Chelsea are off to a flying start following a last-minute goal from Diego Costa sealed a 2-1 victory against the Hammers.
Although the Blues dominated the majority of the game, it is evident that there is still much to improve on as Chelsea struggled to make a breakthrough prior to the 89th minute.
With two weeks left in the transfer window, Antonio Conte may need to look further to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season.
1. Striker
Since his arrival at the Bridge, Conte has publicly addressed his desire to play two strikers upfront.
With Loic Remy looking like he’s heading for an exit, Chelsea must find attacking support for Costa and new-boy Michy Batshuayi.
Conte had previously looked to midfielder, Ruben Loftus-Cheek to fill this role in pre-season, but coupled with a lack of experience in the league, the former midfielder may need more time to adjust to his new position before leading the attack for the title contenders.
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has been linked with a return to his former club, but unless Lukaku gets assurance of playing time, it is unlikely he will agree to the same bit-part role he took on prior to his transfer to the Toffees two years ago.
2. Full-back
With Baba Rahman now out on loan, youngster Ola Aina is the only support left for full-backs Cesar Azpilicueta and Branislav Ivanovic.
Ivanovic may bring plenty of experience to the squad and still have a couple of years down the road, but he has been the centre of controversy with the Chelsea faithful for his lack of speed and crossing ability.
Should the wing-backs lose out on matches because of injuries or cards, Chelsea’s decision not to scout for another experienced player can possibly come back to haunt them.
3. Centre-back
Before last year’s horrendous record, Chelsea had relied heavily on a sturdy defence to see out games. In fact, the Blues held the best defensive record two years ago in their title-winning season.
But with Kurt Zouma still out on a lengthy injury, Chelsea are left without a proper substitute to cover for John Terry and Gary Cahill.
At the age of 35, Terry has certainly passed his prime. With only a year left on his contract, Terry may be forced to follow in the footsteps of club legends Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba in continuing his career elsewhere in the coming years.
The Blues had reportedly opted for John Stones in the previous summer, but the English centre-back had signed for Manchester City instead during this transfer window.
If Chelsea were to leave last year’s disaster behind, they must find a suitable defender or once again be left vulnerable at the back.
Conte’s men have trained hard for the coming season, but if they were to truly challenge for the title, the club must bring a few more reinforcements in order to keep up with the rest of the contenders.
