Chelsea Football Club have had a season to forget both on and off the field with an early exit from the Champions League, a managerial sacking and no fewer than two racism scandals. After their unexpected European success last season, is the Ambramovich model finally starting to break down?
With three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and even a Champions League, it’s fair to say that Chelsea have been a dominant force in English Football in the last 10 years. However, this season they have experienced a series of mishaps, from on the field issues such as Fernando Torres and the new signings failing to make much of an impact, to off the field issues such as the ball-boy incident a few weeks ago.
Although it had looked to be a promising season for Chelsea with many tipping them for the title, having won the Champions League the previous season, the league title seems to be far out of reach. Even worse with Manchester City and Manchester United set to take the top two places, there is some uncertainty as to whether even Chelsea can finish in the top four. In addition they have crashed out of the Champions League at the group stages, the first time a defending champion has suffered such humiliation. Oh, and let’s not forget they sacked their manager Roberto Di Matteo in November to be replaced by the incredibly unpopular Rafael Benitez, despite at the time being four points off the top of the table and reigning Champions League and FA Cup holders.
Having spent £80 million in the summer transfer market, Eden Hazard looks to have been the only signing to have proved his worth with seven league goals and seven assists this season. Marko Marin (highly rated by many) has spent the majority of the season on the bench, as has Victor Moses. None of these players have helped to fill the vacuum left by Didier Drogba.
Whilst many Chelsea fans had hoped that the £50 million investment that is Fernando Torres would finally relive his glory days at Liverpool, it appears not to be the case as it again looks like another undistinguished season for the Spaniard, who has failed to score in the last nine games for Chelsea. For almost four per cent of the price, they could have bought Swansea’s Michu who has netted more than twice the amount of Premier League goals scored by Torres.
With the signing of Demba Ba in January, it looks like even Rafa Benitez, who managed to get the best out of Torres at Liverpool, has finally lost patience with the Spanish striker.
However this is unlikely to solve the Torres ‘problem’ given that Chelsea often play one striker up front, it is clear that both strikers cannot play together, and as Abramovich wants Torres to justify his worth, Benitez will be forced to rotate the two players, hardly an ideal scenario. Moreover, despite scoring 13 Premier League goals in the first half of the season, Ba has only scored one goal in his last five league appearances.
Whilst there have been many issues on the field, there has been as much controversy off it. In September, John Terry was found guilty by the FA of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand and was banned for four games. Another racial incident occurred several weeks later when Mark Clattenburg was accused of racism by John Obi Mikel during Chelsea’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United. However, Clattenburg was later cleared by the FA and Chelsea were then left embarrassed as Mikel was given a three match ban for confronting the referee.
Moreover in January, Eden Hazard received a three match ban for kicking a ball boy during their second-leg tie with Swansea in the Capital One Cup, although many apportioned blame to the ball boy. But despite this, it is fair to say that Chelsea this season will probably be remembered more for their antics off the field than on it. The contrast between them and leaders Manchester United who look set claim their 20th Premier League trophy is stark. United have a manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who has managed to keep the club disciplined by controlling his players and has therefore avoided undue controversy.
Ever since the sacking of Villas-Boas, there has been great uncertainty around the club. Despite winning the FA Cup and even the Champions League, and salvaging what looked to be a disastrous season for Chelsea, it was not enough for Roberto Di Matteo to keep his job, the owner, for whatever reason did not believe him ‘good enough’ for a club like Chelsea, despite the results suggesting otherwise. The ‘genius’ of Abramovich’s decision quickly shone through however, since Benitez’s appointment, the gap between Chelsea and Manchester United has risen from four to sixteen points. The appointment of Benitez for the rest of the season was met with great hostility by Chelsea fans, many of whom will be glad to see the back of him at the end of the season.
The likely appointment in the summer of former Barcelona hero Pep Guardiola seemed a reassuring prospect. Sadly for them, their hopes have now been dashed as it was confirmed that Guardiola would be taking charge of Bayern Munich next season leaving the club with few managerial options. However this is not a surprise, Guardiola made his name in the stable, long-termist and welcoming environment of Barcelona, is it any surprise that he turned town the opportunity to manage Chelsea, who’s internal affairs increasingly resemble that of a circus. Indeed why would any top class manager want to manage a club where the chances of them being sacked are 100%?
Even if Chelsea go on to win the UEFA Europa League and the FA Cup this season, it will still be counted as an unsuccessful season. There remain many issues which need to be resolved. The possible exit of Frank Lampard who has scored eleven league goals this season looms large as his contract situation is still unclear, many of the senior players who remain the best players on the team and are the bedrock of the side such as Petr Čech, Ashley Cole and Captain John Terry are edging closer towards retirement.
Indeed is the short termism of the Chelsea model finally coming unstuck? In many ways it could be argued that by sacking his managers before they have had a chance to mark their authority on the club Abramovich has avoided the tough decisions needed to truly rejuvenate the clubs fortunes, and effectively left the club in the hands of a small cabal of senior players who like to throw their weight around in the dressing room. Moreover Abramovich’s impetuous style has probably frightened off top class managers who would be able to rebuild the side. In many ways the Champions League triumph was a sticking plaster for a wider malaise at the club, the fact is Chelsea is an aging squad on a downward spiral and unless some stability is brought to the club its likely their decline will continue.
I think your point about transfers is pretty selective. Hazard has been outstanding (child abuse aside). His goal against Prague was the most recent example of his quality. You fail to mention Oscar and Azpilicueta, both of whom have become consistent starters and performers. Moses was getting as much game time as he was ever likely to, and his absence of late is because he was in Africa at the Nations Cup. The only player who has disappointed is Marin, and a long-term injury was the main reason he fell behind Hazard, Mata, etc. at the start of the season.
I do think Chelsea’s midfield is the best in the PL by far. Man Utd have the best attack but as a Chelsea fan I wouldn’t trade our midfield (Mata – best player this season, Hazard, Oscar, Lampard, Ramires) for a couple of oldies, Carrick and Kagawa (talk about disappointing signings). Defences are pretty even between the Manchesters and Chelsea.
I agree about managers. Chelsea are a decent coach short of being the dominant English side.
I think Torres has been outstanding this season. Apart from RVP you’d struggle to find a more effective centre forward over the last year. The stats don’t tell the full story. The goal against Brentford was key – an equaliser in the last 5 minutes. That’s worth five goals in the league. He showed great turn of pace against Arsenal a month ago which evoked the Torres of old. His hold-up play is extremely under-rated. The defenders are drawn to him which creates space for the likes of Mata and Hazard. In that sense, Torres has effectively scored 25 odd goals (Torres’s 10, Mata’s dozen, Hazard’s handful) – a very respectable tally mid-season. Believe you me – he’s back.
Agree with Adam regarding the transfers. Particularly on Hazard who has had an excellent debut season – double figures in both goals and assists really isn’t too bad for a 21-year-old coming into a new league, particularly the transition from France to England which a lot of players tend to struggle with.
In terms of it being a season to forget, it’s perhaps a little too soon to draw such conclusions as someone who doesn’t seem to have a complete knowledge of this club.
Sure, the choice of trophies on offer aren’t what the club themselves would hope for, but the obvious lack of depth identified by many fans over the summer left the club in a position where it was always going to be difficult, and at the end of the day, nothing could match last season with Barcelona, Munich and beating Spurs 5-1 at Wembley, plus yet another FA Cup. Meanwhile, Leeds, Prague and a few other trips have been a good laugh that I won’t forget soon.
A few decent signings, particularly in key areas, and Benitez out as soon as possible – and next season Chelsea could make things more interesting. For now, I won’t be forgetting this season lightly – unfortunately Benitez’s large frame in a touchline is an image that will probably stay with me forever.
written like a true united fan.