When Baba Rahman departed Chelsea on loan this summer, the reasons behind the move seemed to sit within the realms of logic.
A three-man defence under Antonio Conte’s leadership had only ever been a rumour at best. It had been imagined but never quite expected that it would come about so rapidly. The reality we thought would come to pass under Conte—this season at least—was more about defensive solidity based around defensive personnel.
Judging by the early exchanges of 2016/17, not even Conte himself had pictured Chelsea’s defensive strength being in attack.
So when Rahman departed for the season to join Schalke on loan, it made sense.