The 3-1 win over AC Milan in Minneapolis Wednesday night saw get Chelsea back to winning ways even if it was far from a complete performance. Sluggish starts to both halves were conspicuous and were hopefully the consequence of intensive training sessions under Antonio Conte, rather than anything more worrying.
There was also further evidence that implementing a 4-4-2 formation is still very much a work in progress, with the lack of muscle in midfield regularly exposed. To Conte’s credit, he was wise enough to bolster that area by introducing N’Golo Kante for Bertrand Traore just after half time, which allowed Chelsea to gain far greater control of the game. For the supporter at the final whistle, there seemed to be just as many questions than answers regarding the optimal system and personnel. For the manager, however, the match appears to have provided some definitive conclusions.
“I think this match told me a lot about the players who [we will] keep and who can go on loan or we can sell,” Conte told Chelsea TV.
Despite his confident words, it isn’t immediately obvious to whom he was referring. While there were several encouraging individual displays, there was nobody that especially stood out for either good or bad reasons. Nobody was flawless and nobody was hapless.
Clearly, there are those members of the squad that are going nowhere under any circumstances — among them Eden Hazard, John Terry, Willian, Thibaut Courtois and new signings Michy Batshuayi and Kante. Out of those involved at the US Bank Stadium, a question mark could possibly hang over Nemanja Matic, Ola Aina, Bertrand Traore, Victor Moses, Nathaniel Chalobah and Juan Cuadrado. And yet each of their performances had some positive aspects.
Of course, it’s possible that Conte’s comments were actually a reflection on those that didn’t play any part in the match with the action on the field confirming his opinions about the players that remained on the bench. Of those, Tammy Abraham has just sealed a season-long loan to Championship side Bristol City, though his complete lack of involvement in preseason and just two first team appearances at the back end of last season means that comes as little surprise.
Of the more senior players, perhaps the one most in danger of being culled is Pedro Rodriguez. The Spaniard’s first season in the Premier League was an underwhelming one, with his occasional flashes of class appearing too rarely to supply any confidence. He has barely featured in the preseason, with a solitary start in the 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid and a single substitute appearance in the 1-0 win over Liverpool. In neither match did he provide a compelling reason to be selected ahead of any of his rivals in wide positions. As a player with a huge collection of medals and a sizeable reputation, Pedro will still have a reasonable resale value; he could be seen as a way of both raising some funds and freeing up some space in the squad.
Up front, Loic Remy’s days also appear to be numbered. The arrival of Batshuayi, Traore’s regular appearances up front and even the surprising deployment of Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a target man against Real Madrid signify that the former Newcastle United forward is not uppermost in Conte’s thoughts.
Despite returning to training from his summer holidays at the earliest possible juncture, Remy has made just one substitute appearance in the 2-0 defeat to Rapid Vienna, a fixture that served purely as a fitness exercise. The rumours that he might be included as part of any deal to secure Romelu Lukaku from Everton only serve to enhance the feeling that he will be playing somewhere else this coming season.
Worryingly, there might also be some doubt cast upon Loftus-Cheek’s immediate future. There is no suggestion that one of the club’s brightest young talents will be sold, but it must be of some concern to him that he hasn’t once featured in his favoured midfield position under Conte.
Central midfield is the most congested area of the squad at present, with senior players Kante, Cesc Fabregas, Oscar, Matic and John Obi Mikel each vying for one of two, possibly three, slots in the team. Even fellow development squad graduate Chalobah has been used regularly off the bench to good effect, which could potentially push Loftus-Cheek down to seventh in the pecking order. Loaning out the young Englishman would be a curious move, and not necessarily one that would be well received by many Chelsea fans desperate to see the England U21 international, who was named best player at the Toulon Tournament, have a similar impact for Chelsea.
Regardless of potential arrivals and departures, it is certainly encouraging that the manager’s thinking is clear regarding his preferred personnel for the campaign ahead. In that respect and in terms of results, this has been a significantly more productive summer than the previous one. Conte will also be hoping that it evolves into a significantly more productive Premier League season.
