Chelsea Odds to Win Premier League – Have They Been Written Off?
It was a frustrating campaign for Chelsea last season as Thomas Tuchel’s squad struggled for consistency at home and abroad while dealing with seemingly endless off-field drama.
They finished a distant 3rd in the Premier League table behind champions Manchester City and runners-up Liverpool.
And Liverpool were also their nemesis in the League Cup Final and FA Cup Final – landing both trophies on penalties following goalless draws on each occasion.
While in Europe, the Stamford Bridge side’s Champions League defence ended at the quarter-final stage with defeat to eventual winners Real Madrid.
However, the Blues did land some silverware, winning the Super Cup by defeating Villarreal on penalties in Belfast and the Club World Cup after edging out Brazilian side Palmeiras in extra-time.
Those trophies may have brought some joy to Chelsea fans, but the Stamford Bridge loyal will expect a better showing this term from their side, and they got off to the best possible start by edging out Everton 1-0 in their opening Premier League match.
And if you expect the Blues to lift the Premier League trophy come May, you can check out the latest Chelsea odds to win the Premier League – https://oddsindex.com/betting-odds.
New Owners on the Block
It was a tumultuous season off the pitch at Stamford Bridge last season, with club owner Roman Abramovich being financially sanctioned by the UK Government due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
With concerns over whether Chelsea would survive the season, a new owner for the club was required as a matter of urgency.
Step forward Todd Boehly, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who headed a consortium to buy the club for a reported £4.25 billion.
And Boehly has also put his money where his mouth is in the transfer market – backing Thomas Tuchel over the summer as the Chelsea boss overhauls his squad, aiming to close the gap on Manchester City and Liverpool.
Incoming Chelsea Transfers
Tuchel has focussed on the English Premier League for two high-profile Chelsea transfers over the summer – bringing in Raheem Sterling from Manchester City and Marc Cucurella from Brighton.
Sterling ended his seven-year stay at the Etihad by signing for Chelsea on a five-year deal for a reported £47.5 million, bringing plenty of experience and goal-scoring ability.
Left-back Cucurella enjoyed a break-out season for Brighton last term, and Chelsea swooped to seal the transfer of the Spaniard on a six-year deal worth over £60 million.
Cucurella is seen as a long-term natural replacement for club captain Cezar Azpilicueta while also bringing in cover for the loss of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, who have departed on free transfers.
And Chelsea have also boosted their defensive capabilities by sealing the services of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli – widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs in world football.
And the Chelsea transfers didn’t stop there – Tuchel also bagged two of the most exciting young players in English football with the arrival of Omari Hutchinson from London rivals Arsenal and Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa.
One player to watch out for is Conor Gallagher, who returns from his impressive loan spell at Crystal Palace – he’ll be keen to push for a starting slot in the Chelsea midfield this season.
Upcoming Fixtures
Chelsea began the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win away at Everton – Jorginho scoring the winning goal via the penalty spot just before half-time.
A welcome sight for Chelsea fans at Goodison was the return to action of Ben Chilwell and Reece James – Chilwell made his first start since rupturing his ACL last November, while James featured for the full 90 minutes despite not being fully fit.
Next up for Chelsea is a London derby with Tottenham, who visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday – a match that the Blues will be expecting to win if they have title aspirations this season.
Tuchel’s side then face away trips to Leeds and Southampton, which sandwich a home game with Leicester before two more all-London clashes against West Ham and Fulham.
These games on paper are all winnable for Chelsea, which could see them head to Anfield on September 18th to face Liverpool undefeated – a clash that could be an early season marker for two potential title challengers.
Conclusion
This season, the main concern for Chelsea fans is where their side will find goals from.
Romelu Lukaku struggled last season and has returned to Inter Milan on loan, while the much-maligned Timo Werner has returned to Germany, rejoining RB Leipzig.
Tuchel will hope that Raheem Sterling can provide the attacking spark for his side this season, and he played through the middle against Everton, with Kai Havertz and Mason Mount playing out wide.
However, the Chelsea transfers may not be finished yet – there are rumours that Tuchel has his eyes on ex-Arsenal attacker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Crystal Palace wide-man Wilfried Zaha.
Adding either player would bring Premier League experience and aid any title push – Chelsea’s odds to win the Premier League would undoubtedly be trimmed if they arrived at Stamford Bridge.
However, even the most enthusiastic Chelsea fan would struggle to suggest that the Premier League trophy could be theirs this season.
A top four spot looks on the agenda once more, while a domestic cup trophy and a deep run in the Champions League would be the perfect season for Chelsea with one eye on the future.