'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABeAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABhAAAgICAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAAFIQYHERIXAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFEQACAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMhAAQRIrH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AITW/ULKbGzt7Gl2tnZutuaxMzLJIZx6+GIi4APIC5Mvoe91Zmhj6qhRIyUVVvWlUBeAAAmMY4m5sIE4y+kBPVU/Rg8sMfWo01Wc/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Officially, the most calamitous season for the blue side of London! Chelsea were flattened by local rivals Arsenal at the Emirates in a game that aptly reflected both sides' seasons so far.
The 3-1 defeat to Mikel Arteta’s men further heightened headaches for Chelsea's administrators and highlighted the amount of work that needs to be done to get the club back on track.
In a season where many expected improved tactics and quality performances, given their transfer market activities, to say that Chelsea have failed to live up to expectations would be an understatement.
Of course, Chelsea’s inability to compete has raised eyebrows within the sporting world as people wonder how a juggernaut suddenly became clueless on and off the pitch.
Trending
Since the club was taken over by the Todd Boehly-led consortium, there have only been bad days becoming worse.
Each game since the start of 2023 has seen an increasing discrepency in terms of expected results and actual results. The introduction of some big names and expensive signings has only compounded their woes.
So how are Chelsea in the position they are in? Let's look at three key issues.
Managerial instability: The first mistake?
Many have questioned the authenticity of Todd Boehly’s sporting project alongside his decisions to axe managers this season. The club have had four managers since the start of the 2022/23 season - two long-term options and two interim.
Thomas Tuchel, who guided Chelsea to their second UEFA Champions League triumph in 2021, was in charge at the start of the season and it was expected that the German would lead the club into the new era under Boelhy.
However, a series of poor results in domestic competitions resulted in his early exit. That decision did not go down well with supporters, and pundits were also left baffled.
Regardless, Graham Potter was appointed and was left with an expensive squad that he did not assemble. But the Englishman was still backed for success.
In an analytical video, The Athletic’s Tifo Football explained in detail the ideology adopted by the club in its bid to resuscitate the team.
Potter’s arrival at Stamford Bridge was thought to be the first step in an approach that would bring lasting success - inculcating principles similar to those of their rivals Arsenal.
Arsenal’s form at the beginning of the season was spectacular. Even though it wasn’t an ideal start to life for Mikel Arteta at the Emirates, the club has now benefitted from his step-by-step method of raising a title-contending team and according to Tifo Football, that was the plan Chelsea looked to adopt with Potter's appointment.
However, the reality was far from that. Characterizing the impatience of the club administrators, Potter’s reign was considered too disastrous to be deemed a solution to the club’s underlining problems.
Many believed that with such a high-level of monetary injection into the team and the arrival of top players, the manager was to be rightfully blamed for the lack of results. Certainly, the talent in the squad was one to look out for on paper.
Ousted from the Premier League race early in the season and eliminated from both domestic cup competitions, the team was left with an unrealistic objective of going for the Champions League.
However, that one last shot at glory would not feature Potter, who was fired after a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa in April. A match whose result he took with much optimism, clearly insisting it was a “positive performance,” proved to be his last as Chelsea manager.
Following Bruno Saltor's short stint as the interim manager, Frank Lampard’s appointment in the same role generated a lot of mixed feelings among fans, with many believing his return could have more negative effects on the team.
Under Lampard, Chelsea have lost every match and many are expecting him to be the next interim manager to be fired in the Premier League since Tottenham Hotspur’s Christian Stellini in April.
Four tacticians have been employed to attempt to steer the club back on course but have been unsuccessful for reasons unknown to many supporters. As a result, majority of the blame has now been heaped on Boehly’s inability to assess managerial performances on a long-term basis.
Misunderstanding the nature of English football
Following Potter's sacking, questions marks were raised over his failure at the club. Was Chelsea too much for his level of experience? Were the players in sync with his system? Did the constant arrival of players do him any good?
At the time of Potter’s axing, Liverpool were also languishing in midtable, putting up questionable displays, and were plagued by injuries. Chelsea found themselves in a similar situation.
The difference between how both clubs handled their respective predicaments was down to the understanding of the league by its administrators.
While Boehly resorted to replacing the man in the dugout, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner firmly asserted his backing for Jurgen Klopp, creating a sense of security around a man under intense pressure at the time.
Tuchel's exit was a blow to the club’s development and Potter’s abruptly-ended project worsened it. It simply means that in a league as competitive as the Premier League, your ambitions must be clearly defined to managers before employment.
Besides this, the manager’s philosophies must be aligned with the club's objectives. Perhaps, the Boehly administration failed to completely put this into consideration before emulating its neighbouring club.
An erratic transfer strategy
Some of Chelsea's players have also voiced their opinions regarding the unsteady nature of Boehly’s first season as club owner.
According to Thiago Silva, the club's transfer policies need to be reviewed. The Brazilian defender made it clear in an interview last month that frequent incomings would only make it harder for the coach.
From his perspectives, the club executives must re-evaluate their strategies, focusing on what the team needs.
Silva said:
"I think the first step has been made, an incorrect step, but it has been made. We can’t be blaming managers if we don’t take responsibility. It’s a hard period for the club with a lot of indecision – change of ownership, new players arriving, we had to increase the size of the changing room because it didn’t fit the size of the squad."
He added:
"A positive side point is that there are amazing players in the squad. But on the other hand, there are always players that are going to be unhappy because not everyone can play. The manager can only pick 11 from a squad of 30-something."
“That’s tough. Some can’t make the squad, we signed eight in January, we need to stop and put a strategy in place. Otherwise, next season we could make the same mistakes.”
This isn’t Boehly’s first sporting franchise as he has been successful with the MLB side LA Dodgers. However, the strategy of assembling an expensive team without a vision for the club's progress has proven to be a big mistake.
What next for the club?
Chelsea’s derby defeat to Arsenal means that they can accumulate a maximum of 54 points, which will be among their worst-ever seasons in the Premier League. The Blues had 56 points in the 1992/93, finishing in 11th place that year, and had 50 points in the 2015/16 campaign, managing a 10th-place finish.
Advancing negotiations with Mauricio Pochettino will definitely rekindle hope in the hearts of beleagured supporters.
Maybe, that could be the spark that is needed for Chelsea, as their supporters anticipate the end of what is ready to become their most atrocious Premier League season ever.
