Premier League 2018/19: 5 Managers Already Under Huge Pressure

Maurizio Sarri has been dropped into the thick of things after Antonio Conte’s late exit from the club, which tied together with an early transfer window deadline leaves very little time for the new manager to leave his mark on the current team. Having lost 2-0 to Manchester City in the Community Shield, there appears to be more room for improvement than initially anticipated and very little time to do so.

New signing Jorginho looks a little disconnected form the team and may need time to build into the Premier League, however he clearly has talent. Morata however looks completely lost and does not seem to fit into the new system, cutting a very unhappy figure on the field. New additions are not the immediate problem faced by the early transfer window closure, but retaining some key figures. It is no secret that Real Madrid are rumoured to be plotting a £200 million swoop for star player Eden Hazard, and the futures of Willian and Courtois are also uncertain. Signing new recruits to replace the departing players would prove a problem in itself, let alone replacing such big, influential names in the team.

The real problem Sarri faces is that although Conte lost his job, he was a fan favourite. There is no denying that he was outspoken, but the raw passion and energy he bought to the touchline, paired with winning the Premier League in his first season, won the hearts of the Chelsea fans. It was well documented that Conte’s dispute was with the club's hierarchy. To succeed in the Chelsea job, it requires a somewhat sheep like attitude to follow the powers higher up; both Mourinho and Conte fell to this.

Sarri has some time left in the transfer window to bolster the squad, but the real issue is if Hazard and Willian do leave, it’s very difficult to see where the creative output will come from this season.