Chelsea FC Lacking On-Field Leadership
Chelsea FC have lost a handful of legendary footballers in the past few years. The exodus began in 2012 with the departure of Didier Drogba and Paulo Ferreira after the Champions League victory in Munich.
The trend continued on with the losses of Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard but was slightly evened out with the return of Drogba to the squad. Petr Cech was the last to leave, and to Arsenal nonetheless, and Drogba departed as well after adding two more trophies to his already bulging cabinet.
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With so many giants of the club having departed and just John Terry, and perhaps Branislav Ivanovic, left at the club as true leaders, it has become obvious that the Blues are lacking in on-field leadership. The incident with Diego Costa and Gabriel was a perfect example of that lack of a true presence on the field.
John Terry has been relegated to the bench in recent weeks and Ivanovic was named captain for the match against Arsenal. As things were heating up between Costa and Gabriel, Ivanovic was nowhere to be found. Petr Cech was doing more to try and end the incident than the captain who only appeared in the picture after Gabriel had already been sent off.
In an ironic twist, the much-maligned John Terry was on the pitch he may have been able to intervene with Diego Costa’s antics and Gabriel may have been able to finish off the match. Instead he was on the bench, helpless to watch the match teeter over the edge for Chelsea but somehow fall in favor of the Blues.
Walsall FC keeper Neil Etheridge agrees that Chelsea may be lacking leadership:
"“I look at that team and it’s a fantastic bunch of players but I don’t know how many leaders they have got. The thing which is going on with John Terry no-one really knows the answer to. No-one knows the true story. He is a massive leader in the team.”“They lost Frank, who is another massive leader. Working closely with Mark Schwarzer last year he named a few of the leaders who spoke to the gaffer and they seem to have all left this year. Maybe that’s where they missing on the field, they want someone to take control. It’s hard, at that level you need a couple – if not three or four leaders – to pull that team through.”Source: Eurosport"
Neil Etheridge makes an excellent point. The Blues need someone to take control and right now there is only one person who can do that. Chelsea FC are not lacking in senior internationals or big name players. Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard, and Oscar are legitimate global superstars with plenty of pull on the pitch because of their fantastic ability. Nemanja Matic and Ivanovic, when on form, are colossuses on the field but do not seem to have the attitude and demeanor to act as the leaders needed for Chelsea FC to challenge once again for the title.
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John Terry had Drogba and Cech last season to back him up in his leadership and provide different styles of guidance to the squad. Drogba to keep things loose with this jovial attitude and Cech to provide the steely determination that only one with so many accomplishments could manage. Now Terry is on his own but certain players may be coming in to their own.
Kurt Zouma showed tremendous fire against Arsenal but may be too young to truly impose himself on the dressing room. Ivanovic may try to emulate Terry but it is hard to do so if he loses his place to Baba Rahman.
Diego Costa could possibly be the next leader but his inability to speak English may hamper that. He is also the notorious troublemaker on the pitch which may or may not be acceptable to some of his teammates. Whoever it is that comes in to their own as leaders must do so soon if the Blues are to threaten on any fronts this season.
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