West Ham United

1. Core Players & Star Quality

Attack: Jarrod Bowen (34 apps, 2,960 mins, 19 goals, 8 assists) leads the line. Mohammed Kudus (31 apps, 2,604 mins, 15 goals, 5 assists) adds flair and creativity. Lucas Paquetá (27 apps, 2,385 mins, 4 goals, 6 assists) is the playmaker.
Midfield & Defense: Tomáš Souček (30 apps, 2,573 mins, 7 goals) offers two-way stability. Aaron Wan-Bissaka (35 apps, 3,155 mins, 2 goals, 5 assists) provides consistency. Maximilian Kilman (38 apps, 3,349 mins) anchors the defense, supported by Mavropanos (21 apps, 2,039 mins).
Goalkeeper: Alphonse Areola (25 apps, 2,250 mins).
Additional Core: Maxwell Cornet – considered part of the core despite limited minutes.

2. Departures Impact

Core Departures:
- Nayef Aguerd (21 apps, 1,765 mins) – reliable central defender.
- Maxwell Cornet – reduced wing depth.

Substitute Departures:
- Carlos Soler (1,407 mins, 1 goal, 1 assist) – versatile midfielder.
- Łukasz Fabiański (1,161 mins) – backup goalkeeper.
- Aaron Cresswell (824 mins, 1 goal) – experienced left-back.

3. New Player Integration

Callum Wilson (1,358 mins, 10 goals, 2 assists) adds proven EPL finishing. Kyle Walker-Peters (2,922 mins, 2 assists) improves defensive options. Other recruits – Diouf, Casey, Orford, Earthy, Marshall, Potts, Kanté – are developmental with little first-team impact so far.

4. Assists & Goals Output

Top Scorers: Bowen (19), Kudus (15), Wilson (10), Souček (7).
Creators: Bowen (8 assists), Paquetá (6), Kudus (5), Wan-Bissaka (5).
West Ham’s output is heavily reliant on Bowen and Kudus, with Wilson as supplementary scoring.

5. Substitutes’ Experience & Depth

Remaining subs: Guido Rodríguez, Vladimir Coufal, James Ward-Prowse, Michail Antonio, Niclas Füllkrug (788 mins, 3 goals, 2 assists), and Crysencio Summerville (784 mins, 1 goal, 1 assist). Losses of Soler, Fabiański, and Cresswell weakened depth.

6. Forecast

West Ham rely on transitions with Bowen and Kudus, supported by Wilson. Strength rating: ★★★★☆ (Strong but lacking balance and depth).

Chelsea

1. Core Players & Star Quality

Midfield & Defense: Moisés Caicedo (3,355 mins, 1 goal, 2 assists) dominates the holding role. Levi Colwill (3,150 mins) and Marc Cucurella (2,391 mins) are defensive stalwarts. Enzo Fernández (2,948 mins, 8 goals, 3 assists) adds creativity.
Attack: Cole Palmer (3,199 mins, 15 goals, 8 assists) is the talisman. Pedro Neto (2,270 mins, 6 goals, 7 assists), Nicolas Jackson (2,241 mins, 10 goals, 5 assists), João Pedro (1,955 mins, 10 goals, 6 assists), Liam Delap (2,613 mins, 12 goals, 2 assists), Noni Madueke (2,049 mins, 7 goals, 3 assists), and Jadon Sancho (1,767 mins, 3 goals, 4 assists) create an attack of extraordinary depth.
Goalkeeper: Robert Sánchez (2,880 mins).

2. Departures Impact

Core Departures:
- Ben Chilwell (2,613 mins, 12 goals, 2 assists) – significant as both defender and scorer.
- Kendry Páez – youth prospect.

Substitute Departures:
- None major – squad depth remains intact.

3. New Player Integration

João Pedro (10 goals, 6 assists), Jamie Gittens (8 goals, 3 assists), Liam Delap (12 goals, 2 assists), and Jorrel Hato (3 goals, 6 assists) significantly strengthened Chelsea’s attack and defense. Essugo and Estevão provide midfield depth and long-term development.

4. Assists & Goals Output

Top Scorers: Palmer (15), Delap (12), João Pedro (10), Jackson (10), Enzo (8), Madueke (7).
Creators: Palmer (8 assists), Neto (7), João Pedro (6), Hato (6).
Chelsea’s output is far more diversified than West Ham’s.

5. Substitutes’ Experience & Depth

Chelsea possess international-level substitutes: Tosin Adarabioyo (1,405 mins), Wesley Fofana (1,176 mins), Reece James (1,064 mins, 1 goal), Christopher Nkunku (912 mins, 3 goals, 2 assists), Trevoh Chalobah (911 mins), Roméo Lavia (803 mins, 1 goal, 1 assist), and Dewsbury-Hall (253 mins). Their bench is packed with quality and none of these players have departed.

6. Forecast

Chelsea have an extraordinary advantage in both core depth and substitutes. Their recruitment brought immediate impact, while West Ham’s new signings offered limited improvement outside Wilson. Strength rating: ★★★★★ (Elite depth and balance despite Chilwell’s departure).

Comparative Analysis

Core Team Comparison

West Ham’s core depends on Bowen and Kudus for creativity and finishing, with Wilson as added support. Chelsea’s core is vastly superior, with scoring distributed across multiple forwards and midfielders, led by Palmer. Chelsea’s balance and variety outmatch West Ham’s reliance on a few key players.

New Players Comparison

Chelsea’s new players directly strengthened their starting XI – João Pedro, Delap, and Gittens all score frequently, while Hato contributes from defense. West Ham’s recruitment is less effective, with Wilson as the only major impact signing. Chelsea’s transfer window provided immediate, high-value returns.

Substitutes Comparison

Chelsea’s substitutes include high-level internationals like Nkunku, James, and Lavia. West Ham’s substitutes are experienced but less impactful, and key depth players (Soler, Fabiański, Cresswell) departed. Chelsea’s bench quality is decisively superior.

Head-to-Head Dynamics

Possession: Chelsea expected to dominate midfield control with Palmer and Enzo. West Ham will look for counters via Bowen and Kudus.
Attacking Depth: Chelsea have 6+ consistent scorers, West Ham mainly rely on 3. Chelsea’s new recruits offer greater variety and finishing.
Defensive Balance: Both sides lost defenders, but Chelsea compensated better with Hato. West Ham’s depth is more fragile.
Match Flow: Chelsea will control possession and dictate play; West Ham depend on transition efficiency.

Projected Result

West Ham: ★★★★☆ (Strong transitions but over-reliant on key attackers).
Chelsea: ★★★★★ (Superior balance, depth, and new player impact).

Prediction: Chelsea to dominate and secure a confident win. Projected score: Chelsea 3–1 West Ham.