With the 2015-16 Premier League starting at the weekend, RoM has spoken to rival fans about the season ahead. Chelsea fan Ramon Isaac has shared his thoughts.
Scott: Well, we know how Chelsea did in 2014-15, but tell us about it anyway.
Ramon: As well as expected I think. We had the best team in the league and were rarely ever in danger of being caught, Mourinho’s confidence from the season before in what he would be able to deliver in his second season just seemed to spread to everyone at the club, including the fans. It was an amazing feeling to be champions again, I’d almost forgotten what it was like.
Winning the League Cup was great. I think it’s easy to dismiss trophies once your knocked out of them but the joy of winning never gets old.
Given the circumstances, the Champions League was ultimately disappointing but PSG were very good against us with 10 men. We played into their hands and got punished for it. I’m not going to dwell on it too long because we’ve had a lot of success doing the same to opposing teams.
My biggest worry from the season was the quality in depth for certain positions. Our starting XI is unrivalled but our squad players didn’t step up for the most part. Oscar and Willian were left playing far too many minutes because alternatives couldn’t be trusted and there were no replacement for Fabregas or Costa in the team.
Scott: How do you expect them to do in 2015-16?
Ramon: I expect us to pretty much replicate our season from last year. I think two trophies including the league will be the end result. In my eyes we are still by far and away the most complete team in the league without a noticeable weakness when everyone is fit.
I’d like us to put up more of a fight in the Champions League but I don’t think there is enough depth or versatility in the squad to win.
With everyone having another season to work together, you’d like to see more consistency in our style of play. We were electric at the start of the season! I know many have claimed we retreated into a defensive shell for the second half but I genuinely think we were simply not playing as well and had lost all sort of chemistry up front, Hazard and Willian being exempt.
Scott: Does it matter that you lost the Community Shield?
Ramon: It definitely would have been nice to win, it’s never fun losing, especially to Arsenal. It was funny seeing the relief in Arsenal fans that Wenger beat Mourinho, even if it was a friendly. I don’t think it will have an impact on the league, we haven’t won a game all pre season and I’m still full of confidence.
Scott: Who do you think will be your best player?
Ramon: Hazard. There’s no doubt. You can point to John Terry’s amazing season and Matic being the best at his role in the league but Hazard is the star. He’s the most creative player, he’s the most dangerous player and arguably the most consistent player in the team. The best player in the league by some distance at the moment and he’s definitely going from strength to strength under Mourinho. I spend most games marvelling at what Hazard can do.
Scott: Not Falcao?
Ramon: Falcao was an incredible striker from his time at Porto to Atletico and arguably the most lethal in that period but we have previously bought two world class strikers (at the time) with knee injuries and they were a shadow of themselves. All you need to do is look at how Kaka’s career came crashing down from being the world’s best player. As you can tell, I don’t hold much hope in a return to his best but he can certainly play a part, I think he’s better suited to play with us than he was at United.
Scott: How highly do you rate Mourinho?
Ramon: I absolutely adore Mourinho and I’m not quiet about it either. I know some people have an indifference towards him, including a few of our own fans but he’s the ultimate winner and the players love him. That’s all I care about. Some managers are pressured into a particular style of play by the fans or by a socially constructed identity attributed to a club. Mourinho does what’s best for the club to get the most points and be champions. Only the ignorant will say he merely sets out to defend all the time. Boring boring champions.
Scott: Are you happy with your team’s business in the transfer window?
Ramon: If the window closed now, we’d have a weaker squad than we did at this time last year. Losing Cech is not necessarily going to make the biggest difference to our team with Courtois around but we’ve strengthened one of our closest rivals no end by letting him go to Arsenal.
Filipe Luis has gone and that means Kurt Zouma is our first alternative at right/left back, which is not a position I’d like our defence to be in. I’m not expecting much from Falcao, I hope he regains form as his performance against us for Atletico was one of the best I’ve seen but we’ve had too many reminders in our past that a knee injury can cripple a striker for good.
With that said, we’re the team everyone is chasing to be as good as and they will need to prove that they have. It just would’ve been nice to sign Pogba.
Scott: Where do you think United will finish this season?
Ramon: Top four that’s for sure, Schweinsteiger was a great signing and I think a lot will rest on how effective Depay is but I’m going with fourth. In spite of City’s obvious flaws at the back, they have Aguero and Silva who I’d say are the two best players between Arsenal, City and United. There isn’t much between the three teams but I think you need another season before you truly challenge.
Scott: If you could have one United player in your team, who would it be?
Ramon: GIVE JUAN BACK!
Scott: Who do you think will win the league?
Ramon: Chelsea. By 8 points.
