Should Estêvão Be a Starter for Chelsea?
The ESPN FC team discussed whether Estêvão deserves a starting position for Chelsea after his impactful performance off the bench in their recent 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton.
The question of Chelsea’s success this season is more complex than it first appears. Typically, assessing a team’s performance is straightforward. For example, Wolverhampton, who Chelsea just defeated, is struggling without any wins and has already replaced their coach, likely facing relegation. In contrast, Sunderland, who recently drew with Arsenal, has performed remarkably well by sitting in fourth place, effectively securing their status in the top division for another year.
For most clubs in the Premier League, evaluating their season boils down to whether they have improved from the previous year and how sustainable their performance is compared to their financial investment in players.
Chelsea’s situation stands out as intricate. They currently hold third place, trailing only Arsenal and Manchester City. However, this ranking is influenced by various factors, including player availability, opponent difficulty, UEFA Champions League results, and sometimes contentious refereeing decisions.
Determining whether Chelsea’s campaign is a success is challenging, compounded by uncertainty surrounding their objectives. While other teams strive to win matches consistently, Chelsea’s goals are less clear.
Here are nine statistics that provide insight into Chelsea’s current season and what lies ahead.
80 Possessions
In their first 11 matches, Chelsea, under manager Enzo Maresca, is showing improvement compared to last season. Their adjusted goal differential has seen an uptick:
2024-25 adjusted goal differential: +0.56
2025-26 adjusted goal differential: +0.72
Remarkably, Chelsea has maintained consistent performance from last year. They also have a partnership with Strasbourg, a team in Ligue 1 that is thriving despite a significantly younger average player age.
The overarching question remains: is Chelsea’s aim to win trophies, or to develop a roster capable of achieving that in the future?
Recent decisions, such as replacing striker Nicolas Jackson with Joâo Pedro and Liam Delap, leave doubts. Jackson has struggled to make an impact, taking fewer than two shots per match, while Delap’s profile doesn’t seem fitting for a title-contending side. Furthermore, transferring winger Noni Madueke to a rival leaves Chelsea without a crucial contributor, especially as Madueke was instrumental for Arsenal, a team currently frontrunner for both the Premier League and Champions League titles.
Chelsea’s strategic choices have not aligned with maximizing on-field results. Last season, while they allowed the fewest goals, they only ranked seventh in scoring. This discrepancy highlights their underlying issues, as they generated a high number of expected goals but have failed to strengthen their defense adequately.
As the season progresses, Chelsea’s uncertainties loom larger, potentially exceeding those faced by any other team in the Premier League. The return of players from injury and the hope of reducing red cards may bolster their campaign, but the tougher upcoming fixtures could reveal vulnerabilities that have appeared during hectic schedules.
Despite the recent turmoil and potential future developments, one aspect remains unchanged: Chelsea has averaged 1.8 points per game over 11 matches, indicating they may end the season with 69 points, mirroring their result from the previous year.
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