The effects of Chelsea’s dominant Premier League title season still linger as we prepare for the coming year. With a new season comes new expectations. Jose Mourinho has stressed the importance of his team not falling into the trap of resting on their accomplishments and there is no doubt the bar will be even higher this season not only at home in England but in European competition as well.
Remember, while they won the EPL title rather easily, they were ushered out of the Champions League unceremoniously. The Blues certainly have the talent to do some serious damage in Europe if they can put all of the pieces together.
Here is a look at four reasons why Chelsea can with both a Premier League title and Champions League title this season.
Diego Costa Will Be Better
The addition of the Spanish international was absolutely key to Chelsea’s success last season as he scored 20 goals in the Premier League despite missing games because of injury and suspension.
As a team, Chelsea scored 73 times last season, which was the second-most in the EPL, which means Costa accounted for 27% of their offense.
There is still a chance Costa improves on his Premier League goal total but the more obvious area of improvement will happen in the Champions League where he didn’t score a single goal last season. That was a big reason why the team didn’t do much in Europe as their offense wasn’t effective. Costa has spent the offseason recovering and building his body back up to handle a bigger workload and there is little doubt he will be expected to put up better goal scoring numbers in Champions League play this coming season. Chelsea added Radamel Falcao to step in as the team’s No. 2 striker in place of the departed Didier Drogba, so it’s reasonable to expect the attack to be better in Champions League play.
The Commitment To Defense
One of the most important aspects for success in the Champions League will be Chelsea’s improved defensive play after their starting four had a full year to play together and gain some valuable experience as a unit. John Terry and Gary Cahill are a solid tandem in the middle and Cesar Azpilicueta emerged as an excellent option on the wing opposite Branislav Ivanovic last season.
That’s a big reason why Chelsea led the EPL in goals allowed last season with just 32. Factor in the presence of one of the best defensive midfielders in the game in Nemanja Matic and it’s clear that the Blues have the solid defensive foundation that can breed success both at home and in the Champions League.
Mourinho’s Magic
After watching the way Mourinho was able to pinpoint his club’s weaknesses and address them in last year’s transfer window and then maximize their talents in order to dominate in the Premier League, it is clear that he deserves recognition as one of the best in the game right now. Mourinho will figure out a way to make sure that Chelsea plays with the same sense of urgency and consistency at home in the Premier League while also finding a way to put his players in the best possible position to make a title run in the Champions League as they shoot for the double. They didn’t show well in Europe, so look for that to be a big motivating factor.
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The Confidence That Comes With Success
There is some truth to the theory that success breeds success and one year after dominating the Premier League, the Chelsea players should be very confident about their ability to win both titles. The Blues already know what it takes to win at home and with a deep sense of confidence and the desire to carry over their dominance to the Champions League stage, there is no doubt they have what it takes to complete the double.
