Following a 2-0 home exit in the FA Cup to rivals Manchester United, Chelsea’s 2018/19 season under Maurizio Sarri has gone from bad to worse.
Following fairly positive beginnings with the Italian at the helm, the Blues have found themselves slipping out of the Premier League top four with Champions League action next season becoming an increasingly distant dream, thanks to United’s resurgence, and Chelsea’s own woeful recent performances which have amounted to five defeats in their last ten fixtures in all competitions.
Not only has the manager suffered the wrath of social media, but the current Chelsea set-up overall has not escaped criticism with certain players coming under intense scrutiny from both pundits and supporters.
It’s becoming apparent that Chelsea cannot continue down this road for any viable long-term success.
We take a look at which players from the current crop should be culled, who deserve to move away from the club, and who represents a glimmer of positivity for Chelsea? So, to paraphrase the great lyrics of The Clash, should they stay or should they go?
Goalkeepers
Kepa Arrizabalaga: Chelsea aren’t likely to cut their losses on the unconvincing most expensive goalkeeper of all time after a single season, but the Spaniard is testing fans’ patience. STAY
Willy Caballero & Rob Green: Stop the loan spells and promote Jamal Blackman for Kepa competition. GO
Defenders
Antonio Rudiger: - A player who genuinely seems to care about the fans and the club. STAY
Andreas Christensen: - Featured throughout Antonio Conte’s last season but has been limited to sporadic appearances this season. STAY
Cesar Azpilicueta: - Give him the captain’s armband permanently next season. STAY
David Luiz: Positioning: terrible. Defensive awareness: terrible. Recklessness: off the chart. Even lost the ability to produce a thronker now and again. GO
Davide Zappacosta: Perhaps unfairly maligned due to Sarri’s ‘tactical’ substitutions. Has 18 minutes of Premier League action this season and must surely see his future away from the club. GO
Emerson Palmieri: Many fans would like to see him make the left-back position his own. STAY
Gary Cahill: The treatment of the skipper has been frankly abhorrent and the decorated defender deserves to see out the twilight of his career elsewhere. GO
Marcos Alonso: Unconvincing all season, his mistakes in the FA Cup defeat to Man Utd epitomised his struggles after being one of the best left-backs in the Premier League, prior. GO
Ethan Ampadu: Too young for the XI? Nope. STAY
Midfielders
Danny Drinkwater: GO
Jorginho: Should follow mentor Sarri out the door. GO
Mateo Kovacic: Being bred for a payday for Real Madrid. Why play the loanee instead of any number from the smorgasbord of academy graduates? GO
Marco van Ginkel: 26-year-olds, perpetually sent out on loan. Could the missing man reinvorgate his Chelsea career under a new boss? With less than 18 months on his contract, it’s looking unlikely. GO
N’Golo Kante: £32 million have have been five times the price former club Leicester City paid for him, but the diminutive Frenchman is still a bargain. Should be brought back into his natural position in which he’s certified himself as one of the best in the world. STAY
Ross Barkley: Hasn’t scored since the end of October but has four years left to run at Chelsea. The quality is there, the confidence is not. STAY
Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Deserves to be part of Chelsea’s future plans. STAY
Forwards
Callum Hudson-Odoi: For the betterment of his playing career in the current climate, the young Englishman must go. For Chelsea, he should represent a turning point in their decision for youth promotion. That’s unlikely to happen under Sarri. STAY
Eden Hazard: Simply one of the best players in the world, and simply his heart is no longer at Chelsea after almost seven years. GO
Gonzalo Higuain: Simply a temporary remedy to see out the second half of the current season. Not a long-term solution. GO
Olivier Giroud: Presents an alternative attacking threat as his return in the Europa League has proven this year (five goals in six games). STAY
Pedro: An average player with a nice CV. GO
Willian: Contract expires in 2020. Would be good to see the hard-working Brazilian be a capable squad player but Chelsea should cash on make a tidy sum on the winger this summer. GO
