Chelsea is home to some talented defenders at the moment, but for all the talent that is available to them, it is somewhat ironic to see the struggle defensively.
The Blues' defence has improved by leaps and bounds under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca since the Italian took charge, but they are still prone to making defensive mistakes every now and then.
A lot of Chelsea’s defensive problems this season are down to the absence of Levi Colwill, who is out with an ACL injury suffered in pre-season.
In his absence, Maresca has failed to figure out his best central defensive partnership and that highlights Colwill’s importance to the team.
Meanwhile, though the English international is out with an injury at the moment, former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel has backed him to make a strong comeback and become a world-class central defender.
Mikel’s words are certain to come as a massive boost for the young man as he continues to recover from a serious injury.
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John Obi Mikel backs Levi Colwill to fulfil his potential
Despite Colwill battling a serious injury at the moment, Mikel is backing the 22-year-old central defender to become something world-class when he’s back fit and firing again.
Mikel told talkSPORT, ”Levi Colwill. I think he’s fantastic. I think he has the potential to become a world-class defender. He’s not there yet, but I think he has the potential. We need somebody who’s going to come in a top centre back who’s going to partner him.”
Mikel does have a point, as he enjoyed a positive 2024-25 season at Chelsea for Colwill, establishing himself as the best centre-half at Stamford Bridge.
The timing of his injury was horrific, especially because England have a World Cup around the corner in the 2026 summer.
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