1 hour ago Chelsea's nonaccomplishment to suffice for Europe volition assistance them go "a existent threat" successful the Premier League adjacent season, says erstwhile Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney.
A 2-1 decision astatine Sunderland connected Sunday brought down the curtain connected a disappointing play for the Blues, who person sacked Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior on the way.
While they began the run caller from being crowned Club World Cup winners successful July, the effect connected Wearside allowed the Black Cats to assertion the last Europa League spot astatine Chelsea's expense.
Chelsea, who started the time supra Sunderland successful eighth, slipped to 10th, to besides decorativeness a constituent and 2 spots down Brighton, who qualified for the Conference League.
It is lone the 3rd clip since 1995-96 that Chelsea person ended a top-flight play successful 10th spot oregon lower.
However, they notably recovered to triumph the rubric successful 2016-17 having been successful precisely the aforesaid presumption astatine the decision of the erstwhile season.
With Xabi Alonso taking the reins successful July arsenic their caller manager, Rooney believes Chelsea volition go a large force.
"I deliberation they'll beryllium a existent menace adjacent season," Rooney said connected the Wayne Rooney Podcast.
"Obviously having 1 crippled a week, and past with Alonso coming in, I deliberation it's breathtaking for the Premier League due to the fact that I deliberation he's got the imaginable to beryllium a apical manager.
"It gives him a play of clip to consciousness his mode into the nine and get his ideas across. So I deliberation it volition payment the shot club."
Rooney's aged nine Manchester United had nary European commitments this play and finished the run powerfully to instrumentality 3rd spot successful the Premier League.
Chelsea precocious done the league signifier of the Champions League this word earlier suffering their joint-heaviest decision successful a two‑leg European tie, losing 8-2 connected aggregate astatine the hands of holders Paris St-Germain successful the past 16.
Rooney stressed that a little congested fixture database volition lone service to payment the Blues, who volition person the vantage of much clip connected the writer together.
"Pre-season this twelvemonth for each the managers astatine each the apical clubs volition beryllium disrupted, obviously, due to the fact that of the World Cup," Rooney added.
"I deliberation that's wherever it volition payment Alonso, due to the fact that he'll person that clip erstwhile the play starts to get his ideas across. The teams successful Europe mightiness conflict a small bit. It could beryllium an other 3 days a week [on the grooming pitch]."
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