Levi Colwill takes on central role as Chelsea seek ‘winners only’ mentality | Chelsea

CHelsea never won a popularity competition during the Roman era of Abramovich. Calling them unpleasant is intended for a compliment. Infused with a champion’s mind after appointing José Mourinho in 2004, Chelsea was renowned for their resilience and rumble, impossible to intimidate and more anxious to win trophies than to know if foreigners thought they were a large group of guys or loved their style of play.

Their mentality was unrivaled and lasted even after the departure of Mourinho. Since the sale of Abramovich in 2022, Chelsea has taken a very different road when it comes to building a cloakroom culture. There are no ready -to -use talents at Stamford Bridge and there have been many times in the last three years when supporters have wondered why a team formerly gathered by Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba lacked so much character.

Abramovich’s successors have finished listening to their criticism. Pilomied to embark on a strategy of targeting young players on long contracts, the justification of ownership of the property of the capital Todd Boehly-Clearlake arrives. The argument that managers can be developed are starting to hold water, even if it remains valid to assert that the priming of one or two stars established in key positions could help Chelsea overcome the line in large competitions. Paris Saint-Germain did not win the Champions League with a team of children; They also had Marquinhos (31 years old) in defense, Fabián Ruiz (29) playing brilliantly in the midfield and Ousmane Dembélé (28) score to have fun in advance.

Despite this, there is an increasing feeling that Chelsea emerges from adversity and upheavals after the change of property with a stronger mentality and greater conviviality. There was a particular satisfaction in the way they behaved against Benfica during the last 16 of the club World Cup last Saturday. An implosion would not have been surprising after a full delay lasting almost two hours was followed by Benfica forcing an additional time after a controversial penalty of 95th minute.

Chelsea replied, winning 4-1 to set up a quarter-final with Palmeiras and many have been made of Levi Colwill’s performance. Admittedly, it was risky when the central defender stirred a finger at the referee, Slavko Vinceic, and seemed to swear to the Slovenian after Benfica received their kicks. There are generally ramifications to behave like that and Colwill had the chance not to receive at least one yellow card. Chelsea will expect the 22 -year -old to channel his emotions better.

Likewise, they like Colwill to show a fight and a desire and he has intensified and assured more responsibilities in recent months. Colwill scored the winner when Chelsea won the qualification in the Champions League by defeating Nottingham Forest at the end of last season and his assault turned out to be vital against Benfica. He refused to be the victim of intimidation and was involved in the turn of the game, pressing high to win possession and attract Gianluca Prestianni to a fault that led the 19-year-old striker to be sent with the match locked at 1-1.

There is room for improvement. As a product of the academy, Colwill is subject to more pressure than most to show leadership in central defense. Fans require a lot of their own. Proving that you can be the next Terry is not easy.

Colwill knows that he is not the finished article. He has hardened in the past 12 months, but Chelsea wants him to be even more strengthening and becoming more dominant in the air.

“We could have been here for ages,” he said after asking what part of his game should be better. “I am far from the place where I would like to be. The defense of Un-V-Un has been difficult, but I think I have proven that I am a little improve. I am sometimes when I try to make passes and there are other moments when I was a little lazy.”

The English international is hard with himself. “You have to be if you want to be the best and you are trying the best possible things,” he said. “You might think that a pass is easy – you can get away from your mind. You remove your mind for half a second and it can make a big and big difference.

“We all know how great this club is and how club culture has always been to win. We are just trying to strengthen this for young boys, the boys who arrived, that this club is for the winners. This is what we have to strive. This is what we want to do together. ”

Colwill echoed that Chelsea said internally. They see a group of children grow up together. There was an amusement of the Cole Palmer also languid that loses its composure and picked up a reservation to be involved in a push match after the Prestianni red card. Maybe some of the old rumbles come back.