3 Changes Sarri needs to make to turn Chelsea into title contenders

#2 - Transfer Market pragmatism-

Chelsea need to invest in their squad

Maurizio Sarri, when asked recently whether he had requested signings in the January transfer window, denied the need to do so.

“I have to think I only have to help these players to improve. It is too easy to go into the market for every problem. I think we need to improve and we need to improve with these players because they can improve"

Sarri is the type of manager, who believes in improving his squad by 'coaching his players to be better' rather than dipping into the transfer market.

While this is an admirable and endearing quality Sarri needs to take a more pragmatic approach to football if he is going to win his first league title in his history as a manager.

Pep Guardiola, a similar manager stylistically and a football hipster favourite did not achieve the success he has had at Manchester City purely by coaching his players to become better.

Since Guardiola joined Manchester City, the club has invested a whopping 402.64 million pounds outspending Chelsea (151.42 million) by an almost 3:1 ratio. (This adding to the already massive 272.92 million pounds 'invested' under Pellegrini).

Note - this figure is after profits from sales of players are taken into account i.e net spend and not total expenses. Net spend unlike total expenditure reflects the amount invested by the club to improve the squad.

Guardiola did not waste his time trying to coach older players like Zabaleta, Yaya Toure, Kolarov, Navas and Sagna. Instead, he replaced them with expensive young players who could be given the final touches to their development.

While Sarri must work towards bringing the best out of young Chelsea players like Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek - he must actively use the transfer market to replace players older than 30 like Willian, Pedro and others.

To beat a club like Manchester City which is outspending you massively as it is - relying mainly on 'coaching' alone is not an answer.

Roman Abramovic has never been an owner known for showing patience when it comes to managers if they don't deliver titles immediately.

Sarri must keep this in mind.