Glen Johnson believes Chelsea's young squad can compete for the Premier League title next season, although the Club World Cup may strain their performance. Chelsea has not been a serious title contender since 2016/17, finishing fourth under manager Enzo Maresca. Consistency was a major issue last season, marked by a poor stretch of form that jeopardized their Champions League qualification. Johnson noted that while the Club World Cup offers exciting matchups, it also complicates players' rest periods before a grueling league schedule.
"As a player, you look forward to the summer because you need a rest to be able to cope with the demanding season coming, so to then go and have however many other competitive games when you could be having a rest doesn't sit well."
"The biggest thing that let them down last year was consistency. They put in some performances where you thought 'bloody hell - they're going to be tough to beat', but then they'd go and lose a silly game."
"Chelsea finished fourth in Maresca's first season in charge, with a run of two wins in 10 league matches between December and February turning their strong start into a battle for Champions League qualification."
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