Are Chelsea a Serious Contender for the EPL Title?
by Sam Cox | by Tyler Doty
In second place and six points off league-leading Arsenal, Chelsea look like a title contender on paper. The Blues have won three league matches in a row, yet they are a distant third in EPL title odds at FanDuel sportsbook.
Chelsea are +1600 behind Arsenal (-290) and Manchester City (+300). City are one point behind Chelsea and have lost two of their last four league matches.
Enzo Maresca’s team are third in expected goal difference. Their recent performances have been a mix of in-sync brilliance and the kind of grit that’s required to compete for a league title. After grinding out a 2-0 win at Burnley, the Blues gave Barcelona a schooling at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
Squad Depth
This is all happening without Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill. They were two of Chelsea’s three most important players coming into the season. Maresca has been able to craft a functioning attack in the absence of Palmer and without Liam Delap or João Pedro doing anything particularly spectacular.
Pedro leads all Chelsea players with seven league goal contributions. He’s tied with Enzo Fernández and Pedro Neto as the top scorer on four apiece. Maresca was confident enough in his other options, and savvy enough tactically, to leave Pedro out on Tuesday night.
Chelsea aren’t being carried by a single player, like Palmer did at times last season. Maresca has willingly rotated in defense, mixing up center-back pairings, and giving Reece James a rest when needed.
In midfield, Andrey Santos has been more than serviceable as a backup or replacement for Moisés Caicedo. Roméo Lavia’s absence is yet to be felt.
Bold Project Might be Working
Maybe, just maybe, the relentless squad turnover and obsession with signings players is paying dividends. The Chelsea project has been widely mocked – and for good reason – but this squad suddenly looks like one of the best in Europe.
It’s a young, largely inexperienced group, yet the talent is undeniable. Players are either trending upwards or at their peaks. Those surplus to requirements have been moved on, with a couple of big-name exceptions who are training separately.
Chelsea have accumulated a squad that can live without Palmer and Colwill. Even players on the fringes have looked solid, like Marc Guiu and Josh Acheampong.
The commitment to constant recruitment was a bet on finding a gem. For all the success stories across the squad, the biggest is Estêvão. Scorer of a scintillating individual goal against Barcelona, the Brazilian is the second-youngest player to score in his first three Champions League starts.
It won’t be long before he’s thrust into the EPL starting XI – Maresca has been cautious with his teenage prodigy so far.
Title Chances
Chelsea host Arsenal this Sunday. A win would move Maresca’s men to just three points off the summit. Defeat would extend Arsenal’s lead to nine points and represent a massive step towards the Gunners’ first league title since 2004.
With an extra day of preparation and home advantage, this fixture is a golden opportunity for Chelsea. They’re coming off a big win in midweek, making it nine wins in their last 11 matches across all competitions.
It’s reductive to say the outcome of this weekend’s match will decide how seriously Chelsea should be regarded as a title contender, but it’s certainly going to change the perception of this team in one way or another. Very few people, including sportsbooks, believed Chelsea were ready to contend when the season kicked off in August.
A lot of soccer has been played since then, and there’s a lot more to come before a champion is crowned. Remember, red cards were a factor in two of Chelsea’s three league defeats – they have been formidable with 11 players on the pitch.
Sunday is going to change the look of this title race, but regardless of the outcome, the Blues look like they might be a year ahead of schedule with their recent performances.
