What’s going on at Chelsea?
It hasn’t gone totally as planned since the change in ownership from the very successful tenure of Roman Abramovich to Todd Boehly as the new owner of the club. Many people thought this switch with breathe good things for Chelsea Football Club in terms of player recruits and improvement in the training facilities which will automatically transcend into silverware domestically and in Europe in the Champions League.
31 games into the Premier league season Chelsea currently sit in the bottom half of the table. This is not familiar territory for a team who have constantly been in the picture for the title even though they have been edged by the dominance of Manchester City and Liverpool in recent years. You would easily say Chelsea were the third best team in the league before a ball was kicked this season but that isn’t so due to rather lackluster performances resulting in surprising losses and scrappy draws. This Chelsea team looks a shadow of its former self compared to last season when they finished third in the league, got to the Quarterfinals of the Champions League and also made it to the finals of the FA Cup and the EFL cup under manager Thomas Tuchel.
Speaking of Tuchel…
BULLET TO THE FOOT?
A lot of eyebrows were raised when Thomas Tuchel got the pink slip from the Chelsea board, I myself was also shocked at his dismissal because the man was doing great things at Chelsea after only taking over in the middle of the 2020/2021 season and because he instilled his winning mentality quickly in the team, Chelsea would go on to capture their second Champions League trophy beating favourites Manchester City in the final. If that isn’t impressive as a new head coach to a club I don’t know what else is.
He was replaced by fellow tactician Graham Potter who prior to his appointment as Chelsea boss was flying with the seagulls at Bright Hove Albion. It seemed like he was the right fit for the Chelsea team by the board mainly because he was arguably one of the highly rated coaches available in the market.
To the fans, it was already looking like a recipe for disaster as they understandably didn’t fathom why they had replaced Tuchel, who is a more successful coach out of the pair and has proven that in his time with Chelsea for an up and coming coach who quite frankly hasn’t won anything. It was an appointment to raise your eyebrows on.
Potter was visibly given the backing of the board in terms of player recruits with Chelsea bringing in an influx of seventeen new players from the summer and winter transfer windows (although some had come in before his arrival) combined smashing a season record for total amount spent on recruits which included high profile names like Raheem Sterling, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Mykhailo Mudryk, João Félix (loan) and a British record fee for the signing of Enzo Fernández from Benfica in the winter with Christopher Nkunku also certain to join the club next season. It seemed Chelsea had secured players for the long term success of the club and their fans believed it was soon time for it to show on the pitch with even winning silverware in their agenda as well.
Unfortunately, these signings have yet gel on the pitch to translate into victories for the blues and this has left the bridge, which was once a fortress feel like a place where anyone can come and get points. It felt like, anyone can get a result against Chelsea under Potter (and still does). Chelsea have had some victories to their name although not all of them were as emphatic as they normally would be. This left the fans clamoring for the exit of Graham Potter. Potter who had the backing of the board however was trusted with the task of managing the situation and bringing the blues back challenging for the European spots but things just seemed to get worse with each passing game and it now felt like Chelsea can’t simply win a game.
It was very evident though that the main reasons why he was backed was because they might have released they had made a big mistake in their appointment and sacking him would be them admitting to the fans they had gotten that one wrong.
Would it prove to be too late?
After 6 months, 31 matches played, 12wins, 8 draws, 11 losses and a win percentage of just 38.7%, Potter was relieved off his duties as Chelsea boss but has it proven to be too late for the Blues as they sit in the bottom half of the table with a top four finish more or less unlikely?
Way too late if you ask me…
THE SECOND SHOT?
Oh no, Boehly what are you doing?…
With Potter leaving the club it was time for the board at Chelsea to appoint a new manager and finally get it right this time. Chelsea have never gotten a steady manager with consistency in a long time, it’s failed appointments after failed appointments so it seemed like they were desperate to get this one right and boy did there fans need one.
A lot of big names like Luis Enrique, Zinedine Zidane, Julian Nagelsmann, Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto De Zerbi were among the candidates for the vacant job. It was looking like a deal to appoint Julian Nagelsmann who had been sacked by Bayern Munich a couple of weeks before and replaced by Tuchel was getting closer and closer.
But…
The Chelsea board seemed to opt for the option of appointing a care taker boss for the remainder of the season to at least make the condition a lot better before the main head coach arrives next season and that was when it was official that Frank Lampard was appointed as the caretaker manager of Chelsea. This would happen to be Lampard’s second stint as Chelsea boss.
Let’s see if this was wise…
In his first season at the helm Lampard’s Chelsea ranked fifth in his first season as Chelsea boss in the 2020/21 Premier season and didn’t really manage to get a string of good results together and was eventually relived of his duties due to the inconsistencies. He was then appointed by Everton to help them retain their Premier League status which he did successfully but this season he himself pushed them into the relegation zone and was finally sacked by Everton and now he is appointed by Chelsea. It is evident that this decision wasn’t the wisest by Chelsea, they seemed to have gotten it wrong again!
This will show on the pitch with no changes in display and not a sign of attractive football brewing for the fans to enjoy, they just seem to kick the ball around with no bite. Lampard is also winless in three games in charge so far losing all three games, conceding five goals and one goal scored over the three games with the latest being the loss to Brighton on home soil which happened to be the first time Brighton have gotten three points at the Bridge and and a first leg Quarter final loss to Real Madrid. It’s already worrying once more for Chelsea and their fans as the next couple of fixtures in the coming weeks and month don’t look anymore easier.
Now, I’m going to be considerate with the Chelsea board and believe something might have happened with the appointment a new long term coach. Maybe the candidates didn’t want to take the job this season and suggested next season would be best for them.
Maybe.
BEAUTY BEHIND THE MADNESS.
In one of the most horrible seasons for Chelsea and their fans the only good thing everyone can agree on his the fact that their £120 million pound man, Enzo Fernández is delivering with every game and showing the fans why Chelsea paid the big bucks for him.
Freshly of the back of winning the World cup with Argentina and becoming the best young player of the tournament Enzo Fernández has carried his skillset of intricate passing, defensive awareness, and all round box to box ability to London. He currently has the joint most assists having joined the club in January (2).
Sigh…
Fernández has shown potential to be a big signing for Chelsea for the coming years.
LOOKING FORWARD.
This season seems done and dusted already…
First and foremost, the Chelsea board need to get together and make the right decision on who should be manager of the club as a wrong move will dampen their chances of getting back to European football next season.
Asides that Chelsea need more creativity and sealing the deal on a maverick like João Félix will boost the already present ability of Enzo Fernández in solving that problem with the Portuguese, who is currently on loan from Spanish side Athletico de Madrid has shown glimpses of what he can do and can add to this Chelsea side.
It also goes without saying that Chelsea needs a very clinical and ruthless striker to put chances away for them from next season. Kai Havertz being their top scorer with only seven goals so far this season is a worrying stat if you ask me with the German playing in a slightly unfamiliar role this season. It is evident that Aubameyang has fallen down the pecking order in that regard having been dropped by Potter and has only appeared once from the bench for Frank Lampard so far, it seems like his time at the club is over having only just signed this season.
Lukaku, who is currently on loan to Italian side Inter Milan from Chelsea and has also fallen down the pecking order there might be looking to go back to the blues and working with whoever the new manager happens to be if his loan deal is made a permanent move after not having the best of times under Thomas Tuchel on the back of sealing a move to Chelsea in a deal worth almost £100 million from Inter.
The arrival of Christopher Nkunku from Leipzig next season might also help the London club in getting that bite in attack. Nkunku who is a quick, exciting and creative player will be much appreciated by the fans if he can carry his traits to London. It will be much needed in Chelsea’s bid to get back to Europe soon enough.
Either way Chelsea need a solution to this mess and fast or else they might only just have memories of the good ol’ days.
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