Squad, formation, unest: Key talking points ahead of Chelsea’s new season

Chelsea’s story has rarely been one of plain sailing. The Blues first won the English top flight in 1955, and by 1971 had won three FA Cups and the old UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

Fortunes soon turned, and in 1983, the west Londoners avoided relegation to the English third tier by the skin of their teeth. Within a decade, the good times were rolling again, and a 26-year wait for a trophy ended with their fourth FA Cup.

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Enter a new owner, Roman Abramovich, and the rest – of their modern era – is history.

The latest wait for a trophy is only five seasons, but in the past four seasons, the Stamford Bridge club has witnessed its choppiest waters in 30 years and now faces a campaign without any European football.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the club’s prospects in advance of the new season.

What have been Chelsea’s biggest problems in recent seasons?

A run of 12th, sixth, fourth and 10th-placed finishes in the Premier League marks the worst run since the Blues finished 11th in 1996. Since then, they have only finished outside the top six once, that being one of only five finishes outside the top five in that period.

The arrival of Xabi Alonso marks the seventh permanent manager since Thomas Tuchel’s side lifted their second Champions League title in May 2021.

That statistic, in itself, points to the answer: instability.

The chopping and changing behind the scenes, including the sale of the club by their billionaire backer Abramovich in 2022, have left the team in turmoil on the field.

Under Enzo Maresca, who is now Manchester City manager, the Blues enjoyed a great deal of possession last season. That did not, however, translate into results.

Opponents sat deep and found Maresca’s team to be predictable.

When the Italian left his role, amid internal tensions, his team had won only one of their last seven matches.

What system will Xabi Alonso play at Chelsea?

Ironically, in the face of the chopping and changing off the field, the biggest problem under Maresca was his rigid tactics.

Alonso, who lost his job at Real Madrid in January, was heavily criticised for his formations and tactical changes.

Los Blancos were renowned for their 4-3-3 formation for years, but Alonso used a mix of 4-2-2-2, 3-4-3 and 4-4-2. It led to unhappiness among the players and a serious downturn in results.

The most likely formation at Chelsea will be 3-4-3, and that is what was deployed in the final preseason friendly against Real Sociedad last Saturday, as it was in the two games before that.

It is a formation often seen as a weakness in the Premier League given the pace and power that teams have on the flanks, but it is also the formation that was used the last time Chelsea won the league, under Antonio Conte during the 2016-17 season.

Can Cole Palmer rediscover his form at Chelsea?

Above all else, the biggest question heading into the new campaign surrounds Palmer.

The Manchester City academy graduate was let go by Pep Guardiola in 2023, but the attacking midfielder quickly became a hero at Stamford Bridge.

Two seasons ago, his form saw him push Mohamed Salah close for the league’s Player of the Year award with 29 Premier League goal involvements. Salah admittedly recorded 47 goals, but in a high-flying Premier League winning side.

Palmer helped a still disjointed Chelsea to fourth that season, and his dip in form last season can also be attributed to his side’s 10th-place finish.

It is hard to imagine the Blues firing on all cylinders this season unless Palmer does likewise. Much like Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, the 24-year-old is a player capable of dragging a struggling side to a greater level.

Where will Morgan Rogers fit into Alonso’s Chelsea plans?

The arrival of England forward Rogers from Aston Villa could actually ease the burden on Palmer, especially as the pair are likely to line up behind a lone striker.

Therefore, some of the attention from opponents’ defences and midfields will be drawn away from the latter. The danger is that Rogers, a reported 117 million pounds ($158m) record signing for a British player, might occupy the same spaces that Palmer will try to play in.

Palmer is the type of forward that likes to pull the strings as well as make forward runs, which Rogers is more associated with.

So the chemistry between this pair will be one of the main puzzles for Alonso to solve. Theoretically, the runs of Rogers to support the likes of Joao Pedro or Estevao – as they plough a lone furrow in the striker role – should drag players out of position, as should the overload from the wingbacks.

Does the booing of Enzo Fernandez suggest unrest at Chelsea?

One of the most protracted sagas of the season has been the “will he or won’t he” transfer of Fernandez.

Chelsea were understood to have set a deadline of last Friday for offers for the Argentinian midfielder.

With that passing, Fernandez lined up in the 3-1 friendly win against Real Sociedad the following day and was roundly jeered by sections of the home support.

The 25-year-old is understood to have made known his desire to leave Chelsea and has reportedly had an asking price of 120 million pounds ($162m) placed on his head.

Both Manchester United and City were interested, but only the latter now appear an option.

Those who booed Fernandez were met by those who showed their support for the midfielder with applause when he came on as a 62nd-minute substitute, so a future at the Bridge remains a possibility.

The discontent among the fans is perhaps a small insight into what has simmered since Abramovich sold the club to the US consortium.

Will the Chelsea ownership change again?

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and director Mark Walter are thought to be considering selling their stakes in the Premier League side to the club’s majority owner Clearlake Capital.

American billionaires Boehly and Walter were two of the investors who partnered with Clearlake to buy Chelsea from Abramovich for 2.5 billion pounds (approximately $3.1bn) in May 2022.

Private equity company Clearlake currently owns 62 percent of Chelsea, with Boehly and Walter holding the remaining shares alongside fellow investor Hansjorg Wyss.

Boehly, Walter and Wyss control 38 percent through Blueco Holdings.

Boehly has reportedly been dissatisfied with the direction of Chelsea, notably regarding recruitment, managers and a potential new stadium plan.

There have been reports that Boehly and Clearlake had attempted to buy each other out of Chelsea several times over the last two years.

Boehly and Walter reportedly believe Chelsea are worth 5 billion pounds ($6.8bn) if they do sell their stake.

The pair are friends and business partners, having also invested together in baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers and women’s basketball franchise LA Sparks.

What will be unthinkable for whoever is in charge is that the tide will not turn under Alonso.

Reporting originally appeared via Al Jazeera. Read the full source for additional context.