With the gift of hindsight, the tell-tale signs of what is probably becoming Chelsea’s worst season under the Abramovich’s era were evident as early as the second half of last season.
The Blues were lethargic and listless, playing with far less flair and swagger than they showed in the first half of their title-winning 2014/15 season.
However their frailties were masked by the points haul that the momentum with which they had began the season had garnered.
The seriousness of an opening day 2-2 draw against Swansea at Stamford Bridge was deftly hidden by Jose Mourinho as his curious victimization of club physiotherapist, Eva Carneiro for coming on to the pitch to treat an injured Eden Hazard in injury time, hugged all the headlines and ate up column inches of the back pages.
However, with each successive defeat, Chelsea has slipped further and further away from what has often been their traditional perch within the top four places on the Premier League table.
The spine of the team that cantered to the title last season has been so woeful and out of form that they are barely recognizable from the same quintet that made up the Premier League best XI.
Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, John Terry, Nemanja Matic, Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic all seem to have been completely shorn of the capability with which they dragged the Blues to the title last season.
Rumors have been rife about the safety of Jose Mourinho’s job as the notoriously quick-fingered Roman Abramovich’s patience must be wearing thin.
Although he has come out to defend the beleaguered Portuguese manager, a continued poor run of results would certainly force his hand.
As the comforting sanctuary of the January transfer window looms over the horizon, Chelsea fans would hardly wait for New Year’s Day. Who should Chelsea buy? Who would they buy? Who could they buy?
For the first question, Premier League bound Bayern Munich manager; Pep Guardiola believes that Chelsea needs 10 players. He was reported to have made this remark when he was sounded out by Chelsea officials as a replacement for the increasingly jaded Mourinho.
Having missed out on John Stones after a protracted pursuit in the summer, it is reported by the Daily Star that Chelsea would resume their chase of the Everton Centre-Back as early as this January with Chelsea’s cheesy defence having been regularly scorched and torched by Premier League strikers time and again.
The London Evening Standard echoes the same sentiment and even adds that Shaktar’s Alex Teixeira and PSG’s Marquinhos make up a trio that is been targeted by the Blues.
Chelsea’s misfiring strikers have played a part in the Blues’ atrocious season. Diego Costa seems to be more preoccupied in perfecting the art of pantomime villainy than that of poaching goals for which he was purchased, Eden Hazard has been drained of any color; Loic Remy doesn’t seem to enjoy his manager’s trust despite his decent form whenever he is asked to play while the less said about Radamel Falcao, the better.
And so it is in the light of these anomalies that The Sun is reporting that Mourinho is insisting on having the duo of West Brom’s Saido Berahino and Leicester’s red hot striker, Jamie Vardy.
As for the latter, Claudio Ranieri and co are adamant that their crown jewel would not leave for anything less than £30m, a price Mourinho has baulked at.
TalkSport are also reporting that Ezequiel Lavezzi’s purported move to Stamford Bridge may yet be truncated by Inter Milan as the San Siro giants are set to gazump the deal.
Whether Chelsea’s famed fighting spirit would stand them in good stead in a tug-of-war for the signature of the former Napoli striker, who has only featured thrice for the French club this season and is expected to leave this summer at the end of his contract, is anyone’s guess. If these signings be enough to salvage Chelsea’s already bad season is another matter entirely.
