Chelsea`s one big mistake of the summer transfer window was not signing a striker as back up for Alvaro Morata. Having effectively released Diego Costa back to Atletico Madrid and allowed the free-scoring Tammy Abraham to go off to Swansea City on loan, Antonio Conte was left with few options.
Marina Granovskaia`s reluctance to overspend on the Welsh clubs Fernando Llorente left the club with few options. Even worse, the Chelsea board strengthened a team that mugged them off in the semi-final of the League Cup back in 2013. Who`ll forget the oldest ball boy in town`s ruckus with Eden Hazard, as the Belgian tried to wrestle the ball back from the time wasting lad.
There was a faint hope that Abraham, could be recalled, unfortunately it was dependant on the amount of appearances he made in South Wales. Whilst he`s banging the goals in, he`ll be playing. He`ll be back at Chelsea next summer.
The clubs next chance to right the wrongs of the summer window begins on the 1st January 2018. Hopefully Granovskaia and her cohort Michael Emanalo are already doing their homework on who is likely to be available.
Hopefully, they can do a better job than they did when they selected Michy Batshuayi. Without being disrespectful to the Belgian international, the club paid Marseille £35m. It`s difficult not to the like the guy, but he was not worth the amount that was paid for him. He still worth a place in the squad, after all he`s scored crucial goals, he does know where the goal is. He has to be the third option though.
Looking at possible candidates, one name linked with a move to Stamford Bridge is Jamie Vardy. With Leicester currently looking for a new manager, Vardy would relish the stability that Chelsea could offer??…I`m joking??..The switch would see him link up with N`golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater as Chelsea slowly collect the 2015-16 Premier League Championship winning side like Panini stickers. Vardy would be a welcome addition to Conte`s squad of players.
Other names linked are Christian Benteke, whose football career has stalled following his move to Crystal Palace. Benteke was linked with Chelsea in the summer, like many others that were seen as signings by the speculative media, nothing materialised. A new name that`s been recently mooted is that of Richmond Boakye. According to the Darren Lewis in The Daily Mirror, Chelsea will watching him closing when his team, Red Star Belgrade take on Arsenal in Europe`s second best competition, the Europa League, this Thursday. At 24, and with 210 professional appearances the Ghana international fits into Chelsea`s selection criteria regarding age and game time.
With Chelsea heading into a Champions League game against Roma on Wednesday evening, Antonio Conte has hinted that Alvaro Morata will return following his hamstring injury. Having outplayed and outfought a tough Atletico Madrid side in the last round of CL games, Conte`s side are in a good position in their group.
Since that win though, Chelsea have recorded two Premier League defeats. Morata picked up his injury against Manchester City and N`golo Kante fell to a similar injury whilst on international duty.
The quick return of the Spanish striker will hopefully provide the impetus to kick-start a faltering season that is once again teetering on the brink. We`ve been here before though, and arrested the fall. Likewise we`ve experienced the free-falling experience of a Chelsea meltdown. Watch this space.
Who do you see as the best option for a second striker? Answers on a postcard please. I`m going to throw in a random name, Arsenal`s Danny Welbeck.