Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic, left, kicks at the ball as West Ham’s Edimilson Fernandes watches during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham and Chelsea at London Stadium, Monday, March 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Sitting 10 points above the rest of the competition in the Premier League, Chelsea has once again shown excellence not found anywhere else in the league. In fact, after being purchased by Roman Abramovich in 2003, the team has managed to win the league four times, in 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2009-2010 and 2014-2015. With five titles in 12 years, they have shown an impressive commitment to top talent that gels well with the depth they have developed, allowing them to stay consistent through entire seasons.
Not only has their play been absolutely phenomenal in recent years, they have also continued to grow their youth development and facilities. Just yesterday, Chelsea announced a 500 million pound investment toward rebuilding their stadium, Stamford Bridge, and building new affordable housing in the community. The plan has already been approved by London’s mayor Sadiq Khan, and a new stadium would usher in a new era of dominance for the team.
As far as depth, Chelsea’s youth team managed to win the FA Youth Cup last year in addition to 2012 and 2010. Also, they have become champions of the UEFA Youth League two years in a row in a competition that includes the top talent from all of Europe. With excellence garnishing their organization all the way down to the youth level, it is clear that there is a commitment to depth that will continue to grow their first team’s talent. Winning the league takes depth in addition to top talent remaining consistent throughout the year. The fact they have won the youth leagues multiple times shows a base that could continue to push them toward the top of the country’s competitions.
While youth talent and depth are important, the team still has shown they love to spend money on foreign players for the first team. They have to show they are willing to promote youth players to the first team, but if they do they will undoubtedly have a system that can challenge the greatest dynasties of Europe.
Joe Burns is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at joseph.burns@uconn.edu.
