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Chelsea fire sale: Antonio Conte right to sell these five in January?

By Craig Pearson

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 24: Diego Costa of Chelsea reacts to Arsenal scoring during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 24: Diego Costa of Chelsea reacts to Arsenal scoring during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Gary Cahill of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Gary Cahill of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

4. Gary Cahill

Gary Cahill is the epitome of how a player can fit well into one system and then look a totally different player in another. Cahill has never been a standout, world-class centre-back. But he has been steady, solid and reliable.

Not anymore. Cahill suited perfect Jose Mourinho’s tight, compact team where counter-attacks were so important. Now, under Antonio Conte, Chelsea actually want the ball a bit more. The problem for Cahill is that he has to have the ball a lot more. And in dangerous parts of the pitch.

Cahill is not used to playing out from the back. Not with Chelsea prior and not with Aston Villa where he learnt his trade. To be fair to Cahill, nobody in midfield is showing for the ball either, much of the time.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 20: Nemanja Matic of Chelsea and Gary Cahill of Chelsea look dejected during the EFL Cup Third Round match between Leicester City and Chelsea at The King Power Stadium on September 20, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 20: Nemanja Matic of Chelsea and Gary Cahill of Chelsea look dejected during the EFL Cup Third Round match between Leicester City and Chelsea at The King Power Stadium on September 20, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

The centre-back on the ball is supposed to have options and that is rarely the case right now. Regardless, you must not turn the ball over on the edge of your own box under any circumstances. Cahill has been doing exactly that recently.

He was fouled before his mistake against Swansea City initially, but he was also already in a situation where he had allowed the attacker to press him and get that close whilst he was still fumbling around with the ball.

It’s just not something he’s used to doing and it’s not something he’s going to get used to doing as a 30-year-old. Conte might be right to move the centre-back on in January. If you can’t do what’s necessary, then there’s no point sticking around.

Conte is short on centre-backs though, so he’ll need to bring at least one in beforehand.

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