Struggling Chelsea are a team who seem to exist only in extremes
The expression on Antonio Conte’s face said it all. At the final whistle of Chelsea’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Roma on Wednesday night the Italian head coach gave a grimace, shook his opposite number’s hand, and walked off towards the dressing room clearly not in the best of moods.
It is now three games without a win for Chelsea, hardly cause for panic but nonetheless a troubling period for the reigning Premier League champions.
Chelsea are a team who seem to exist only in extremes. Even when things are going well they are only ever a few bad results away from talks of a crisis.
The expectations placed on the team by the last decade and more of success has meant there is little in the way of a middle ground. It does not take much for the media to start wondering about the manager’s job or questioning the loyalty of key players.
With Manchester City sweeping all before them with their intoxicating brand of high-tempo possession-based football, Chelsea know that they cannot afford to fall too far behind, even at this early stage of the season.
Perhaps most worryingly it is Chelsea’s defence, so impregnable last season, that is the main source of concern. Roma created chances far too easily as the Chelsea back line looked a shadow of its formidable self from last year.
Chelsea were given an early warning when Diego Perotti slalomed past three Chelsea players in the first half, only to blaze wastefully wide. The way Aleksander Kolarov skinned Cesar Azpiluceuta for Roma first goal sent shudders down the spine, and the way another ex-Manchester City player, Edin Džeko, found space to score his brace of goals was hardly encouraging.
The Blues were disjointed across the pitch which allowed Roma large spaces to exploit.
Despite Jose Mourinho’s jibes about crying about injured players, it is clear Chelsea are struggling with key players missing. The loss of N’Golo Kanté has been keenly felt in the middle of the park, and Victor Moses was another notable absentee mid-week.
With Danny Drinkwater also on the sidelines, the Blues are understaffed in central midfield, where David Luiz was drafted in despite being few people’s idea of a traditional central midfielder.
The confidence generated by a run of seven wins in eight games has swiftly evaporated. After the draw against Roma, César Azpilicueta spoke about the mood amongst the squad with the Evening Standard:
The mood at the moment is not the best.
The reality is that we have gone three games without a win and we will try to get back to winning ways on Saturday.
A home game against Watford in the early Saturday kick-off provides the Blues with an opportunity to stop the rot. But the Hornets should not be underestimated, especially as they sit at fourth in the table, one place above Chelsea. It should make for fascinating viewing.