5) Cuadrado issue
As Willian only scored four goals last season, it’s easy to see why Chelsea felt the need to sign Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina in January. The Colombian international earned a reputation in Serie A as a skillful wide-player with an eye for goal and assists, but for whatever reason he has not sufficiently impressed Mourinho so far to earn a place in the side. Perhaps not suited to the English game, Cuadrado is now being linked with an exit this summer (to Inter Milan, according to talkSPORT) and that leaves the Blues with another issue to solve in the transfer market. Apart from Eden Hazard (14) and Costa (20), no one else in the Chelsea squad managed double figures in goals last season, with Oscar the next highest midfielder on six.
Conclusion:
Retaining titles is rare enough anyway – Chelsea being the only team other than Manchester United to do so in the Premier League era – and it just doesn’t look at the moment like this squad is improving enough to come out on top again next year, when players like Costa and Fabregas will be less of an unknown quantity for Premier League defences. Elsewhere, Arsenal have improved significantly with the signing of Cech from their rivals, and Manchester United have added more attacking quality in Memphis Depay, precisely a position where Chelsea increasingly look like they could fall short. Despite a convincing win in 2014/15, teams around them have improved and it looks like being a much harder task for the Blues in 2015/16.