourth Champions League place.
A resource like Bettingmetrics.com is useful for those looking to predict how the rest of the campaign might pan out.
Chelsea, in fourth, have had some bumps along the way but look like securing that top-four finish.
Relying on Tammy
Tammy Abraham’s goals have been invaluable for the Blues and matches were suspended as he was struggling with an ankle injury. So one positive for Chelsea is that he is likely to be available when games restart.
Boss Frank Lampard deserves a lot of credit for keeping Chelsea at the top end of the table in his first season in charge despite some challenging circumstances.
Unable to sign players and having lost star man Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, Lampard has also had to contend with injuries to the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic, so his attacking options have been limited.
That has shown at times – Chelsea have dropped points in key games despite dominating for large periods. Failing to take their chances has proved costly, for example in home games against West Ham, Southampton and Bournemouth.
Nevertheless, Chelsea have got enough points to stay in the top four and remain on course for that Champions League place. In that sense, Lampard is on the verge of delivering in his first year at the helm.
Predicting next season
When it comes to predicting how Chelsea will fare next season, there are two major factors to be considered.
The first is that Lampard is expected to spend, which is likely to see a number of quality players brought in, especially in attacking areas.
The likes of Willian, Pedro and Olivier Giroud are likely to move on, and there are doubts over the future of Michy Batshuayi, but the squad looks certain to be strengthened.
Talks have reportedly taken place over a deal to bring former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho to Stamford Bridge, while Germany international Timo Werner and Lyon’s former Fulham star Moussa Dembele are among the forwards Chelsea have been linked with. There is no doubt that their attacking options will be seriously bolstered by the time the new campaign starts.
The other factor to keep in mind is the development of Chelsea’s exciting young players. Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have battled back from Achilles injuries and the likes of Reece James, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Billy Gilmour will have significant game time under their belts by the time next season comes around.
The youngsters have done well this season – and next term it’s likely they will continue to improve. [scriptless]
