Chelsea’s new defender Thiago Silva has been warned he’s going to need an oxygen mask at Stamford Bridge in the season ahead.
The veteran Brazilian still looks one of the finest centre-backs in the world on his day, but he’s coming into a Chelsea side that looks a little top-heavy after stockpiling a lot of attacking talent without really doing much to improve at the back.
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See below as pundit Craig Burley points this out and jokes that Silva could have such a hard time doing the defensive work that he’ll need an oxygen mask to cope…
“Thiago Silva is going to need an oxygen mask because there is only N’Golo Kante in there who has got any defensive qualities,” Burley told ESPN FC.
“That’s going to be the difficulty for Lampard, striking the balance.
“Mason Mount, who really flourished in his first season in the Premier League, is an attacking player, Kai Havertz played a lot of the season at Leverkusen as a striker, and then you add the front three [Werner, Ziyech and Christian Pulisic] in and it’s ‘over to you N’Golo Kante’ because nobody else is going to be defending!
“Striking a balance with [Mateo] Kovacic or somebody else in there is going to be key.
“Chelsea had one of their worst seasons defensively last year, they lost a heck of a lot of goals, so Lampard knows that he needs to make sure he solidifies his back line, which was a big problem for them.
“Chelsea are going to be great to watch, you just don’t know which way!”
Chelsea fans will surely be hoping that after signing the likes of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz to strengthen up front, they can now focus on improving defensively.
The Blues had a poor record at the back last season and it’s surprising that more hasn’t been done to change things in that department so far this summer.
That must be a problem to them next season
Am happy to see havertz and thiago silva and chilwell I in Chelsea
I love Chelsea
I hope lampard will have the right repertoire to field in the right formation
I understand Chelsea this season is very good,if the players the buy catch fire
Blue 4 life
The defence will improve this season. Blues 4 ljfe!
I am glad that this season our attacking force is strong.
I think Chelsea need one more center back to balance the team,I am not convinced yet with the defence department,up chealsea.
I hope chelsea will improve on their defence this coming season
Am not covince up till now…the front liners performed well last season but the the defence and goal keepers were the major problem…see how many goals against us last season more than 50….too much for a big club call Chelsea….