"Ask most Chelsea fans what Liam Rosenior's side lacks, and many will respond with a lack of leadership and experience in central defence. It's been that way ever since Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger left. After clocking up more than 200 appearances for Chelsea, 32-year-old Rudiger left Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2022."
"During his four years at Chelsea, Silva clocked up more than 150 appearances for Chelsea and helped the Blues win the Champions League, the Super Cup and the 2021 Club World Cup. A true winner."
"Thiago Silva left the club in 2024 to return to Brazil with Fluminense after four years at Chelsea. Since then, the Blues have struggled in the middle of the defence. The former Paris Saint-Germain captain is still playing at the highest level at the ripe old age of 41, incredibly."
Chelsea fans identify a significant gap in defensive leadership following the departures of Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger. Rudiger, who made over 200 appearances for Chelsea, left for Real Madrid in 2022 and is set to depart in June. Silva exited in 2024 to join Fluminense before moving to Porto, where he continues playing at age 41. Ray Parlour has suggested Chelsea re-sign Rudiger, with recent defensive struggles exemplified by the 1-1 draw against Burnley. During his four Chelsea years, Silva made over 150 appearances and won the Champions League, Super Cup, and Club World Cup. Rudiker recently named Silva in his all-time greatest XI, alongside elite defenders like Sergio Ramos and Roberto Carlos.
#chelsea-defensive-crisis #thiago-silva-legacy #antonio-rudiger-departure #central-defence-experience
Read at The Chelsea Chronicle
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]