The gap between Chelsea and their title-challenging rivals may look big on paper, but it isn’t the actual case. The Blues have made magnificent strides in closing the gap between themselves and Liverpool, but due to a flurry of injuries and, of course, unfortunate COVID-19-related illnesses, they finished 18 points behind the Reds.
Despite having a forgettable second half of the season, Thomas Tuchel still managed to lead his team to three finals. They lost two of the three to Liverpool, but that does not tell the full story.
Jurgen Klopp himself admits that his team played well against Chelsea but struggled to beat them in normal time. It took penalties on both occasions to become victorious over the Blues, and that could spell trouble for the Reds. More importantly, it could give Chelsea faithful hope for a successful upcoming season.
READ MORE: Todd Boehly has ace card up his sleeve as Chelsea very confident over Kalidou Koulibaly transfer
Speaking with ESPN FC, Klopp makes it clear that Chelsea could, in fact, be right up there challenging with Liverpool and Manchester City.
"When we played Chelsea, we didn't win one game. And that's not because we were bad that day. No, we were really good in those games. In the end, with the penalty shootout, we could win it, but in 90 minutes, we didn't. So that shows you Chelsea are incredibly strong."
Chelsea are currently in a unique position where they are undergoing a rebuild at a time that couldn't be more convenient. They have a new owner who is thirsty for trophies and a winning, sustainable structure for the club. They have a manager that has turned water into wine with the crop of players that he has inherited. And to be fair, they actually have a pretty decent side currently.
Of course, as the days progress in the transfer window, fans will demand for more players and rightfully so. Tuchel lost two of his best defenders in one window and could be losing another. It'll be interesting to see if Chelsea are ale to make these replacements possible. Negotiations have fallen through with Jules Kounde and there is a belief that Matthijs de Ligt will choose a move to Bayern Munich over Chelsea which makes it tricky for Todd Boehly. Kalidou Koulibaly is next on the list of replacements to fill the void of Antonio Rudiger.
If Tuchel plays his cards right, Chelsea could make a much longer claim to the title in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign. Last season they gave Klopp and his men a run for their money. Now with the right resources, it's time to up the ante.
READ NEXT:
- Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: Serge Gnabry 'mission', Frenkie de Jong 'agreed', Declan Rice 'priority'
- Raheem Sterling has dream Chelsea partner to upgrade Thomas Tuchel system after £47m transfer
- Thomas Tuchel finally enjoys big pre-season advantage despite absence of Chelsea's own Neymar
Sell Timo Werner, keep Levi Colwill - How Chelsea's squad should look after the transfer window
- Full Chelsea Premier League fixture list for 2022/23
