Chelsea's hard reality: Five things we learned from the loss at Arsenal
Chelsea fans are still struggling to make sense of what happened yesterday at the Emirates. Here are five hard lessons we came away with about the reality of things at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s Italian head coach Antonio Conte watches from the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 24, 2016. / AFP / Ben STANSALL / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)
Sometimes even a hard, painful loss will come with a silver lining. Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal was not one of them. The lessons from Saturday’s came are less about how Chelsea can improve and more about coming to terms with what is happening with the club.
Antonio Conte needs to lead his men through some cold, dark times. He also needs to explain to the board, Michael Emenalo and Roman Abramovich exactly what the situation is because they clearly do not understand. Otherwise, mid-table finishes will become a fact of life for the Blues.
Chelsea are not good enough
The beginning of Chelsea’s season masked a lot of the issues that need to be fixed. Chelsea started the season with the easiest opening matches of any of their rivals. Unfortunately, that let fans and pundits (myself included) get ahead of themselves.
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Chelsea are still far too similar to last year for the “Conte revolution” to be as dramatic as everybody wants to believe. This summer’s transfer business was poor at best, and solved none of the club’s issues.
The defensive performances are embarrassing, yet the club signed David Luiz and Marcos Alonso to solve things. David Luiz simply is not a good enough center half for an elite club. Alonso, while technically proficient, is not a world-beater.
Many of the mental issues and scars from last season are still apparent. The team’s attitude is embarrassing and disgraceful. They never play an intense full 90 minutes and are almost always chasing the fixture or holding on for dear life in the second half.
The hunt for John Terry’s successor is Chelsea’s highest priority
We can go on about the problems with the defense for ages. It is the most embarrassing thing that I have ever seen in my time as a Chelsea supporter, and I remember Mateja Kezman.
Gary Cahill has always been limited, but was a decent defender next to John Terry’s ardent leadership. Branislav Ivanovic is sadly half the man he used to be. He was a titan, once upon a time, but those days are behind him. David Luiz is insufficient in every way.
I’d go on but I don’t want to be redundant.
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Chelsea has three defenders who are not as good as their reputations. Compounding Chelsea’s woes, they are not even half a leader among them.
John Terry’s best quality is leadership. He was never too physically gifted and his ability on the ball is limited. But he always was a lion of a man at the back and a natural leader of men. Sadly, that next building block is missing.
To all the people who thought this year would be a rapid return to form, I’m sorry. Last season was not totally a Jose Mourinho problem. He did not just become a terrible manager overnight. He is a good manager who led a squad full of false-hearted, weak men.
The good news is Antonio Conte will root out the spineless and weak children. He will eventually find those who deserve to be members of London’s only Champions League winning club.
If you thought this year would be easy, it won’t. Chelsea are not a good team right now and teams are not built overnight. If they can find that one simple and sturdy building block upon which to rebuild then this year will be a success.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea (L) show dejection after Arsenal score during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Good-Bye Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic
This week Cesc Fabregas revealed exactly the kind of player he is. Cesc Fabregas is a small team bully. When his team are favored and should win easily he is magnificent, otherworldly even.
But when it comes time to prove himself and fight for every inch of the pitch, Fabregas simply can not do it. His time at Chelsea is limited. Sorry for those you who bought #4 jerseys.
As for Nemanja Matic, I just don’t know what is going on with him. He has always been a limited player but he made up for it with effort and hard work. Now he seems to be just as moody and temperamental as some of his worse teammates. He once showed potential as an eventual leader of this team. Now, his departure is Chelsea’s only option.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 16: A dejected looking Eden Hazard of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on September 16, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Eden Hazard’s form has still not returned
In the early games of the season Eden Hazard was magnificent. Since then, he has relapsed to last year. He still has not found the required level of consistency that can make him a superstar.
The greats play well in every game regardless of circumstance. Unfortunately, Hazard is unable to control when he is good. It just happens every once and a while. When it’s great, it’s great, but that simply is no way to build a team.
He was excellent against some of the teams this season and drifted out of others in a lump. The Eden Hazard of yesteryear is still lost someplace in the mental drift. Hopefully he returns, but until then he should not even be a guaranteed starter.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Gary Cahill of Chelsea shows dejection after Arsenal score during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Even the top 4 is a reach
Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal. All five of those clubs are better than Chelsea right now. With only four Champions League places, it will be a tough ask for the Blues to qualify.
Chelsea are lucky that they haven’t played either of the Manchester clubs yet. Liverpool and Arsenal already showed how big the class gap is between the true contenders and the rest. Tottenham are better than both Arsenal and Liverpool, so Chelsea has no shot there.
Hopefully over the course of the Christmas season and into the new year a few bounces go Chelsea’s way and Tottenham and Liverpool trip over themselves as they seemingly like to do. But if that doesn’t happen Chelsea does not have a road to fourth place.
A fifth place would be a great finish, and would still bring Chelsea to Europe next season. But on current showing, Chelsea fans cannot reasonably expect any better.