On May 7th, Hupu released a piece of information. The Athletic UK Chelsea and team reporters wrote a column. The article stated that the aspects that Chelsea need to strengthen most this summer may not be measurable through data.
Chelsea's sporting directors have a long to-do list, which includes hiring a head coach, strengthening a defense that has not kept a clean sheet in the Premier League since January, and reviving an attack that has scored just one goal in the last six league games.
However, perhaps compared to the ability to dribble the ball, or the skills in positioning the ball, or the ability to break through and pass, what they need more is the temperament of a leader.
Scott Minto said that the value of senior players cannot be measured in terms of money. He played for Chelsea from 1994 to 1997. He also said that the team does not have to be all veterans, but if there are experienced players in key positions, he feels that they are only three players away from truly having the strength to compete for the championship.
Under the leadership of owner BlueCo, Chelsea's model is to sign long-term contracts with the world's top young players, and expect that they can help the team win the championship within the term of the contract.
Chelsea is about to spend its fourth season under the leadership of the current owner. At this time, people's awareness that the team needs to make some adjustments has become increasingly strong.
"PSG is a perfect example," Minto said. In the first round of the Champions League round of 16 against the defending champions, Chelsea performed very well until goalkeeper Philipp Jorgensen made a mistake in the 74th minute, which triggered a collapse.
In the first 70 minutes, Chelsea performed extremely well. However, they made a mistake and the score became 3-2. The score that should have stabilized at 20-level became 5-2. Then, you have to work hard to catch up with Paris.
This is the role of an experienced veteran, who can help the team control the game. This may only be a matter of solidifying the defense, making its own defense tight, and preventing the ball from being played directly from the backcourt. In the next 10 minutes, you can try a long pass to try to turn the situation around and make sure they can't steal the ball from you in a dangerous area. ".
Defender Marc Cucurella, speaking to The Athletic, reflected on the game against PSG and said, "We lacked players who had been through similar situations."
"You also need time. I know that young players will accumulate experience in the future," Cucurella said, "but you have to find a balance between the two."
United boss Behdad Egbali hinted in April that the team's recruitment strategy would soon change. Former head coach Liam Rossinier also hinted in April, and Egbali also talked about measures such as "introducing more players with immediate combat capabilities."
As a player, Minto played for Chelsea for three seasons and West Ham United for five seasons. In addition, he also played for Charlton Athletic, Benfica and Rotherham United. He is very aware of the impact of experienced professional players.
The most outstanding thing is that Dennis Wise is the captain. During the game, he may not have performed so well, but he will blame me for my poor performance.
This is what a captain should look like, even if you perform poorly, it will keep everyone else focused. West Ham United was also excellent. When we finished fifth in 1999, we had Ian Wright, Neil Ruddock, captain Steve Lomas and John Monkel in the team.
You know, we had young players like Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole… but they were able to fit into a dressing room with diverse personalities.
What I want to point out is not that Chelsea players do not have sufficiently distinct personalities. I think Reece James and Achraf Hakimi can be called the best right backs in the world. Enzo Fernandez was part of the World Cup winning team. Cole Palmer is a world-class talent. What I feel they lack is leadership, and by that I mean they haven't built a culture, they haven't set standards, they haven't been harsh on players who need improvement.
Based on the sense of nature, what method should Chelsea take to find those exemplary players? There are relevant data that can convey to the club's corresponding staff the specific performance of the players in the attacking third, or the players' own abilities in one-on-one confrontations. However, it is difficult to show how those players communicate with their teammates, or their behavior on the training ground.
A source who works as a scout for a Premier League club and asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships explained to The Athletic how clubs look for these qualities.
It is extremely important to observe players in person, not just online. Observing their behavior can often reveal a lot of information, such as whether the players actively participated in the training process, whether they listened attentively and carefully, whether they were in a specific small group, whether they actively expressed their opinions during the game, etc.
The source stressed that due diligence is key when assessing a player's character. This includes conducting exhaustive background checks into the personal lives of potential players. Sources say letters of recommendation are indispensable for understanding a player's leadership qualities, but for young players who have not yet demonstrated such qualities, obtaining such letters of recommendation may be extremely difficult.
A variation on BlueCo's long-standing strategy is these signings. Logically speaking, under certain circumstances, different measures may have to be taken at the salary and contract level. Chelsea is unlikely to give an eight-year contract to a player in his mid-twenties, and players with outstanding resumes may also have concerns about contracts with low base salaries and high incentive clauses.
These moves will require BlueCo to flex their ideas in a way they've never done before, but they could pay off handsomely.
Some players are experienced and well-informed, and their worth may be higher, but their resale value may not be high, Minto said, but they are extremely critical factors for the team's success.