Chelsea’s Premier League campaign kicks off at Craven Cottage in just a few days, so what better time to discuss some of Chelsea’s biggest unanswered questions heading into the 2026/27 season?
Honestly, it feels as though there are infinite questions and storylines to discuss from both a team and individual perspective, but I have done my best to pick out five. Starting with…
Embed from Getty Images1. Chelsea needs a culture and identity change, but can it happen in one season?
There is no denying there needs to be a culture and identity shift at Chelsea Football Club if we are going to compete for a Premier League title this season. The question is: with mostly the same squad, can a team change that drastically in the span of one season?
In recent years, Chelsea have built a reputation for being a young, erratic, and ill-disciplined side. The lack of discipline is unquestionable.
Chelsea received 8 red cards in the League last season, double that of any other team. Not only that, we were clearly a team that lacked maturity, experience, and composure, losing so many winnable games.
Maybe it is wishful thinking, but I believe this is the Chelsea of old, and Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea will be different. We have already seen proactive steps to address the inexperience of the squad through the signings of veterans Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck. Everyone in Chelsea’s squad is also a year older, with a year more experience and hopefully a year more growth.
Without being around the team, there is no way to know for sure if the culture is changing. However, all reports are positive, so we can only hope the culture is shifting.
Embed from Getty Images2. Can Cole Palmer get back to his best?
The first season and a half of Cole Palmer at Chelsea was genuinely unbelievable. Not only were his goal and assist numbers just out of this world, but he genuinely looked like one of the best players in the Premier League.
Fast forward to now. Palmer is coming off an injury-riddled season that saw his worst output in a Chelsea jersey to date. He managed just 11 goal contributions in the league last season, with 5 of those coming from penalty kicks. Far from horrible, but also far from the world-class numbers we know he is capable of.
This led to his omission from England’s World Cup squad, which may be a blessing in disguise, giving Palmer a much-needed break and hopefully some fire in the belly.
We all know Palmer possesses the quality to do special things on the pitch, and playing as a number 10 in Alonso’s system should give him plenty of opportunities to showcase his talent. In particular, I expect him to pick up a lot more assists after recording just one assist in the league last season.
If Palmer can get back to somewhere even close to his best, this Chelsea attack is going to be lethal.
Embed from Getty Images3. Can Reece James play 30+ league games?
I am a Reece James believer. I will die on the hill that he is one of the most complete footballers in world football. It enrages me when I listen to rival fans constantly label him as “overrated”. But they can always rely on one valid point: “availability is the best ability”. Well, it is finally time to silence the haters and for Reece James to start at least 30 league games this season.
I want to make it clear that everything that follows shall not carry any type of jinxing curse.
Chelsea’s captain is coming off his best season on the availability front since the 2020-21 season. He appeared in 29 league games, starting in 20 of them, for a total of 1,963 minutes. If he can play 30+ league games this season, ideally starting most of them, it would be an astronomical boost for Chelsea.
If there was ever a time to do it, it is now. Just one game a week; no need to risk him in any of the Cup games for now. Add in the fact that it looks like he may be playing in that right centre-back role; it should somewhat protect him from finding himself in more injury-prone situations.
Touchwood, pray, do whatever you have to, because a healthy Reece James would be monumental for Chelsea’s success this season.
Embed from Getty Images4. Is this Romeo Lavia’s last chance?
From one injury-prone player to another. It’s a tough topic to discuss because it is not the players’ fault that they keep getting injured, and you really do feel for these guys who are in a constant battle to stay available. But it is all part of the game.
Romeo Lavia is entering his 4th season at Chelsea. In his first three seasons, he has appeared in 42 games across all competitions. This has included 25 starts and a total of just 1850 minutes played in a Chelsea jersey all up. Yes, that’s right, in three seasons, Lavia has played fewer minutes across all competitions than Reece James did in the league last season alone.
He is still just 22 years old, but I get the feeling that this season may be his last chance to prove himself as a valuable member of this squad. In the very limited stints we have seen from Lavia, it is hard to argue with his talent.
He is strong defensively in the middle of the park, and looks comfortable as both a ball carrier and distributor in the midfield. Lavia could have a real role to play this season, especially if injuries hit.
He recently completed his first 90-minute performance for Chelsea in the preseason friendly against AC Milan. Hopefully this can be the start of an injury-free season where Lavia establishes himself as a starting-calibre Premier League midfielder.
Embed from Getty Images5. Just how many goals can João Pedro score this season?
I have actually bet money on João Pedro to win both the Golden Boot and PFA Player of the Year. Don’t worry, I did not bet much, as I am well aware I may be partially blinded by bias, but it shows you just how highly I rate him.
To say I am excited for João Pedro’s season is an understatement. Every time I watch him play, I feel like he is improving, and I can not wait to see him leading Xabi Alonso’s attack. Many people, including myself, have very high expectations for Chelsea’s attack this season as a unit, and if we are going to score 70+ goals, I can see João Pedro scoring 25 of them.
Maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself, but I really do believe we could see some insane numbers from him. How Ancelotti didn’t take him to the World Cup will forever baffle me, but he has a chance this season to assert himself as one of the world’s best forwards and ensure he is never left off a Brazil teamsheet again.
The only negative I can think of is him changing to the cursed Chelsea number 9 jersey. But the curse is fake, right? RIGHT???
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