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The Premier League title race was all under Chelsea’s control before 19th April, but the equations have changed since then. The slip-up against Sunderland dealt a major blow to Chelsea’s league ambitions, and have left them with too little time to recover.
Jose Mourinho’s first home loss for Chelsea in the league could well become the turning point of this season’s title race, but the Portuguese would know that if Chelsea doesn’t win the league, it would be largely because the Blues gifted it away to their opponents. The losses against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa have much to do with Chelsea’s league standing than the performance of Liverpool and Manchester City.
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Things have not been much different for Chelsea in the Champions League either. The London club’s poor defensive display in the first leg quarterfinal tie against PSG almost cost them the a spot in the semifinals, only to be saved by a spirited comeback from Chelsea in the second leg at home. Only a handful of games are left this season, and even though the domestic title race is not in Chelsea’s control, their fate in the Champions League remains very much in their own hands.
Mourinho has returned to the basics for the last part of this season. Since the second leg home game against PSG, Chelsea have resorted back to grit and perseverance, donning a more pragmatic style of play in place of an expansive style of football, espoused by the Blues for the majority of this season. And why not? Only a few games are left, and a club like Chelsea would love to finish this season with a title.
The manager as usual, has been successful yet again to infuse the feeling of self-belief among the players. The last night victory over Liverpool was the proof of his work. Mourinho fielded a second string squad last night, as Champions League is the priority now for the London Club. The team fought hard throughout the game and earned the 2-0 victory at Anfield. The victory means very little in terms of the title race, but it has provided the much needed morale boost to the squad before the all important semifinal tie against Atletico Madrid.
The situation at Stamford Bridge is not as turbulent as it was in 2012, when Roberto Di Matteo was promoted to the top to replace the recently ousted manager Andres Villas Boas, after which Chelsea went on to win the coveted European trophy. But it certainly has a few similarities to that season. The biggest of all is the improbable comeback against PSG in Europe, similar to the famous comeback made by Chelsea that season against Napoli.
The PSG comeback and last night’s victory over Liverpool has helped the team regain their confidence and will to fight for European glory. Chelsea would be looking to repeat 2012 all over again. Mourinho has made sure that he has given enough rest to his important players to gear up for the biggest fight of this season. And as far as the Chelsea fans are concerned, they must not lose hope, and remember that all is not lost for Chelsea this season and hope for better things to come.
