The former Liverpool defender feels that the Blues’ signings this summer give them the advantage over their rivals.
Jamie Carragher feels that Chelsea are in pole position to win the Barclays Premier League in Jose Mourinho’s second season back in charge of the club, following a summer in which Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and Filipe Luis have been added to the squad.
Speaking to JOE in the run-up to the new season, which begins today, Carragher feels that the quality of Mourinho’s new signings mean trouble for Chelsea’s rivals.
“I think the three signings Chelsea have made [are great],” he said.
“There’s a lot of experience with Fabregas, I was a big fan of the left-back Filipe Luis – I thought he was outstanding. There are still a couple of question marks with Diego Costa after his performance in the World Cup, I think from people in this country, but I think the people who’ve watched the Spanish football on Sky will know his quality.
“They’re three experienced players and they’re my tip to win the league, Chelsea.”
Carragher, understandably, had a lot to say about the club where he played his entire career and he feels that Liverpool will be under far more pressure to deliver this season after a season in which they only missed out on the Barclays Premier League by two points.
“It’s never easy to bring that amount of players in but they will all be needed,” Carragher said, referring to the signings of Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren from Southampton, as well as Emre Can, Javier Manquillo and Divock Origi, who will remain with Lille for the coming season before moving to Anfield in 2015.
“That was a problem for Liverpool last season, the strength of the squad, the strength on the bench, obviously Liverpool now have a bigger and better squad but it will be more difficult because of the added scrutiny of what they did last season.”
The Reds, of course, sold Luis Suarez to Barcelona and are still looking to fill the sizable gap left by the Uruguayan.
While Carragher was disappointed to see Suarez leave from a fan’s perspective, he understood why Rodgers saw fit to cash in on the 27-year-old.
“How can you ever say it’s right to sell a player of that quality? But I think with the [biting] incident at the World Cup it was obvious he wanted to go, he had a buyout clause, and he was always going to go.
“I think on the back of the incident at the World Cup and other incidents, I think it was best all round that he moved on and Liverpool went in a different direction. That’s not to say I’m not gutted, as a supporter, that I’m not going to see Luis Suarez anymore because he’s one of the greatest players ever to play for the club.”
Carragher was asked whether Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard would feel the effects of losing the Barclays Premier League title in such dramatic fashion to Manchester City – his infamous slip against Chelsea still fresh in the memory – as well as England’s poor showing in Brazil.
“Oh he’ll be fine,” insisted Carragher.
“You don’t play at the top as long as he has without having the [mental strength] as well as the ability that we know he has. He’s been questioned throughout his career, that’s part of being a top player, there’s always people looking for chinks in the armour.
“He’s had a bad couple of months but he’s honest enough to admit that himself, not many players do, and I think doing that shows the mental strength that he has. He’ll go again, he’s done that throughout his career.”
