How Chelsea can reinvent themselves without Eden Hazard to avoid ‘turning into Arsenal’

How Chelsea can reinvent themselves without Eden Hazard to avoid ‘turning into Arsenal’
Chelsea are currently in a state of flux, a feeling not too unfamiliar to those from the King’s Road.After romping to 18 games without defeat in the first part of the season, Maurizio Sarri’s men were soundly beaten 3-1 by rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the end of November.Since then, something hasn’t been quite right.

The pressure is building on Maurizio Sarri

A 2-1 defeat away to Arsenal saw the Italian lash out at his players in his native tongue, calling them difficult to motivate.Although the Blues exacted some sort of revenge on Spurs by knocking them out of the Carabao Cup, a 6-0 trouncing at the hands of champions Manchester City brought Sarri crashing back down to earth.After the game, talkSPORT host Adrian Durham accused the former Napoli boss of ‘literally not having a clue’ at the Etihad and likened the performances to that of Arsenal towards the end of Arsene Wenger’s reign.

I liken them to Wengers latter period at Arsenal, clueless tactically.His first sub was Kovacic for Barkley, that is pathetic. Is he giving up? @talkSPORTDrive says Maurizio Sarri is turning Chelsea into Arsenal pic.twitter.com/UmboOr912v— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 11, 2019

With Zinedine Zidane reportedly in the frame to take over at Stamford Bridge should Sarri fail to last more than one season, it appears as though one of the most tempestuous clubs in the Premier League is set for another new regime. And with Eden Hazard continuing to shamelessly flirt with Real Madrid, a summer transfer seems likely to happen.So just how can Chelsea find the consistency and mental fortitude to stop Durham’s prediction coming true? Scroll down to see what the Blues need to do in the summer to get themselves out of their rut.

SELL HAZARD, BUT INVEST WISELY

Despite the riches of Roman Abramovich, even Chelsea are not susceptible to losing their best players to the clutches of ‘bigger’ clubs.

Hazard may be the star at Chelsea, but he is not irreplaceable

Such is Hazard’s fascination with Real Madrid, the Belgium captain has see-sawed from declaring his intention to move to insisting he is only thinking about Chelsea.If a player is not 100 per cent committed to the club, he should be sold. Although Hazard is the talisman at Stamford Bridge, he is not irreplaceable.Chelsea should look at the success of Liverpool following the sale of Philippe Coutinho in January 2018. The Reds are rampant without the distraction of hearing when their star man is going to leave and look so much more consistent.A monstrous bid is likely to come in from Los Blancos, so a deal should be struck and the money HAS to be re-invested into the playing squad properly.

UTILISE THE YOUTH STARS

Hudson-Odoi has been courted by Bayern Munich

Chelsea currently have 41 players out on loan across the globe. While this number is staggering, the Blues need to worry about one of the most promising youth starlets to come out of their academy since John Terry.Callum Hudson-Odoi is the sort of precocious talent who comes along once in a generation and, just like his predecessors, Sarri seems reluctant to give youth a chance.Perhaps he is aware of the fragility of his position and feels that playing the 18-year-old is a risk he cannot afford to take in his first season. But the fans are desperate to see him given a chance.Bayern Munich came up short in their attempts to lure the youngster from the Bridge to Bavaria, but you can guarantee further bids will come in – something Chelsea must resist.

PLAY STARS IN THEIR BEST POSITION

Kante looks lost when played away from his usual position

When Sarri took over from Rafael Benitez at Napoli in 2015, the club were in a bit of rut. Having got to second in the Spaniard’s penultimate season, they followed that up with a fifth-place finish.In order to reverse the decline, the former banker placed Jorginho at the centre of his team and put Marek Hamsik and Allan alongside him.While the midfielder and the pass master took all the headlines, it was Allan who was the heartbeat of the side. Tenacious in the tackle, a good passer and able to make crucial interceptions.On paper, Kante sounds like a ready-made replacement.However, the World Cup winner has not received the sort of football education most players have given his unusual route to the top. His game relies on instinct and he must be reverted to his preferred position for the benefit of Chelsea and Jorginho.

GET A PROLIFIC STRIKER

Higuain has struggled away from home for Chelsea since joining in January

Two goals against Huddersfield Town at home is certainly nothing to be sniffed at, but Gonzalo Higuain’s sum total at Chelsea thus far suggests he is only the short term solution to the long-term problem.The 31-year-old joined on a loan deal from Juventus in January, but was non-existent against Bournemouth and Manchester City.At Napoli, Sarri managed to convert both Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens from tricky wingers into prolific strikers. But, with Hazard potentially off and Pedro going to be 32 before the start of next season, reinforcements are required.Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and, after being stripped of the captaincy, should be made a top target for Sarri. His physicality, movement and clinical finishing – he’s top scored in two of the last four Serie A seasons – are ideally suited to the rigours of the Premier League.

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