Chelsea de Cole Palmer has finally convinced that they are candidates for the title of Premier League | Chélat

When Chelsea won the conference league in May, a victory guaranteed by Cole Palmer’s standard performance in a final, the reaction was retained and there was no internal speech of an imminent title challenge. The atmosphere is different now. It is difficult not to dream when Chelsea occurs as they did against Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup.

No one gets carried away. Chelsea knows what we know the rest of us is that they are not the best team in the world. This is not the finished article. They are young and still have a lot to learn. However, there is a gold badge on the shirt for the next four years and if Chelsea woke up at $ 100 million on Monday morning, it will not only be due to the price of money during their month in the United States.

Where does it end? Chelsea has created an invaluable impulse and will go to next season with serious aspirations to win the Premier League and go far in the Champions League. They are young, aggressive, motivated and extremely talented. These are world champions, an achievement that should not be minimized. They were the second side of the Club World Cup and benefited from treating it seriously. They grew up as a team, perfecting their tactical vision and hardening their mentality, and this did wonders for the position of Enzo Maresca as a chief trainer after a difficult first year.

Maresca sometimes seemed on dubious land. He wobbled during a difficult spell after Christmas and did not find it easy to convince match fans to kiss his football for patient position. The players, however, are different. Maresca clearly has the total membership of the team. “He builds something special,” said Palmer after leaving the destruction of PSG with two goals and a decisive pass for João Pedro before half-time. “He is a high -level coach,” said Malo Gusto before the final. “He is still looking at his next opponent and analyzes. It helps us.”

Maresca’s plan was perfect against PSG. Chelsea was consistent and disciplined. “The first 10 minutes, the team was there to show that we were there to win,” said Maresca. Chelsea was physical from the start. They went directly, beating the fierce pressing system of Luis Enrique and targeted the left flank of PSG. “This is where we tried to win the match,” added Maresca. “But you can give a plan to the players – at the end, they are the ones who have to execute it.”

Chelsea has delivered, the collective combining to create conditions so that the quality of Palmer shines. It should do wonders for their confidence. They are back in the Champions League after an absence of two years and will believe that they can compete with the best after having done at PSG what the French club has done to all the others in Europe in the last eight months.

This is a project moving in the right direction. Palmer is the jewel of the crown – incredibly it was not well last week but always left PSG under the weather – but it is a team effort. The work carried out by the recruitment team of Paul Winstanley, Joe Shields, Laurence Stewart and Sam Jewell cannot be overlooked. They were faced with external criticism but will gain more respect after this triumph.

The question is whether Chelsea can continue. They were reluctant to say that they were challengers last season, even when two top points just before Christmas. But something changed when they crossed the line during running and finished fourth. The qualification of the Champions League made them believe. PSG beat the beat.

“I said at the start of this tournament that our plan was to win it and that people looked at me as if I were crazy,” said Levi Colwill. “I’m going to say exactly the same thing that enters the Premier League and the Champions League. I think we are ready.”

Chelsea looks stronger. João Pedro transformed the attack into the space of two weeks, impressive by his pressing, his mobility and his link. Maresca has options. He was able to bring Liam Delap against PSG and use the attacker’s rhythm on the break. Chelsea has different modes of attack. They can counter the pace of Pedro Neto on the sides. Jamie Gittens and Estévão Willian join and will provide more depth on the sides. Another positive of the tournament? Is a question that he can take English defenses by marking against Chelsea in his last match for Palmeiras.

The unknown is whether Chelsea will be able to break down low blocks. There was space against PSG but other parts will not be as accommodating. Chelsea will come up against many deep defenses. This is partly why João Pedro was signed; Maresca considers Brazilian versatility as a way to unlock tight games. The development of Enzo Fernández as a box recruitment midfielder is another advantage.

There will be challenges, especially when it comes to dealing with the physical impact of the Club World Cup. Chelsea has three weeks off before returning to the pre-season and hosting Crystal Palace in his first Premier League match. It is difficult to know how it goes. They could use the positive vibrations to hit the floor on the move, but there can happen a time when they crash. Or they can start slowly and find themselves in another battle for the first four. Additional requests from an enlarged Champions League still complicates things. Chelsea was able to rest their a-visors in the league of the conference, but this is not an option this time. It is recognized that Maresca needs coverage for Marc Cucurella on the back left.

But the team does not need a lot of work. It is said that Robert Sánchez is not a winning goalkeeper, but he was exceptional against PSG. There have been a lot of discussions on a new central defender, but Chelsea gave little against Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. There is depth in many other positions.

Not that it is silent before closing the window. Chelsea’s banking balance was stimulated and they have nothing if not if they are not afraid to negotiate. Noni Madueke goes to Arsenal and another attacker could be targeted if Nicolas Jackson or Christopher Nkunku leaves. Tyrique George has a lot of wingers in front of him. Chelsea was sentenced to a fine by UEFA for breaking the rules of the financial show and must generate positive income if they want to record new players in their Champions League team. The goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic joins Bournemouth for 25 million pounds sterling. Chelsea has parias for sale; Many ways to bring money. Buyers must be found for Raheem Sterling, João Félix, Axel Disasi and many others.

This element of the approach led by Clearlake Capital, the majority owner of the club, leaves cold observers. It is important that Chelsea embraces stability and maintains the central group together. “We have the best players on our team, young players, and this is our plan: winning the biggest trophies for Chelsea,” said Colwill. “Anyway, we have to stay together.” He was at the top of the world. Chelsea does not intend to crash on earth. They think that is only the beginning.