Ex-Manchester United captain turned TV pundit Gary Neville reckons Chelsea need to strengthen three areas if they want to challenge for the Premier League title.
Enzo Maresca‘s men made an excellent start to the season, and put themselves on the brink of top spot after a 2-1 win over Brentford in December. That was their fifth successive victory in the Premier League – a run that left them just two points behind pace-setters Liverpool.
However, Chelsea’s form has been inconsistent since. In fact, the Blues have won only two of their last top-flight matches, with one of them coming during Monday night’s 2-1 success over West Ham at Stamford Bridge.
Pedro Neto’s second-half strike and an own-goal from Aaron Wan-Bissaka ensured that Maresca’s team defeated the Hammers in a tense match in west London. That was a result that moved Chelsea back into the top-four – two points above fifth-place Manchester City and four behind Nottingham Forest in third.
After the game, ex-United and England defender Neville assessed Chelsea’s progress under Maresca and outlined where the Blues might need to strengthen in the summer.
Neville said on his podcast for Sky Sports: “I think they’re in a good position and they’re having a good season. The shock was that bad run they went on was during a period you’d thought they were going to pick up a lot of points given the opponents. But where they are, I actually had them in fourth.
“You’re going to get a rollercoaster of results with a young team, you’re not going to get a perfect climb to the top. They’re going to pick up lessons along the way and we’re seeing that.
“They need improvements in two or three positions and they will know that, as well, so it’s not just a case of these players developing and winning the league.
“They will need to add to the squad. A goalkeeper, centre-forward, maybe a centre-back… They’re going to need to improve. But they’re back on the right track and they’re in a good position.”
football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel
Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Chelsea stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!
Click this link to follow the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel, where you’ll be kept up to date on the latest Blues news wherever you are.
Just remember to turn on the notifications once you’ve followed, and you won’t miss a beat!
