This is a syndicated version of this story, originally featured on the BBC Sport website.
Chelsea are still reeling from another frustrating game at the weekend, where the Blues destroyed any chance they had of getting a result against Arsenal with some shocking set-piece defending and another infuriating red card.
But there’s no time to stew on it – the next match is already on the horizon. They face top five rivals Aston Villa on Wednesday night, knowing that a defeat will constitute another hammer blow to their Champions League chances.
After three games without a win, you won’t find many people backing Liam Rosenior’s team to get a result at Villa Park, despite their opposition being in a similar slump. The errors, ill-discipline and lack of leadership that has hurt them time and again in the last few years haven’t gone anywhere. Rosenior is at least acknowledging them, but so far there’s no evidence that he’s been able to change anything.
Surely he spent the week focusing on discipline after Wesley Fofana’s red cost the team a week ago? Well, you’d have been forgiven for thinking the coach didn’t mention it at all when you saw Enzo Fernandez getting a yellow card for petulantly chucking the ball away; or the utterly unforgivable three minutes where Pedro Neto got his own yellow for dissent, then followed it with a second caution for a braindead lunge.
Chelsea’s senior players can’t hide behind youth when dodging responsibility
This group keep being called “inexperienced,” but you can’t say that of Fofana, Fernandez or Neto. They are immature, which is something very different. To be honest, they also come off as just plain old-fashioned stupid when they’re so unable to separate their actions from the inevitable consequences.
Most Chelsea fans lost patience with the club’s sporting directors long ago. The ownership who appointed them weren’t far behind. Now some of the players themselves are really pushing their luck.
