Chelsea: 6 Reasons the Blues Will Be Stronger Than Last Year

It's not bad being a Chelsea fan, after all, in a transitional season the Blues collected another trophy under the guidance of Rafael Benitez in the Europa League.

Benitez might not have been loved by the majority of the fans, but he did some good things and set up the Blues to be title contenders this year.

It might not have been a smooth ride, but by ensuring third place—thus avoiding the Champions League qualifiers—and delivering a cup final for a largely young squad, Benitez has handed over the club in the best possible way for Jose Mourinho.

There are many reasons for fans to be optimistic that this may be the start of another glorious cycle of success.

Here is my take on why Chelsea will be stronger this season:

Managerial Upgrade

This might be one of the more obvious reasons, but Jose Mourinho—despite a poor end to his tenure at Real Madrid—remains one of the best managers in the world.

Rafael Benitez is not nearly as bad of a manager as some Chelsea fans will tell you, but it is undeniable that Mourinho will offer a greater command of the club and thus demand greater respect from the players.

Benitez should receive plenty of respect due to his achievements in the game, but with the title of interim manager, it is only natural that some players might not have given their all during the Spaniard's short spell at the club.

The former Inter Milan manager knows that the situation at the club is perfect for him to replicate his usual formula for success.

With the backing of a owner, plenty of funds available for new players and complete control of the dressing room, Mourinho is ready to give Chelsea a huge boost in the dugout.

Summer Buys Settled and Ready to Deliver

Chelsea have added plenty more talent to an already formidable squad.

The Blues made the major signings of Andre Schurrle and Marco van Ginkel, as well as recalling former loanees Kevin de Bruyne and Michael Essien.

Chelsea now have added youth to an already young squad, which should bring more pace and athleticism to be able to suit any style that Mourinho deems appropriate to deliver success.

Schurrle can play in any of the four most advanced positions in Mourinho's preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, de Bruyne is happy in any of the three supporting roles behind the striker and van Ginkel—while more at home in an advanced central attacking midfield role—gives a new freshness to the double pivot in front of the back four.

Importantly, these new additions are hungry for success and will offer that extra desire that existing champions sometimes lack—Manchester City experienced this last season.

Michael Essien has plenty of experience winning trophies, but as a loyal soldier of sorts to Mourinho, the Ghanaian can be relied upon to provide extra competition in the squad.

There is even a personal challenge for Essien to prove he can make it on his return to Chelsea after a year away.

These new additions joined the squad relatively early in the summer and have taken part in the Blues' pre-season, which will also help them to be able to deliver what they are capable of from the off.

Potential for More Additions Late in the Window

Chelsea have made some smart additions to the squad already, but it is clear that the Blues are prepared to add another player or two before the window shuts.

Previous interest in Wayne Rooney may resurface and the England international's future will have a major bearing on where the title goes.

An alternative has potentially been found in Samuel Eto'o, with the player reported to be keen on linking up with his former boss at Inter Milan, according to the Mail.

If Chelsea can sign another striker to provide proven quality to the raw talent of Romelu Lukaku and further options in Demba Ba and Fernando Torres, Mourinho would have a wealth of attacking options capable of bringing them to glory this season.

Squad Trimmed of Dead Wood

Chelsea have done some smart business bringing in some of the most talented players in Europe this summer, but it has also been essential to discard some of the players who were incapable of contributing to the Mourinho project.

Major departures included Yossi Benayoun, Oriol Romeu, Florent Malouda, Marko Marin, Ross Turnbull and Paolo Ferreira.

While some of those names were not bad for morale, successful squads tend to thrive when each player at least has some small part to play.

Squad players are now hungrier and more determined to force their way into the first team, such as de Bruyne and Van Ginkel.

This will generally have a positive effect on the team and form a tighter bond in the group.

Experienced Players with Points to Prove

While it is essential to have some younger, hungrier players in the squad, experience will always count for something.

The Blues have plenty of that, too, with proven winners with hundreds of international caps between them, including Frank Lampard, John Terry, Michael Essien and Fernando Torres.

These four players in particular have a lot to prove, both to ensure their stay at the club is prolonged and to just win places in the first team, as none are guaranteed spots.

If experienced players are humble enough to fight for their place and work as hard as they did in their prime—which seems to be the case—it can be a key ingredient to a successful team.

The younger players will take on a lot from these proven winners, learning the art of winning from team mates that have contributed to the club winning 11 trophies in eight years.

Winning Mentality Generated from Europa League Triumph

Chelsea might have greater ambitions that the Europa League and many have scoffed at that trophy even counting towards a successful season for the Blues, but it should have a knock-on effect.

The Blues' triumph in Amsterdam will be the beginning of a sustained period of success, as it has given the players a taste of success.

It will also have instilled belief and confidence that they can do the business in the biggest games that count, finals.

No longer will the younger players be overwhelmed by the occasion, potentially freezing when games of this magnitude come around again.

Winning a trophy will have also brought the group together in a positive manner, as it is of course much easier to build a good atmosphere in the camp when the team has experienced success together.