Who would’ve thought that the 2014/15 Premier League Champions would be sitting 14th in the league going into the new year, having only won 1 Premier League game in each month of the season.
It has been a pathetic performance by a group of players that have managed to get the club’s greatest manager sacked.
Eden Hazard was named PFA & Football Writers Player of the Year after pretty much carrying the side to their fifth Premier League title, the defence that was so key to last season’s success have become a shambles with Branislav Ivanovic being the main culprit.
During Mourinho’s time as manager he attempted to keep faith in his underperforming players but was left jobless after their ninth league defeat of the season, losing 2-1 away at high flying Leicester City; after that defeat Mourinho expressed that he felt betrayed by his players saying they didn’t stick to tactics that he had instructed them in training during that week.
Steve Holland took charge of the game against Sunderland on the game before Christmas, and things looked to be on the up after a convincing victory over a struggling side, where key players from last season looked back in form. Ivanovic scored a great header and Oscar dominated the play and even bagged himself a goal from the penalty spot.
After the game against Sunderland Guus Hiddink was named Chelsea’s interim manager, with the Dutchman returning for his second spell at the club where he won the FA Cup and got the club to the Champions league semi final. I wouldn’t expect any similar feats this season as not enough players are playing for the badge.
Chelsea has one of the best academy systems in the world but none of them are being given a chance. I personally am a massive fan of midfielder, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but he has been treated like a kid on work experience. Chelsea were getting dominated by Manchester United in midfield last Monday and Mikel couldn’t string a set of passes to save his life, everyone was anticipating for RLC to come on, and he did but with only one minute to spare.
In the youth system, the players are taught possession football as Adi Viveash play a 3-4-2-1 which is very possession orientated. The problem is, Chelsea don’t tend to play possession football in the first team and this needs to change.
The club’s younger players have shown more passion than the senior players this season.
Kenedy has shown versatility this season playing out of position at left back for Mourinho even though he is naturally an attacker, he will do anything for game time. His passion was clear to see after he scored his first goal in English football in a Capital One Cup game against Walsall where he was on the floor looking like he was in tears.
When Loftus-Cheek has played, he has looked like a player who has been playing senior football for many years, a MOTM performance in the home tie against Maccabi Tel-Aviv and another great performance in the Capital One Cup against Walsall. The young midfielder was sold false promises by Mourinho and deserves to be in the starting XI instead of Fabregas who has been woeful all season.
The club should also consider taking a season to rebuild the squad, key players this season have been terrible and may look for a move elsewhere if Chelsea fail to get European football next season, while Chelsea have 32 players out on loan dreaming about playing for one of the biggest clubs in England.
Solanke is currently showing that he has the potential to become a quality striker with former Vitesse defender Ferdi Vierklau, the English striker has scored 5 goals in 15 games for Vitesse in domestic competition which is a good ratio for an 18 year old. I’m not saying he should be a starter but he should be considered in that role and will add more competition in the ranks.
Nathan Ake is another young talent plying his trade elsewhere as he maintains his place in an inform Watford side. Ake has always been compared to Dutch Ballon d’or winner and former Chelsea player, Ruud Gullit due to his dreadlocks.
Chelsea are in need of this transition period because we all know that the club won’t be getting Champions League football, unless we win it this year miraculously, which would put off a lot of world class players. I’ve seen many fans on social media wanting players like Pogba, Griezmann and players like that. Money does talk in football but Champions league football has a louder voice.
Chelsea have many talented youngsters out on loan and in the club and developing these players would be worth a risk.
This also links in with a transition period but Chelsea need a new spine in the team. Last season we had Courtois, Terry, Fabregas and Costa leading the team to the league and cup double last season, but this season, Courtois has been injured the majority of the time and Terry, Fabregas and Costa are in a bad run of form.
Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba led us to so many trophies over the years including league titles, cup titles and the biggest trophy of all, the Champions league. Breel Donald Embolo has been linked with the club with the 18 year old potentially being part of the side’s spine, with Loftus-Cheek ‘hopefully’ being the anchorman in the midfield.
The blues need a young spine to the team that could be built on over the year, and stability is needed.
The one thing the fans dream of is stability in the managerial position. Many wanted Jose Mourinho to be the clubs Sir Alex Ferguson but keeping a job for longer than 3 years is hard for managers nowadays. Stability is key for players as they don’t want to have to change training methods, tactics and playing style, every time a new manager comes in.
If there was a manager at the club for a long period, the younger players would get developed, the manager would get to build his own team and play his own tactics. Chelsea have had many managers during the Abramovich era, but how many youth players that have cemented their place in the first team? Zero!
Things need to change quick before it gets worse.