Chelsea attacker Willian has revealed that the players from the club are happy for Gonzalo Higuain after the striker scored a brace against Huddersfield Town during the weekend. Maurizio Sarri’s side comprehensively outplayed the struggling club and went on to win 5-0.
Chelsea ace Willian has backed his club’s new signing Gonzalo Higuain to shine at the club. Higuain arrived at Stamford Bridge this month on a six-month loan deal from Juventus.
Having plundered goals for fun during his time at Napoli, is Gonzalo Higuain to replicate such prolificness in front of goal at Chelsea?
Willian has thanked the large Brazilian contingent at Chelsea in having helped him settle quickly at the club when he arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk in August 2013.
Maurizio Sarri believes it is impossible for Willian to leave Chelsea in January amid reports of the Blues winger being the subject of a cash-plus-player bid from Barcelona.
Eden Hazard has been totally faultless in the Premier League so far this term and has been the best player in the league by a mile so far. But it is clear that his Chelsea team-mates are overly reliant on his ability to win games single-handedly and Willian has addressed that issue amidst claims that his side’s star man will miss the next two matches.
Willian has revealed that after the Ianni incident in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United, everyone calmed down while walking down the tunnel.
Former Chelsea manager and Netherlands football legend Ruud Gullit has claimed that Eden Hazard and Willian do not pass the ball to their teammate Alvaro Morata because they “do not trust” his ability.
Willian has revealed he has no qualms regarding which wing he plays at for Chelsea, saying he will play at whichever flank Maurizio Sarri tells him to.
After a whirlwind past couple of months for Willian, in which he courted controversy with an Instagram post, flirted with interest from two Spanish giants and delayed his return to training at Cobham, the Brazilian winger seems to have finally settled at West London.
It’s no secret that a number of Antonio Conte’s relationships at Chelsea fell apart towards the back end of last season. David Luiz and Willian were the two main outcasts following Diego Costa’s argument-fuelled departure to Atletico 12 months ago. The latter was heavily linked to a summer move away with Manchester United and Barcelona reportedly interested but the Brazilian wideman has now said he will be a Blues player on September 1st.
Chelsea winger Willian has blasted the club’s former manager Antonio Conte. Despite having led the Blues to FA Cup glory during his last game in charge, Conte was recently sacked as manager of the club and has been replaced by Maurizio Sarri.
Willian has broken his silence regarding his future at Chelsea, saying he intends to stick it out at Stamford Bridge following talks with Maurizio Sarri.
There has certainly been more talk of outgoings at Chelsea this summer than incomings but with just a week until the transfer window closes, it looks as though the Blues will make a signing or two. Rumours of Willian potentially leaving have reportedly forced Maurizio Sarri into considering a move for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha.
Maurizio Sarri has revealed he looks forward to having a conversation with Willian after conveying his displeasure at the Brazilian’s late return to Chelsea following the World Cup.
One of the ongoing transfer sagas of this summer has been Real Madrid’s reported pursuit of Eden Hazard from Chelsea and as that looks to have petered out, Los Blancos are supposedly interested in bringing one of his team-mates to the Bernabeu.
In what could be seen as a massive blow for new Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, it appears that Brazilian winger Willian sees his future away from Stamford Bridge.
Willian will be going all out against Eden Hazard and Belgium when they meet in the quarterfinals of this year’s World Cup.
Despite picking up the Players’ Player of the Season accolade at the end of season awards at Stamford Bridge, last season wasn’t Willian’s best since his arrival in London. After spending a lot more time on the bench than he would’ve expected, the Brazilian has admitted it was ‘difficult‘ as it was something he hasn’t had to get used to.
Chelsea will be looking to make a number of changes this summer as they will want to forget about the abysmal season they have had. At least one member of the squad could be prepared to leave and has been throwing shade on social media.
Chelsea’s season may not have gone so well, but there was still cause for celebration as the club held their annual awards night on Thursday.
The international break is finally over for another couple of months and the Chelsea players will be returning to Cobham with Tottenham Hotspur taking their focus on Sunday, a side that have not been able to beat the Blues at Stamford Bridge in 28 years.
With the international break halfway through this weekend as the Premier League pauses, a number of Chelsea players are keeping fit by representing their countries ahead of, for many, this summer’s World Cup tournament which takes place in Russia.
It would not be an exaggeration to call Willian Chelsea’s saviour at the moment.
The Brazilian winger, 29, has this uncanny ability to assume the mantle of Chelsea’s hero at the most opportune of times. It happened in 2015 as Chelsea attempted that lamentable defence of their Premier League title under Jose Mourinho. It was one of the most forgettable seasons in Chelsea’s history but Willian’s efforts helped to lend it some dignity.
The Blues’ title defence this time around is not nearly as bad but it has still been seriously wanting. Willian once again seems the player most ready to step up to the plate by delivering one inspiring performance after another. His goal against crystal palace was his fifth in as many games, bringing in season tally for Chelsea to 13. Only Eden Hazard has scored more this season, and Willian has never been more prolific since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
His stunning form has meant that a player who so often in the past had to settle for a place on the bench is now virtually undroppable.
The Chelsea boss may have preferred Pedro to Willian for most of the season so far but he was singing the number 22’s praises after the win over crystal palace.
“You can see that if a player stays in great form I’m the first to pick him in the starting XI,” Conte told his press conference. “Willian is playing in a fantastic way, but I want to underline, not only with the ball, also without the ball.
“He’s working very hard and he’s helping the team without the ball. He’s showing great maturity at this point of his career. In my heart I hope to see him at this level, to continue this performance. He’s playing very well with the ball, without the ball.
“It’s important to have balance within the game, because when we lose our balance it’s very difficult.”
This means that Willian is almost assured of his starting berth against Barcelona on Wednesday. If the speedster continues where you left off in the first leg of the tie, the likes of Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti will certainly have something to think about at Camp Nou.
Chelsea’s number 22 could easily have had a hat trick in that game had the posts not been so kind to Barcelona (and suspiciously thicker).
Ahead of the game, the player himself has spoken of his joy in having secured his spot in Conte’s Starting XI. He told Chelsea FC’s magazine on Tuesday:
“I think you have to enjoy yourself on the pitch. To play football, you have to be happy. I have to enjoy this moment now. When you start to play more games, or when you play every match, you have confidence and things are good for you, then you can keep smiling.”
If William graces the Camp Nou pitch on Wednesday, as indeed he appears likely to, every Chelsea fan will have a reason to be optimistic.
Featured image: Twitter
This season has become largely frustrating for those involved with Chelsea and has led to talk of changes being made in the near future. The club has failed to replicate the success of last term’s title-winning campaign, producing a largely mixed bag of results, including heavy defeats to the likes of AFC Bournemouth and Watford, whilst also putting in a solid performance against Barcelona in the Champions League.