Gianfranco Zola cited a lack of leadership as a factor that Chelsea are currently struggling with.
Legend Zola, who was with Chelsea from 1996 to 2003, pointed out Chelsea’s problems compared to the past, saying that the harmony of experience and youth in the locker room is important in the YouTube program “Up Front” of betting company “William Hill” released on the 28th (Korea Standard Time).
“Chelsea was a team that had four to five key players, like Frank Lampard, John Terry, Didier Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic, and they formed a squad around them,” Zola said. “They had the know-how, experience and characteristics to succeed and win games. They transferred what they had to new players or players from youth teams. With the focal points, new players were able to develop their abilities,” he said, describing Chelsea’s success over the past 20 years and what they are not currently at Chelsea.
Chelsea, under Todd Boly, is still spending a lot of money, but there are changes in its transfer market policy. It builds a team by giving long-term contracts to young players with high future value. No player has been hired over the age of 25 this season, spending more than 600 billion won on transfers. Last season, when it spent around 1 trillion won, it recruited Raheem Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Kalidou Koulibaly, who were in their late 20s and early 30s, but Sterling is the only player left in the team so far. 룸알바
On the other hand, veterans such as N’Golo Kante and César Azpilicueta left the team one after another during the same period. Currently, Thiago Silva, Sterling and Ben Chilwell are the only players in the Chelsea squad who have abundant experience and are the main players.
“Chelsea failed to strike a balance between potential young players and team-based veterans,” Zola said. “Some of the players I sent were important players. I should have stayed in the team a little longer to pass on my know-how and knowledge to young players.”