Chelsea went into the game against Manchester City knowing they needed to win to stay in the Champions League qualification. Well, those hopes might be as good as over after this weekend’s result. Yes, they put in a decent enough display in the first half and had some chances. But that should not be the standard for the World Champions. Especially not after spending a billion pounds on the squad.
It was another poor result against a big team. Many in the media will inevitably start questioning whether Chelsea even fit that category anymore. And that is understandable.
When was the last time they beat big teams on a consistent basis in the Premier League? When was the last time they were genuine contenders in England?
Chelsea have a lot of problems right now. And they will never be solved if BlueCo continue to overlook them. Here are three things we learned from their defeat at the hands of Manchester City.
Liam Rosenior’s time is running out
Over the past few days, there have been reports suggesting Rosenior has the complete backing of BlueCo. It has been suggested that his performances won’t be reviewed before the summer of 2027. He will remain the club’s manager even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Well, we have heard similar briefings before. Especially during the Graham Potter era. Well, we all know how that ended. He did not even see out the season. If things get bad enough, Rosenior might be shown the exit door soon enough as well.
Rosenior just seems to be out of his depth. Just because there are other things wrong at the club does not mean he cannot be called out for his shortcomings. One win in seven Premier League games is not good enough for Chelsea. Especially not when you are in a race to qualify for the Champions League.
Why would not Enzo Fernandez want to leave?
We are four years into the BlueCo project. And look at the position Chelsea find themselves in. They cannot even compete with quality teams. Every big game, they are the underdogs.
Chelsea’s next match is against Manchester United. What percentage of the fanbase is confident that they can get a win against them?
The likes of Enzo Fernandez seem to be trying to engineer a move out of Stamford Bridge. And why would he not? The Argentine is a World Cup winner. He must have some personal ambitions in football. If it is starting to feel unlikely that he will achieve those at Stamford Bridge, it is natural for him to seek an exit. It is only a matter of time before the likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella join the queue, unless things improve drastically.
Chelsea’s defence needs serious improvement in the summer
For months, we have talked about Chelsea’s defence. But it has gotten significantly worse since Rosenior became manager.
In the 19 Premier League games this season that Enzo Maresca was the manager, they kept eight clean sheets. A respectable number, even if the results were not up to the mark.
Under Rosenior, they have kept on in 11 league games. They have conceded 17 times over the last ten Premier League matches. They shipped eight goals over two legs against PSG, three against Newcastle United and now three more against Man City. Is it the players? The structure? The tactics? Is it a combination of all three?
