Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Man Utd 2 - Chelsea 1
Ups and Downs
Consider this post a long overdue check-in.
Please excuse the absence — I can assure you it was not from an overwhelming sense of despair at trying to predict Chelsea’s performances. No, rather the combination of starting a new job and the holiday season has kept me sufficiently occupied, and perhaps mercifully distracted from having to make sense of a severely bipolar Chelsea. Not to mention those brutal 6am Pacific Time kickoffs; give me some credit for waking up early and subjecting myself to this rollercoaster!
This pundit has long advocated for patience, albeit with a touch of cynicism that has infected most Chelsea fans over these past 18 months. The last time out I broadly framed the final three months of 2023 as a seesaw of patience, pain, and promise - Chelsea needed to continue growing in experience and confidence, keeping their faith through difficult games in October and November that I felt they were unlikely to win. The dreaded word “relegation” was invoked in passing, though I did say that it was too early to worry about such things.
There’s no mistaking it, though, I was largely doubtful that this Chelsea team could threaten any of the teams they played in October and November. So how did I do?
In my cynicism, I made the mistake of forgetting that I was indeed riding a roller coaster. And roller coasters go up just as much they go down.
Almost as soon as my last post went up, Chelsea went on to beat Fulham (recording a clean sheet in the process), thrash Burnley, and achieve a convincing draw against Arsenal. Hope was restored!
As the last month and a half has shown, however, hope was clearly joined with frustration. Scoring a combined eleven goals against Tottenham, Manchester City, and Brighton, earning 7 pts, was balanced with sloppy and uninspiring losses to Brentford, Newcastle, and Manchester United, in which Chelsea scored only 2 goals and of course earned 0 pts.
“If patience was the watchword through the first quarter of the season, it has been firmly joined by consistency.”
Thinking back to where Chelsea were at in late September, this situation is surely an improvement. Chelsea has had positive performances and results against every team in the Top 5 of the table at the moment outside of Villa, and even in that match I thought Chelsea controlled the game well and had plenty of chances. The team has gotten healthier with Reece James, Armando Broja, and Benoit Badiashille getting consistently back into the lineup, and there has been an outpouring of goals for a team that went the entire month of September only finding the back of the net once.
But any positivity has also surely been met with inconsistency, particularly in regards to energy and discipline. To take the latter first, according to the EPL stats tracker, Chelsea are currently tied for 2nd in receiving the most yellow cards and third in receiving red cards. Lazy and misjudged tackles have cost Chelsea in crucial situations, and it doesn’t seem to be improving. Worse still, nearly every player has displayed this recklessness, with some such as Nicolas Jackson far more guilty than others.
The intangible of energy and desire has also been absent in numerous games this season, and unlike top table teams, Chelsea don’t have European football to fall back on as an excuse. An aging Thiago Silva has made uncharacteristic mistakes leading to goals. Games against Newcastle and Manchester United were filled with sloppy passing and very little midfield control. Admirable performances against the league’s best teams have been balanced with frankly dull and dreary performances against the lower table teams.
In essence - this is classic midtable football. So where does Chelsea go from here?
Looking back to my predictions from late September, with all the tumult Chelsea have seen, I still believe in the promise. I’m not naive enough to think that just because the fixtures are “easier” that Chelsea will seize the moment with full confidence. But to maintain the cynicism of my last post would be to deny the positive progress that has clearly been made. Cole Palmer is a revelation and clearly an exciting link the midfield that was sorely needed. Nkunku will be back from injury this month and provides even more promise in the attack. Discipline issues desperately need to be sorted out, but those are coachable, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it simply cannot be said enough times just how young this team is. They will make stupid mistakes and stupid decisions, but they are learning.
Moment of the Match
Cole Palmer levels the game
Despite the loss, I’m choosing to focus on a positive moment for Chelsea that highlights just how critical Palmer has been. Seemingly out of nothing, Palmer put away a beautiful goal into the right corner, emblematic of the skill and poise that Palmer has provided over the past couple months. It also is emblamatic of what has changed at Chelsea since I last wrote - this team can now get themselves back in the game! There was a long period where conceding first meant game over. Performances against Man City, Tottenham, and Burnley all proved that Chelsea are now able to find a new gear when they’re down, willing themselves back into the game. It is an extremely welcome development, and perhaps the clearest sign that this team is indeed moving in the right direction.