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43 players are in Chelsea’s squad yet, they struggled in the first game of the season. A warning from Jamie Carragher perfectly paints the situation, players should reject Chelsea as the situation isn’t one where you are likely to play. He argued they should join a ‘proper club’ that would allow them to play instead of going for money at Chelsea.
Chelsea have spent over 1 Billion in the two years since Todd Boehly’s arrival and it hasn’t worked out for them at all. They’re on their fifth coach in the same amount of time so it is no wonder the locker room isn’t together. They don’t bother getting behind a manager's tactics as they know he will be replaced the second form drops. How they plan to finish better than they did last season is hard to see, development in football doesn’t come from replacing every player in a bad string of form and having 20 backups. It comes from trusting the players out there every game and letting them prove they deserve to play. At the moment players must be fearful for their position as behind them are 8 players of a similar calibre and what this has led to is players wanting to be the main man so they don’t lose their position, which means that the team doesn’t play like one as seen last season through the number of arguments over penalties or free kicks. If they want to do well this season Maresca needs to find players he trusts who will play to his system and not for themselves. If he doesn’t they will continue to struggle in the same way.
The lack of team comradery isn't their only problem as there is already trouble in the locker room with Raheen Sterling. After a conversation with the new club coach Enzo Maresca where he was told of a diminished role in the team. Raheem Sterling was dropped from the first-team squad for the first game of the season. Since then Raheem Sterling has requested “clarity” on the situation at the club. This comes following the signings of Pedro Neto who plays the same position as Sterling but also of Joao Felix who plays through the middle but also out wide similarly to Sterling and Sterling feels he will not be playing due to the amount of players ahead of him. Maresca has plenty of options out wide and has told Sterling he needs to consider his options before the transfer window closes as he will either warm the bench or have to find somewhere else to play.
However, it could be hard for them to move Raheem on. His wage demands will be high as they always are, currently earning £325,000 a week at Chelsea while not playing a key role in the team's success. This isn't the only problem with moving Sterling as his poor form at Chelsea will leave teams wondering if it is worth the investment as the 29-year-old is in the latter of his best years. Chelsea currently is a dumpster fire and their fans will be hoping to see the back of a player who hasn't offered them what he's offered the other clubs in his career, so I am sure the fans will be happy to see him leave.