With Liam Rosenior getting sacked, it is now up to Calum McFarlane to steady the ship until the end of the season. Of course, the Champions League qualification spots look unrealistic. Chelsea find themselves trailing fifth-placed Aston Villa by 10 points. But the aim has to be to finish the season as strong as possible and then look towards the future.
That being said, Chelsea do have something to play for this season. Namely, the FA Cup. They are in the semi-finals, facing Leeds United.
Chelsea have won nine of their last 11 FA Cup semi-finals. Incidentally, both the defeats came at the hands of Manchester City, clearly the standout team in England for the last decade and a half.
On paper, Chelsea have the more talented squad. But Leeds United enter this game as the team in form with a seven-game run without tasting defeat. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Blues lost seven matches on the trot when facing teams from the top division. They have a 7-0 win over League One relegation contenders, Port Vale, somewhere in between.
Chelsea fans react to McFarlane’s decision
McFarlane has put out the lineup to face Leeds United and it is an interesting one to say the least. A lot of fans are not convinced by the decision to start Tosin Adarabioyo.
One Chelsea fan wrote: “Tosin???!! Are you kidding me? Yeah we’re out.”
Another wrote: “Tosin in a semi final. Sack him now.”
Of course, McFarlane was always going to have some tough decisions to make on the day. The biggest task was to change it up but not to an extent where it disrupts things.
Considering how bad Chelsea have been lately, it is very difficult for an interim manager to think of ways to get a result. McFarlane seems to be focusing on a more aggressive approach after the Blues have looked pedestrian at times in recent outings. It remains to be seen if the squad will respond.
Palmer’s injury woes a worry
Palmer’s injury problems continue to be a worry for Chelsea. He has been left on the bench for this one, after missing the game against Brighton completely.
Interestingly, Joao Pedro is fit enough to start on the day. It will be interesting to see how he responds to Rosenior’s sacking. The Brazilian was one of the few who had benefited from the Englishman’s arrival, at least in the first few months before his form dipped as well.
Of course, once again, Josh Acheampong has been overlooked for a spot in the starting XI. And at this point, it would not be a surprise if he pushes for an exit in the summer.
