5 Things for Chelsea Fans to Look Forward to in 2016/17 Season
After a dismal season last year, it should be all doom and gloom for Chelsea fans. Not only did the Blues put in the worst defence of a Premier League title in over 20 years, they also finished outside of the top six.
With no silverware won, it all means for the first time in two decades, Chelsea have no European football to play in 2016/17.
That's all in the past, though. Chelsea fans have plenty to be looking forward to, notably a new manager who has the potential to restore them at the top of the English game once more.
Antonio Conte has already whet the appetite with how his Italy side has performed at Euro 2016, leaving Chelsea fans relishing his arrival at Stamford Bridge next month.
Conte isn't the only positive thing for Blues fans. There is plenty more, so join Bleacher Report as we take a closer look.
A New System
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We're still speculating on what system Antonio Conte will be deploying at Chelsea next season. Will it be a 3-5-2, like we saw at Juventus and now with the Italy national team? Will he go back to a more traditional 4-4-2? Maybe a 4-3-3, like Jose Mourinho used in his first spell at the club?
We don't know yet. What's clear, though, is that Conte isn't going to be persevering with the 4-2-3-1 that so restricted Chelsea last season.
Come May, the formation that had won Chelsea the title a year earlier looked tired and old. The system didn't get the best out of creative players and made Chelsea appear predictable. That's got to change.
Conte spoke recently about his football philosophy.
"I do everything except counter-attacks," he told journalists at a press conference (h/t Matt Lewis of Get West London) ahead of Euro 2016.
"When we have the ball, we have our ideas. When we lose the ball, we try to be tight, press the opposition and try to win it back as soon as possible.
"Counter-attacks are when you sit back and then propel yourself forward at pace...In my idea of football we want to play the game and use the ball."
The 4-2-3-1 doesn't allow for that style.
No European Football
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The choice of image above is very deliberate. It serves as a reminder of the memories the Champions League has given Chelsea.
Winning the competition in 2012 is the greatest achievement in the club's history. For the best chance of repeating that success in the near future, not being in European competition next season is a major positive.
Sure, that perspective contradicts everything Chelsea have been about since Roman Abramovich's arrival in 2003. They're an elite club and thrive on winning silverware, so it makes sense they would want to be in Europe in 2016/17.
With the state of Chelsea's squad and the surgery needed to bring about an equilibrium in west London, the challenges of being in Europe isn't what they need, though. Antonio Conte needs time to rebuild the club, and by not jetting across Europe every week, the Italian has time on the training ground to get his ideas across.
Chelsea should know by now that there aren't any quick fixes in sport. They've gone down that route and are paying the price now. The hope for Conte is that a reduced schedule is going to help him bring about the changes needed at Stamford Bridge, building a team that is ready for an assault in 2017/18.
It's come about through failure, but Chelsea have been gifted a chance to build something strong again.
More Chances for Rising Youth Team Stars
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Again, like with Chelsea's new system (see Slide 1), we're speculating here. But as much as we're playing a guessing game, the fact Chelsea don't have European football, there's every chance for Antonio Conte to give more academy stars their chance to impress next season.
A big factor in Chelsea not blooding their youth in recent years has been down to the level of competition the club has been involved in. Regardless of ability, it's difficult for any manager to trust a younger player when his future is on the line if Chelsea fail in Europe and other competitions.
With less games to play, it could mean Conte builds his new Chelsea around those players who are coming through.
It doesn't mean the manager shouldn't be bringing in some new faces. Chelsea need to reinforce the spine of the team, so a world class defender, midfielder and striker are required.
Outside of that, Conte has a squad that can be strengthened and revitalised with a focus on youth team players. And with more time on the training ground, the manager can integrate them more, learning as much about them as they do him. That's when trust is built.
When teams are juggling a weekend-midweek-weekend schedule, it can be hard to look beyond experience. Conte doesn't have that concern at Chelsea next season.
A Revitalised Eden Hazard
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We know what a vastly talented player Eden Hazard is. Until last season, he had been Chelsea's talisman, but for one reason or another, he disappeared completely.
The concern was that he wouldn't be seen again at his best in a Chelsea shirt, with speculation over his future proving rife. Then came his performances at the end of the season and faith was restored.
Now Chelsea fans can look forward to Hazard being back to his best again.
A big problem for Hazard last year was his hip injury. That plagued him all season, and it was only when Paris Saint-Germain knocked the Blues out of the Champions League that he was allowed to rest.
He was missing for six weeks, and it gave him time to overcome the problem and get his agility back which resulted in him impacting games again.
He's speaking in a more positive tone these days, too, which is a good thing.
"I have a contract until 2020," he told Telefoot recently (h/t ESPN FC). "I don't want to finish like this. If I have to leave, I must do it like a boss! Like I did in Lille."
John Terry's Reign as Captain Continuing
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The final day of 2015/16 was an emotional one for Chelsea fans. Not because the season had been a nightmare, but because they thought they were saying goodbye to captain, leader and legend John Terry.
It was bittersweet when Terry addressed the fans on the pitch after the Blues' 1-1 draw with Leicester City. It felt like a farewell, but not in the way he and the Chelsea fans would have hoped.
Terry was suspended for the game, which meant his last action in a Chelsea shirt would've been him receiving a red card against Sunderland the weekend earlier.
It wasn't fitting in the slightest for a player who has done everything in Chelsea colours. He's been the leader through good times and bad. He deserved more than that.
Well, Terry has since signed a one-year contract extension, meaning he will be present at Stamford Bridge right through to the end of 2016/17.
Chelsea fans have their captain back, and it means their connection to the past remains strong. Antonio Conte doesn't need a new leader just yet—he has one with Terry.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
