Chelsea is unrecognizable compared to a year ago. Last year at this time, they were owned by a Russian oligarch, had a charismatic manager who had fans hanging on his every word and had just won the world championship.
Even the Club World Cup final starting lineup against Palmeiras feels like a different age. Callum Hudson-Odoi, who assisted on the goal that evening, played left wingback, while Romelu Lukaku leads the attack. In central defense, Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen were present. Malang Sarr and Sal guez were substituted.
It was a unique type of club. Chelsea was assured of finishing in the top four of the Premier League, was hopeful of defeating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, and was confident of making another deep run in the Champions League.
Problems felt surmountable. When Chelsea defeated Crystal Palace a week after their victory over Palmeiras, the drama was that Lukaku, the £97.5 million final piece of the puzzle, had seven touches.
Chelsea might improve with lavish expenditure
How much has changed! Chelsea only started two Palmeiras players against West Ham on Saturday: Kai Havertz and Thiago Silva. Others have departed, been injured, or, in the case of Mason Mount, been eliminated.
Chelsea’s Champions League round of 16 match against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday is a mystery. Sanctions compelled Roman Abramovich to sell to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who promptly substituted Graham Potter for Thomas Tuchel.
The owners desired a more tranquil presence within the dugout. Saturday, after Chelsea’s late penalty claims against West Ham, was denied, there was no outrage with the officials. “That’s life,” Potter replied as he shrugged and moved on.
The head coach of Chelsea did not erupt. This was left to television commentators, who pondered whether Potter’s measured response indicated he is unfit for elite management. In contrast, in the real world, there was some appreciation for a manager who refused to blame a referee for a poor result.
The counterargument is that the pundits who criticized Potter served under prominent managers. Imagine the responses of prior Chelsea coaches. Tuchel, Antonio Conte, and José Mourinho would have controlled the narrative and attempted to instill a burning feeling of injustice within their players.
This is simply how the best coaches operate; their behavior may not always be mature, but the thing about winners is that they are wired differently than the rest of us.
In contrast, Potter appears more typical. His previous team was Brighton & Hove Albion. This is quite a shift from Chelsea. In the past, Chelsea was belligerent, aggressive, and stubborn. They now appear flat.
Edin Terzic’s increasingly secure Dortmund
Before the first leg of their tie with Edin Terzic’s increasingly secure Dortmund, Chelsea is tenth in the league standings. The squad is disorganized. The owners have spent more than £500 million, and despite the excitement of eight new players entering in January, there are many egos to appease.
When Chelsea submitted their updated squad list to Uefa for the knockout stages of the Champions League, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was not included. Only three of the new players could be registered, therefore Benoit Badiashile, who has developed a fine relationship with Silva in central defense, was left out.
Dortmund, whose greatest threat will come from Jude Bellingham, will be relieved that Badiashile will not be playing. Kalidou Koulibaly, who has not been trusted to start since Chelsea’s loss to Fulham on 12 January, might replace the Frenchman.
This weakens Chelsea and may force Potter to switch to a back-three formation. Mateo Kovacic and Denis Zakaria are back, Raheem Sterling is once again absent, and further reshuffles are imminent.
Enzo Fernández
Even though Enzo Fernández is playing well in the midfield and Joo Félix is dazzling up attack, the question remains whether Chelsea can establish a constant rhythm.
Their lack of cohesion against West Ham was exemplified by the strange vibes between Marc Cucurella and Mykhaylo Mudryk. Cucurella, who has struggled at left-back since his £62 million transfer from Brighton, heard the West Ham fans applauding his substitution.
On Chelsea’s left flank, there was no evidence of comprehension. Mudryk would repeatedly run behind the West Ham defense and look for the ball. But Cucurella would consistently ignore him, glance back, and play a safe pass inside.
Mudryk, who was acquired for £88.8 million last month, was irritated by the lack of service. The Ukrainian later liked a post ridiculing Cucurella on Instagram, before disliking it. It is a possible source of stress for Potter as he continues to rebuild patiently.
During the first twenty minutes of Chelsea’s match against West Ham, the former Brighton manager would likely prefer to focus on Chelsea’s dazzling play. The goal, which was created by Fernández and scored by Félix, involved two of the new players.
The extravagant expenditures may still elevate Chelsea. Money alone makes them favorites to defeat Dortmund, and it should not be forgotten that Chelsea’s two Champions League victories, in 2012 and 2021, occurred amid poor league campaigns.
Whether or not this defiance belongs to a bygone era is unknown.
