4. The Age Of The Chelsea Squad
Chelsea may well have lowered the average age of their squad with the departures last season of Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Jose Bosingwa, but the likes of Lampard, Terry, Ivanovic, Cech and Ashley Cole are all pushing 30 or over. Sooner or later these five players who have been so instrumental to Chelsea's successes both domestically and abroad over the past few years will have to be moved on, and that will certainly leave a lasting impression on the club. We all saw how Man United's midfield labored when Paul Scholes announced his retirement, so much so he came back out of retirement for the end of last season, and there is bound to be similar repercussions when Lampard finally calls it a day. A man who has scored 189 goals from midfield cannot be replaced by the whimsical opening of a cheque book, though Abramovic will undoubtedly try. Similarly, Ivanovic, Terry and Cole have been rocks that have anchored Chelsea's back like down the years, how confident can Chelsea fans be knowing David Luiz will fill their shoes? Prone to gaffes as much as he is a bad hair day. There are a few bright sparks coming through - Daniel Sturridge for instance, and the youthful injections of Hazard and Oscar will help in the long run, But United have more lifeblood in their ranks, with Jones, Smalling, Cleverley, Young, Rooney and Welbeck probably making up much of the England team in years to come. Can Chelsea compete with that?
Joseph Dempsey
Contributor
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
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