Chelsea made changes but maintained a strong XI as they looked to remain in both cup competitions. There was a full debut awarded to Alfie Gilchrist in defence.
They played a Preston side that had lost four of their last five in the Championship, but still found it difficult to break down their opposition.
In the first haklf, Raheem Sterling blazed over after a scramble on the edge of the area, and Cole Palmer directed the ball wide with only the goalkeeper to beat from eight yards out.
The visitors then had a half chance just under half an hour in as the big Montenegrin striker Milutin Osmajic drilled an effort on target.
Still on the comeback trail from a horrific ACL injury, Armando Broja struggled to get into the game in the first half but put Chelsea ahead just before the hour with a well directed header home off the back of a sumptuous delivery from Malo Gusto.
Broja very nearly earned a second in as many minutes with a header onto the crossbar, but the Blues would find a second from Thiago Silva as the Brazilian headed home from a corner after poor Preston marking.
Raheem Sterling put some extra shine on the night with a peach of a free kick, before VAR awarded Chelsea a fourth courtesy of Enzo Fernandez.
Whilst the scoreline may have not told the story of a Preston side that were very much in the game for three quarters of the contest , Pochettino and the Chelsea fans will surely be delighted with the clinical nature that they ended the game.
A safe passage into the 4th Round means that a cup double is still on for the West London side despite their poor league form. They travel to Middlesbrough in the week for the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Meanwhile Preston will return to the second tier grindstone and hope to change their fortunes in order to push back on towards the top six with a game against Bristol City at Deepdale.
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]]>Arguably Croatia’s player of the tournament at the 2022 FIFA World Cup on their run to the semi-finals, Gvardiol has attracted the interest of some of Europe’s elite clubs from Chelsea to Manchester City.
The centre-back or left-back is currently plying his trade for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig where he predominantly plays on the left side of a back three. However, his versatility allows him to also play at left back where he played for Croatia at the European Championships in 2021.
Gvardiol started his career with lowly capital club NK Trešnjevka Zagreb before being scouted by the traditional big boys of Croatia, Dinamo Zagreb.
Starting off in the youth teams, Gvardiol went on to make appearances for the u17 and u19 sides and impressed with his understanding of the game and leadership qualities.
Gvardiol was then promoted to the first team in training and was rewarded with his debut (as a substitute) for the senior side in 2019 as Dinamo won 4-2 over Gorica in a league game, only at the tender age of 17 years.
He went on to make a handful of other appearances for Dinamo that season before cementing himself in the side in 2020/21 with over 35 appearances.
In that summer Gvardiol made his first international start for Croatia vs England at Euro 2020 at left-back, showing his versatility. He impressed at the tournament and was rewarded with an £18 million switch to RB Leipzig.
Gvardiol took no time to settle in and impressed instantly with his defensive nous and on-the-ball ability which is now required for any top-level defender. In his first season in Germany Gvardiol made his Champions League debut which shows how far the player has come in such a short amount of time.
Then came the biggest stage of all, the World Cup.
Gvardiol was a shoe-in for the Croatia squad due to his assured presence and was given a starting berth over Domejo Vida at the heart of Croatia’s backline alongside veteran Dejan Lovren. The rookie and the veteran played excellently together and this was the foundation for a strong run to the semi-finals on the world stage.
Gvardiol started all of Croatia’s games on their run to the last four, starting with a solid performance by another eventual semi-finalist in Morocco.
Gvardiol’s standout performance came against one of the tournament favourites in Brazil where he shut down the frontline excellently. Gvardiol would surely been man of the match had it not been for the excellent Dominik Livakovic behind him in the sticks.
Gvardiol was eye-catching in this tournament for his ability to bring the ball out of defence, either dribbling through the line or playing a ball forward with impetus. This allowed Croatia to get the ball forward quickly as well as retain possession which was what helped them overcome Brazil in the quarter finals.
However, Gvardiol is also astute defensively with his 6ft 1in frame allowing him to dominate in the air. His game reading and anticipation is also near to perfection and this allows him to snuff out opposition attacks with tackles and interceptions, thus allowing Croatia to play on the front foot.
He got his reward for an excellent tournament with a spectacular diving header vs Morocco in the third-place playoff to earn his fellow teammates a bronze medal.
At 20 years of age, Gvardiol was arguably the best central defender at the World Cup and this is no easy feat considering the plethora of big names at the tournament.
This form has plunged him into the transfer mill where the defender is linked with almost every top club in Europe. After coming close to joining London club Chelsea last summer for a reported £60 million fee, this time around clubs will be expected to pay at least £90 million to tempt Leipzig into selling one of their star assets.
This time around the defender is being linked with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea once again as well as the ever-persuasive Real Madrid.
Due to the poor start Chelsea have had to the 22/23 season, Stamford Bridge could well be the best fit for the defender.
After losing both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen in the summer Chelsea spent a combined £100 million on Wesley Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly. Although they are both undoubtedly both top-level defenders on their day this season both have been poor.
Koulibaly has struggled to deal with the pace of the Premier League and has looked clumsy at times while Fofana has not looked the same since his long injury layoff.
With new owner Todd Boehly clearly ready to pay large transfer fees for big names, Gvardiol should be top of that list as he will give Graham Potter a versatile defender who can vary his game depending on the tactics installed by the Englishman.
Under Potter, Chelsea have lined up in either a back three or a back four and in the latter Gvardiol could make that spot his own with his aggressiveness being complimented by Fofana’s composure. This pairing could serve Chelsea for at least the next decade and save any more needless spending.
Meanwhile in a back three Gvardiol could line up in the left centre-back spot as he has done so for RB Leipzig. Here he could learn from the excellent Thiago Silva while offering valuable pace at the back which has been one of Chelsea’s Achilles heels this season.
Chelsea will no doubt be scouting Gvardiol but signing the player depends on RB Leipzig’s stance and they will no doubt charge a huge fee for the defender due to his contract running till 2027. With Chelsea also being heavily linked with the German clubs’ star player Christopher Nkunku, could Chelsea make a double swoop in either winter or the summer for this talented duo?
With so much accomplished at the age of just 20, don’t be surprised to see Gvardiol lining up for a big side soon, especially after an excellent 2022 World Cup campaign.
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It has been just over a month since the transfer window shut, but Chelsea already appear keen to improve their squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
The west London side, now led by former Brighton & Hove Albion boss Graham Potter, were the biggest spenders in the Premier League throughout the summer. Over £250 million was spent by the Blues on new signings following their takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May.
Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are just three of the senior players who put pen to paper on deals at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea also signing a number of talented youth players for the years to come.
Despite such heavy spending, it appears as though they are ready to continue their business even with the transfer window currently shut. Recent speculation has linked them with a move for RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku, and a deal could be sealed ahead of next season.
The 24-year-old is an exciting talent from the Bundesliga and would provide a boost to Chelsea’s attack. However, Blues fans could remain cautious over his potential arrival given the limited success they have had with previous signings from the German top flight.
Nkunku rose through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, and made his senior debut for the side at the age of 18. He made 78 appearances for the French giants, before completing a move to Leipzig in the summer of 2019.
Five goals and 16 assists in his debut campaign for the club proved an impressive start and he produced similar numbers in the following term. However, last season the Frenchman took his game to a whole new level, and his performances would make him one of the most sought-after talents on the continent.
In 52 games across all competitions, Nkunku scored 35 goals and assisted a further 20. One of his most notable appearances came early on in the campaign when he scored a hat-trick away at Manchester City in the Champions League group stages.
He was named as the Bundesliga’s Player of the Season, beating the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland to the title. The forward signed a new deal at Leipzig earlier in the summer to keep him there until 2026, however Nkunku is now thought to have signed a pre-contract agreement to move to Chelsea next season.
The Frenchman’s talent is clear to see, but only time will tell how he will fare in the Premier League, considering the fortunes of others who have also made the move to the Blues from Germany.
A variety of names have made the switch from the Bundesliga to west London in previous years. Chelsea’s most notable and successful acquisition has been Michael Ballack, who went on to win the Premier League, three FA Cups and the League Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.
He was very much a fan favourite amongst the Blues faithful, and only one of their other arrivals from the German top flight could have a claim of being held in such high regard.
Kai Havertz signed from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020 after a breakthrough season at the BayArena. He had a difficult first term in English football, but he capped it off with one of the club’s most historic goals on the big stage.
The 23-year-old scored the winner in the Champions League final against Manchester City and is therefore one of just three players to have netted on such an occasion for Chelsea, joining Frank Lampard’s goal against Manchester United in 2008 and Didier Drogba’s equaliser versus Bayern Munich in 2012.
Last season saw improvement from the German but he was still unable to hit the heights many had hoped for. However, his name will forever be etched into the club’s history thanks to that goal against City, which led them to their second ever title in the illustrious competition.
Despite Havertz’s efforts, some of his teammates have not fared so well. Timo Werner arrived in the same summer as his fellow countryman, with the attacker tearing up the Bundesliga at Leipzig prior to his move.
A total of 27 goal contributions in his first season at Chelsea would be a promising start, but he is most likely remembered for what he couldn’t do for the side, with the 26-year-old missing numerous chances. Last season saw less productivity in terms of goals and assists, and he has now sealed a return permanent return to Leipzig.
Christian Pulisic has also been one to make the switch from the Bundesliga to the Premier League. The captain of the USMNT moved from Borussia Dortmund back in 2019 but despite showing a lot of promise, he has also been unable to reach the very top of his game thus far.
The winger scored 11 goals and assisted another ten in his first season in west London, but only reached half of those contributions in the following campaign. Whilst the 24-year-old has struggled with injuries during his time at the club, he has been unable to take his chances in the side.
He has struggled for consistent game time in recent months even when he has been fit, and such a lack of minutes even led to speculation over a potential departure during the summer. The arrival of Sterling would not have helped his case either, and Nkunku’s potential signing could spell danger for Pulisic’s Chelsea future.
Throughout the next few months, it will be interesting to see how the Blues fare. The new ownership have made multiple changes during their time so far, and the arrival of a new head coach will still take some getting used to.
However, what hasn’t changed is the club’s ambitions for the future. Chelsea have been one of England’s most successful sides for nearly 20 years now, and their intentions to continue signing some of the best talent there is shows that they are by no means ready to stop winning.
Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt
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]]>The Champions League gets back underway this week following the international break with several sides in desperate need of victories to spark their European campaign into life.
Group A
Napoli will travel to Amsterdam looking to maintain their perfect start against an Ajax side smarting from their late defeat against Liverpool. The Italians have arguably been the standout side in the competition so far and can take a giant leap towards qualification with a victory in the Dutch capital.
Elsewhere it will be a first ever meeting of Liverpool and Rangers at Anfield with both sides needing wins for different reasons. Liverpool will look to Europe to gain some form after stuttering in the league while Rangers are yet to get off the mark in their return to the top table.
Group B
Club Brugge have arguably been the biggest surprise package in the tournament so far and will look to claim another scalp when they host Atletico Madrid.
The Belgians have made a perfect start and another victory would open a big gap between themselves and third place in the group.
Porto will be aiming to get off the mark after two defeats in their first two games when they host Bayer Leverkusen. The Germans are struggling domestically but did defeat Atletico last time out so they’ll have some belief travelling to Portugal.
Group C
Bayern Munich have once more made an impressive start to a Champions League group stage and will get the action underway on Tuesday when they host Viktoria Plzen in the early kickoff.
The German champions defeated their two biggest group rivals in September and will be expecting to dispatch of their Czech visitors to maintain their lead in the group.
Inter Milan meanwhile will host Barcelona in what is the biggest game of the week.
Both sides came up short when facing Bayern and both defeated Plzen so they’ll view these two upcoming games as the key to deciding who will follow Julien Nagelsmann’s side into the last 16.
Group D
Sporting are another side who have impressed, taking six points in what looked the most open group on paper.
They travel to Marseille on Tuesday who desperately need a win if they are to stand any hope of reaching the next round. The French side have started well in the league but have struggled badly in Europe in recent years and will be desperate to give the home support something to cheer.
Tottenham will visit Eintracht Frankfurt in the other Group D clash looking to bounce back from their weekend defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal and take steps towards qualification. It will be far from easy against the Europa League winners who will also have their sights on the latter stages.
Group E
AC Milan head what has been a very tight and unpredictable Group E and will host Chelsea on Wednesday night with injuries to key players disrupting their preparation.
French pair Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez will miss the clash against Graham Potter’s men who needs points themselves having stuttered in their opening two games.
Salzburg are unbeaten thus far but have also yet to win but a victory over Dinamo Zagreb at home would put them in good stead heading into the turn in the group. The Croatians will be aiming for another surprise victory having stunned Chelsea last month.
Group F
Holders Real Madrid have made a serene start to their title defence and host Shakhtar on Wednesday looking to maintain their 100% record.
The visitors have also made a good start to the group and look favourites to join their hosts in the next round.
Celtic will travel to Leipzig looking to build on their credible draw against Shakhtar last time out and will need to get something to keep their qualification hopes alive as will the bottom side from East Germany.
Group G
Erling Haaland has been in utterly sensational form this season with 17 goals so far and the visit of FC Copenhagen will offer the Norwegian another chance to add to his tally.
The Danes picked up a draw against Sevilla three weeks ago but will be up against a Manchester City side brimming with confidence after sticking six goals past their local rivals Manchester United.
Sevilla have made a terrible start in La Liga and need to get something at home to Borussia Dortmund to avoid being cut adrift in terms of qualification. Victory for the Germans will see them move five points clear of their hosts with just three games to play.
Group H
Benfica have been another surprise outfit this season, winning nine of ten games in all competitions and two 100% records will go head to head in this group when they host PSG.
The Lisbon side claimed a stunning victory away at Juventus last time out and even a point here at home to the French champions will boost their chances of repeating what they did last year when they knocked Barcelona out in the group stages.
Juventus will be looking to avoid the same fate as the Spaniards and nothing less than three points against Maccabi Haifa in Turin will do, with manager Max Allegri under all sorts of pressure.
Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt
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At the start of the season, the thought of Chelsea parting ways with Thomas Tuchel almost seemed too good to be true.
The German arrived at the start of 2021 following the departure of club legend Frank Lampard and delivered the goods within just four months of taking the job. Tuchel guided the Blues to their second ever Champions League title with a win over Manchester City in the final in Porto.
He soon added the Super Cup and Club World Cup to their ever-growing list of honours. Even during one of the club’s most chaotic periods in their history, in which their former owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned and the club went through a change of ownership, he steadied the ship and ensured Chelsea finished third in the Premier League.
Two cup finals, narrowly lost via penalty shootouts against Liverpool, would also add to a successful season, given the circumstances. But on Wednesday morning, Tuchel’s time at Stamford Bridge came to an end. Following their 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, he was dismissed.
Once again, Chelsea began their search for a new manager. Soon enough though, Graham Potter was identified as a potential replacement, alongside former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino. The former was eventually announced as the new boss in SW6, a huge appointment for the 47-year-old.
New surroundings! pic.twitter.com/dQB17xqzYa
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 12, 2022
Since he arrived at Brighton and Hove Albion in 2019, Potter has become one of the most exciting managerial talents in English football.
Having started at Leeds Carnegie, he made the move to Ostersund in Sweden in 2011, a move that would soon see him elevate his presence as a manager. When he joined over a decade ago, his side were sitting in the fourth division of Swedish football.
Potter soon guided the club to the top flight, and their Svenska Cupen win in 2017 was the catalyst for their participation in the Europa League. They finished second in their group but were knocked out of the competition by Arsenal, despite beating the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.
A return to the U.K. was presented to him through the Swansea City job. He would spend just one season with the Swans before making the step up to the Premier League with Brighton.
The former left-back would make strong start in arguably the world’s most competitive league, with the Seagulls finishing in a respectable 15th place. Even though they ended the following campaign in 16th, they were able to claim wins over the likes of Spurs, Liverpool and Champions Manchester City.
Brighton went one step further last season though, with the south coast side finishing in ninth and therefore in the top half of the Premier League. 51 points was their highest total in the top flight, and their 4-0 win at home against Manchester United was a particular highlight.
Their start to the current season has also been impressive, with the Seagulls currently sitting fourth. Brighton beat United 2-1 on the opening weekend of the season, and Potter’s last game at the club saw them beat Leicester City 5-2 at home.
There is no surprise that the 47-year-old was a candidate for the Chelsea job. He is widely regarded to be one of the best up and coming head coaches in the business. Potter was also a speculated name for the England job, should Gareth Southgate leave the role after this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
However, he is now the boss at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and it will certainly prove to be one of the toughest tests he has faced in his career so far.
Ever since Abramovich took over Chelsea back in 2003, the west London side have been notorious for their hiring and firing nature. Success has to be delivered, or the club will look for alternative options.
However upon the arrival of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital as the Blues’ new custodians, there was a feeling such a culture would no longer exist. Tuchel’s sacking may have appeared to go against this at first, but it seems as though tensions had been rising since the summer.
Potter is the next man to take the job at Stamford Bridge, a massive step up in his career.
Chelsea are currently sixth in the Premier League, having claimed just three wins against Everton, Leicester City and West Ham. Their loss against Dinamo Zagreb means they have been defeated in three of their first seven games of the season, a worrying set of results for a club so used to winning.
The Blues spent the most out of any other Premier League side this summer with Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Denis Zakaria and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all signing. Such spending is a sign of intent from the club, but results so far have not backed it up.
Potter is now the man responsible for turning their results around. There is a good chance that he could struggle at first, but that is expected. He still needs to adapt to a new club, new surroundings and a new set of players.
There is no doubt that Chelsea have an abundance of quality at their disposal; the large majority of their squad won the Champions League only last year. They will need to soon click though, or their chances of success this season could diminish over time.
On Wednesday night, Potter will take charge of his first game at the club. It will be his debut in the Champions League, with Chelsea hosting FC Salzburg at Stamford Bridge. A win is very much needed given their recent form and after Potter has signed a five-year deal at his new club, the expectation is that he will be here for the long-term. However, given the Blues’ history with managerial appointments, he cannot afford to be too complacent.
It is a huge risk on both sides of the deal, but there is still every chance that it could pay off massively.
Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt
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]]>Thomas Tuchel has been sacked by Chelsea FC, ending arguably the most eventful 589 days a manager could ever experience in a Job.
Here is a timeline of those events, explaining how they led to his demise.
Tuchel in, Lampard out – 26th January 2021
The German manager’s reception at Stamford was not particularly warm, unsurprisingly, as Roman Abramovich had just let go of club legend Frank Lampard. However, outside the Chelsea fanbase, no one batted an eyelid when the board appointed the former Paris Saint-Germain manager.
Despite Lampard’s popularity, the Chelsea board upheld prior precedent by sacking him after losing 5 of 8 in the league, including crucial games against Manchester City and Leicester City.
The new man came in with a muddled reputation.
There was no doubt about the German’s resume. Tuchel had been successful wherever he went. He took Paris Saint-Germain to their first and only Champions League Final alongside a domestic quadruple. At Borrusia Dortmund, he won the DFB-Polka alongside the club’s second highest league points total.
However, his downfall at both clubs was his workplace character which caused a breakdown in relations between him and both boardrooms, with Hans-Joachim Watzke, Dortmund CEO, even labelling him “Difficult” in the media. Such a reputation could have convinced the fan base that the ex-Mainz manager may not jell very well with the players.
For the players at Stamford Bridge, there was no time to worry about reputations. Sitting eleventh in the table, Chelsea needed results, and fast, if they were going to climb back up the Premier League table and into the Champions League places.
Tuchel delivered. Arriving at Chelsea, the German masterminded a 14-game unbeaten run which included victories against Spurs, Liverpool and the home and away legs of the Champions League round of 16 against Athletico.
Under Lampard, Chelsea’s defence had leaked goals at an alarming rate, but under Tuchel, who played a back three, they conceded an average of 0.4 Xg per game in the Premier League over the unbeaten stretch. Safe to say, the new manager bounce was in full force.
The Champions League Run: 23rd February 2021 – 29th May 2021
Remarkably, as most football fans will know, it is not unprecedented for a Chelsea manager to win the Champions League when taking over in January. Roberto Di Matteo’s team beat Bayern Munich “in their own backyard” after beating Barcelona with a gutsy backs-to-the-wall performance that saw their captain John Terry sent off.
The unlikelihood of the run, and because it was the first Champions League to enter the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet, means that it will likely never be topped in the hearts and minds of the Chelsea faithful. You could argue, however, that Tuchel’s run to the top was more impressive.
The German outthought his opposing manager in every tie, which shows in the stats. Much like in their unbeaten run in the league, Chelsea were resolute at the back, making it very difficult for the opposition to create chances against them. In fact, they conceded on average 0.51 Xg per leg in the knockout stages whilst scoring an average of 1.53 Xg per tie.
There is no better example of Tuchel’s tactical genius than the 2nd leg at home to Real Madrid. Los Blancos had been in white-hot form. They were unbeaten in 19 games in all competitions, only conceding four goals in their last ten games, including a 3-1 aggregate win over Liverpool in the quarter-finals. The game at Stamford Bridge, however, was a different story.
Although Real Madrid dominated the ball, they struggled to create meaningful opportunities, only registering seven shots in the game, which accounted for an Xg of 0.3. This was by design, as Tuchel’s set-up planned to exploit Real’s eagerness to attack and hit them on the break.
The plan created numerous chances for Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, who, along with the season’s trend, only managed to convert one of them into a goal. Finally, a late Mason Mount goal sealed the victory for the Blue Devils, capping a marvellous display by the players and the manager.
In the final, Chelsea dominated the ball and had all the significant chances against the Premier League champions, resulting in a tournament win that will go down in Stamford Bridge history.
The Champions League run perfectly encapsulates Thomas Tuchel’s value as a manager. He may be “difficult” and not always conduct himself in the best way in the press. However, he can outthink any manager in the world on his day, as he did to Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane on his way to the Champions League title.
The Takeover and Tuchel’s Exit
The buyout of Chelsea Football Club would always put Thomas Tuchel’s job security under duress. Led by Todd Boehly, part owner of the LA Dodgers, the ownership consortium has been trying to distance itself from the old ownership as quickly as possible.
Almost as soon as the takeover was announced, Boehly named himself interim sporting director, which meant the removal of Marina Granovskaia. Furthermore, long-time club chairman Bruce Buck stepped down alongside the removal of Petr Cech as Technical and Performance advisor.
All of these moves suggest to the public that the ownership consortium does not want Stamford Bridge associated with Roman Abramovich in any way. This could be for several reasons, including the public relations aspect of having an ex-owner who is an oligarch or simply the idea that Todd Boehly wants Chelsea FC to be run in his image.
In any case, this meant that as soon as the ink had dried on the paperwork, the writing was on the wall for Tuchel’s time as Chelsea manager.
The sacking seemed sudden to many, including myself. In fact, when I first saw the reports, I thought they were a poorly timed attempt at April fools. Yet, as time goes on, firing Tuchel makes more and more sense.
First off, results have not been going Chelsea’s way of late, and the German has been acting more and more as he did at the end of his PSG and Dortmund reigns with each passing day.
Boehly had overhauled the boardroom, and over the summer, he has attempted to overhaul the playing squad, spending £255.3 million on new players. It follows then that a new head coach should be brought in to manage this time of change at the club, despite the pain it may cause within the fanbase.
Chelsea fans will be sad to see him go, but whether he’s at Stamford bridge or not, he’ll always be Super Tommy Tuchel.
Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt
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Former England international Paul Parker is the fifth and latest columnist to sign up for Prost International.
Paul played 19 times for England, representing them in the 1990 World Cup finals in Italy. He famously provided the assist for Gary Lineker’s goal in the semi-final against Germany.
At club level he won the first ever Premier League, winning two EPL titles overall. With Manchester United, he also won the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Charity Shield. While starring in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side that won the inaugural Premier league, he started 31 EPL games and even scored a goal in a 4-1 win over Spurs.
He won the FA Cup in 1994 at Wembley against Chelsea. Before that, he was a legend in West London, playing 153 games for Fulham and 125 for QPR.
The former defender is still a welcome guest at both clubs, working for their TV stations and broadcasting to their fanbase regularly. He is among a select group who receive a warm welcome at both London rivals.
He has also written a blog on Eurosport.
[See: Paul Parker: https://web.archive.org/web/20140808014657/https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/paul-parker/qatar-2022-farce-could-destroy-football-know-142332266.html]
Given his broadcasting work however, Paul will become Prost International’s first ever vlogger, recording his views directly to camera.
Paul said:
“I am absolutely thrilled to be part of Prost International’s platform, especially to become their first ever vlogger.
“It’s a new journey for both me and them as I’ve never done this before. Learning together is an integral part of any sport and I love a challenge.
“Opinions on TV these days can be a little sanitised but this opportunity gives me the ability to speak directly to fans on matters affecting England and club football in the game I love.
“I’ve met Prost International journalists at a few games and know their dedication to independent coverage.
“Also their commitment to giving opportunities to aspiring journalists is very rare in the industry these days but I was especially impressed with their social commitment and their involvement in the project to give society’s least privileged children a chance to go to University.
“No other site is doing anything close to that, so it feels like I’m working for a site also gives back to the game.”
Paul joins journalist Glenn Moore, cricket writer Annie Chave, talkSPORT’s EFL analyst Kartik Krishnaiyer, and educator/author/journalist Chris Lepkowski in the Prost International columnist stable.
His first vlog will appear on August 15 and look at the prospects for Manchester United, Chelsea, QPR and Fulham.
This week, Glenn Moore looks back on the EUROs and asks is women’s football the new men’s football or the new cricket?
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]]>It’s all change at Stamford Bridge with new owners and big signings, but can the blue devils thrive after the departure of Roman Abramovich, or will this season be chalked off as a time for adjustment?
Transfer Business
Despite its less than upstanding origins, Roman Abramovich’s money has been one of the critical reasons that Chelsea has been at the top of the English Football food chain since his takeover of the Blue devils in 2003. His departure from the club raised obvious questions about how Chelsea would spend in the future and whether the new owners would be able, or want, to follow the Russian’s spending model. In this window, however, Todd Boehly has displayed his intentions for all to see
Despite having signed Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Tiemoue Bakayoko, if you asked me last week what I thought about Chelsea’s transfer business, I would have described it as half-baked.
Readers may find this strange because Premier League fans will know that Sterling is an elite dribbler, passer and goal scorer who rates in the top 1% of non-penalty xg among wingers in the top five leagues. Koulibaly is essentially a like-for-like replacement for Antonio Rudiger. The Senegalese man is a great dribbler compared to other centre-backs and will offer another passing option in Chelsea’s back three, should Tuchel run the same system as last year.
Finally, Bakayoko is an elite ball winner who bolsters Chelsea’s midfield. Furthermore, all three players fill a need for Chelsea and are outstanding in their respective roles. However, there were still questions that needed to be answered about Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
It had been reported in the press that the German was not happy with the defensive depth in the first team and wanted Boehly to sign at least one more central defender and another wing-back.
It has been reported that Chelsea are looking to sign Wesley Fofana from Leicester City and will beat Manchester City to Marc Cucurella’s signature. Cucurella was quietly one of the premier league’s best wing-backs last year, for which Chelsea are paying Brighton handsomely.
This morning reports came out suggesting a fee of up to £63 million with highly-rated 19-year-old defender Levi Colwill going the other way on loan. The cost shows just how much the Spaniard is rated at Cobham. Tuchel and company will be hoping he has an immediate impact.
The Spanish defender is a smart signing. Despite this, many fans will be scratching their heads as to why Tuchel included the Levi Colwill loan, considering the German’s desire for another centre-back. Colwill is a Cobham graduate who impressed on loan at Huddersfield last season, and many in the Chelsea fan base believe he could at least contribute to the squad at the highest level.
The loan, however, raises concerns that he may become part of a worrying trend of letting promising players leave West London too early, such as Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi, both of whom are thriving away from Stamford Bridge.
Overall, the big-name signings and returning loaned players such as Conor Gallager and Armando Broja put Chelsea in a decent position. Furthermore, should they land Wesley Fofana as well, the Blue devils could kick on this year.
Players to Watch
Trevoh Chalobah
Due to Antonio Rudiger packing his bags for Madrid, much has been made of the defensive frailties at Stamford Bridge this summer. Although an issue, many around West London seemed to have overlooked Trevoh Chalobah’s promise. This is not surprising as he was playing next to the German and Thiago Silva last year, meaning he was a perenially underrated part of a Chelsea defence that conceded the third-fewest goals last year.
As you would expect from a Cobham-bred centre-back, his passing is outstanding. He completed 91.2% of his passes last year, putting him in the top 9% of all centre-backs in the top five leagues. His progressive passing is even better, ranking in the top 3% of centre-backs when passing into the final third.
On top of this, he is a very effective tackler. He has tackled 64.5% of all players that have dribbled at him over the last year, placing him in the top 10% of all defenders in the top five leagues.
His detractors will argue that these stats are skewed because he plays on one side of a three, which is partly true. However, they also suggest that Tuchel, a man known for being fickle, trusts Chalobah with the ball and with players running at him. The incoming defenders mentioned above may limit his game time, but I think they should stick with him as Chalobah could be a consistent performer for Chelsea for years to come.
Conor Gallagher
Here stands the prime example of why Chelsea’s loan system works. Gallager was fantastic for Palace last campaign and proved to all those around Stamford Bridge he was ready to be a key contributor this year.
He is a classic box-to-box midfielder, with the ability to create and score going forward and the fitness and know-how to press when out of possession. Last season he ranked in the top 5% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty xg among central midfielders, as well as being in the top 7% for pressures.
His versatility means he will slot perfectly into the Chelsea midfield, whether they decide to play him in a double pivot or on either side of a three. Having said this, he seemed to struggle as part of a similar double pivot playing in the Nations League for England against Italy. This performance mirrored that of Kalvin Phillips on the day, which means it was likely just a bad day at the office rather than anything to be seriously concerned about for the Chelsea faithful.
An exciting season is ahead for the Englishman, and if he performs to the same level as he did at Selhurst Park last year, Chelsea’s midfield could be a danger to oppositions across this season.
Carney Chukwuemeka
If £20 million for an 18-year-old who started all of 2 games last season for Aston Villa sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. Notice, however, that almost no one in the football universe even batted an eyelid at the figure that the Blue Devils paid or the six-year contract signed on Thursday. That is because Chukwuemeka is an excellent player for his age.
A natural box-to-box player or ten, he was deployed as a six for England under-19s in the euros and still scored three goals and registered two assists in five games. His dribbling is outstanding among his peers, and he has exceptional off-the-ball movement, making him a dangerous creative weapon in any attack.
Whether he will feature that much, if at all, for Chelsea this year is a doubt considering all the players in similar positions that are returning. They may, however, keep him around due to the likes of Ross Barkley and Billy Gilmour expecting to move on before the transfer window slams shut on September 1st 2022.
Whether he plays a lot or not, remember the name because Carney Chukwuemeka will be a future star.
What is a Successful Season?
Perhaps disappointingly for Chelsea fans, 3rd. The consensus around the league is that one of Liverpool or Manchester City will win it.
Chelsea will be hoping to be the next name on the list come May 29th. However, they are probably not the favourites for this, as Spurs have had one of their best transfer windows in recent memory, building on their fantastic form at the end of the 21/22 campaign.
All things considered, I predict they will probably finish the fourth season in 4th place purely because of the turnover around the club in the last few months. This is not just in the first-team squad but also in the board room, which may not seem as significant as those on field, but can definitely have an effect on on-field performance, as we have seen at Manchester United in recent years.
The 22/23 campaign will be one of huge change around Stamford Bridge which, if managed correctly, could set Chelsea up for years of success with stars like Sterling, Mount and Havertz at the helm.
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Raheem Sterling has now completed his initial £47.5 million transfer from Manchester City to Chelsea.
The 27-year-old has left the Premier League Champions after seven years at the Etihad Stadium, where he has tasted success in every campaign bar one.
His performances for the Citizens has allowed him to consistently feature for the England national team over the last few seasons, and the winger was one of the Three Lions’ most crucial players in their run to the Euro 2020 final last year.
Sterling leaves City with 131 goals and 95 assists to his name in all competitions having played a total of 339 games for the club, and he will now return to the city he grew up in as he prepares to play in royal blue for Chelsea, signing a five-year deal at his new club.
At the age of 10, Sterling joined the Queens Park Rangers academy before Liverpool signed him in 2010. Just two years later he made his first ever senior appearance for the Reds, coming off the bench in their 2-1 loss against Wigan Athletic at Anfield.
The following campaign would see him heavily involved in the first team picture at the club as he went on to make 36 appearances across all competitions at just 18-years-old, scoring two goals and assisting another six. However, his true talent came to light in the 2013/14 season.
Sterling scored nine goals and assisted seven in the Premier League for Liverpool, and was part of the side that were so close to securing their first league title since 1990. He spent one more season at Anfield before making the decision to move to City in 2016, a choice that would prove to be incredibly wise for the forward.
At the time, his move to the Etihad Stadium made him the most expensive English player of all time, with his transfer costing around £49 million. His debut season in sky blue saw him amass 21 goal contributions in 47 games, and he added another nine in the following campaign.
His proceeding numbers, however, would see him elevate his game even further.
From the start of the 2017/18 season to the end of the 2019/20 campaign, Sterling scored 87 goals and provided 44 assists in 149 games for City. During that time he won a domestic treble, as well as a host of individual awards.
The last two years have seen these numbers reduce, but he has still been able to reach double digits for goals, which is more than some of Chelsea’s current options in the front three.
Sterling leaves City with four Premier Leagues, four League Cups, one FA Cup and one Community Shield to his name in a seven-year stint. He has also reached 77 caps with the England national team, meaning he could very well reach the coveted 100 during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Such a move means Sterling will now play for the third senior club of his career, and he will likely remain at the top of English football now that he plays for Chelsea.
The Blues had nothing short of a turbulent campaign last term having endured losing two cup finals through the heartbreak of penalty shootouts, their then owner Roman Abramovich being sanctioned, and the process of being put up for sale. Despite all this, they still collected the Super Cup and Club World Cup along the way.
Sterling arrives as a statement signing for the west London outfit, and the first senior men’s addition under the new ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
He will surely provide a much needed boost going forward for Thomas Tuchel’s side, with Kai Havertz and Mason Mount being the only two players to particularly shine. The likes of Timo Werner, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech all struggled, with Werner being the only one out of that trio to reach double figures for goals.
It is likely Chelsea will lineup with Sterling on the left and Mount on the right, with Havertz through the middle after the loan departure of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan.
Upon his arrival at the club, he revealed:
“First and foremost, it’s a pleasure to be here.
“I’ve obviously achieved a lot in my career so far, but there is still so much more to achieve and I’m really looking forward to doing that in a Chelsea shirt, under Thomas’s management.
“London is my home and where it all started for me, and it’s amazing I now have the opportunity to play in front of friends and family week in, week out at Stamford Bridge. I’m really looking forward to meeting the fans there soon.
“I do want to take the opportunity to thank Todd, Behdad, the ownership group, Thomas, and all involved in the process of getting me here.
“I can’t wait to get going now and continue to do my talking on the pitch.”
Sterling arrives as the first signing of the summer for Chelsea, and a much needed addition for the frontline ahead of the new campaign.
Their aim is to close the gap on City and Liverpool, and their new winger certainly has the minerals to contribute to such an objective.
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]]>Following on from the prior two articles, covering the defensive and midfield positions, here are some options that Huddersfield Town, should and could look at in this summer window.
Luke Jephcott
Starting the list off with the only permanent signing that features on this list is Luke Jephcott. Last year the Welshman had a host of clubs looking at him after an impressive season in League One with Plymouth Argyle, scoring 16 times.
The 22-year-old’s name was thrown into the picture for the Terriers too last year, with some suggesting that the club was interested in him, although this was denied by the Huddersfield Examiner.
On face value, it makes sense for Huddersfield to try to tempt the Argyle man away from Home Park. Whilst Danny Ward has had an incredible rise back to form this season scoring 15 times, he isn’t getting any younger at 31 years old. Partner this with an ever-aging Jordan Rhodes, and there is that need for a young, hungry striker to become the new spearhead of the Huddersfield attack.
With 10 goals and a further four assists, Jephcott could just be the man to take that role and take Huddersfield’s attacking output to another level. If learning from Rhodes and Ward too, it can only help take the young striker to a new level.
James McAtee
Without a doubt, the most exciting name on this list. James McAtee has been so highly spoken of by fans of the Citizens, and Premier League 2 enjoyers alike. With a swarm of Premier League and Championship clubs vying for the winger’s signature, the Terriers have a task on their hands.
Rumours of the switch reached their peak almost a week and a half ago now, and have seemingly gone a bit quiet now, after sources said that the youngster would be given permission to speak to Carlos Corberán upon finishing his England U-21 international duty.
Huddersfield are needing a player like McAtee. Someone versatile to fit a number of systems that the Terriers switch between, and with the ability to play wide or through the middle, the possibilities are endless.
Pair this with the technical ability that the City EDS graduate possesses, and you very quickly have a very, very dangerous weapon in your armoury. With 25 contributions in 23 games in the PL2, it only furthers the reasoning as to why the club should rightly look at finalising the deal.
Cameron Archer
There is little that needs to be said about Cameron Archer and the Championship. An exceptional spell in the lily-white colours of Preston North End, rose eyebrows for many of the clubs in the Championship if not even some of the Premier League clubs too.
It’s already been said in this article, but Huddersfield could use another striker. Archer has that quality and talent already there, with a raw aspect to his game to score goals that you would struggle to find in others.
With seven goals in 20 appearances for the Lilywhites, if given a full season, this tally would likely only increase to a potential 15-goal season for the striker. If not more, something which has been a rarity for Huddersfield fans to see, in recent years.
Again, Huddersfield would have to fight off suitors for the player, but if given the assurances, that he quite rightly would deserve, of being the starting striker for the club. It can only serve as a motivator to change from claret and blue to blue and white. If only for just a season.
Faustino Anjorin
This one is a tricky one, after spending the second half of the season with the Terriers following his spell in Russia. Anjorin never really pushed on and seemed early on like there was a small chance of him playing a major part in the plans at the club for a multitude of reasons.
Coming to the club off the back of a long-term injury and seemingly struggling to find fitness, it never really seemed like it was the right time for the winger to shine. Yet, everyone around the club could tell there was a player there, somewhere.
With only one contribution in his spell at the club, it leaves a lot to be desired, but combine this with the lack of minutes that he had. You can’t expect too much at all. That being said though, he showed qualities of a direct and confident player that could and would go at teams, which barring Sorba Thomas the side lacked.
It again would be a risk to bring him back to the club, and how his spell went, would be dependent on his fitness and sharpness levels. Something that must improve, if he were to see another spell in West Yorkshire or even the Championship alone.
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