For the second game in a row, a Chelsea player stormed off the pitch like a child sent to bed without dinner. Hopefully Michy Batshuayi and David Luiz succumbed to isolated lapses of professionalism and we are not witnessing another tide of player power.
Michy Batshuayi and David Luiz left the pitch in very different circumstances in the last two games. Batshuayi came off against Crystal Palace after a fruitless hour of frustration and impotence. Luiz saw a red number four on the board after one of the best hours he has had since returning to Chelsea, reveling in his natural position and scoring the opening goal.
Both players, though, made way for their replacement in a fit of pique, petulance and disrespect. Batshuayi screamed at the sky, and then left Pedro hanging for the standard handshake. David Luiz threw up an arm in disgust, stomped towards the touchline, blew off Cesc Fabregas, crossed the touchline well away from Chelsea’s area and then gave Antonio Conte the cold shoulder as Conte clapped his back.
The Luiz substitution against Roma made far less sense than Batshuayi’s against Palace. Luiz dominated the space between Chelsea’s defenders and midfielders. He protected the back-line from the open routes Cesc Fabregas leaves in midfield, forcing the play to the outside and scooping up loose balls. He was equally effective going forward, starting with the goal and continuing throughout his shift.
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Chelsea paid the price for bringing Luiz off. Roma scored two goals within 15 minutes, both on plays that exploited the open space (ground and air) Luiz vacated and nobody filled. In a game where Roma were already carving through Chelsea’s midfielders, removing the “destroyer” for Pedro was inexplicable. The consequences were as devastating as they were predictable.
Even so, Luiz’s behaviour was wholly inappropriate. Yes, players always want to play, particularly when they are having a night like David Luiz was having. But they are not the manager. Those decisions are his responsibility, and their job is to bring his vision to life.
Prior to Saturday’s game against Crystal Palace, the last player to get into a visible tiff with Antonio Conte about a substitution was Diego Costa. That is not a good template for player behaviour. Unfortunately, patterns repeat themselves and some cycles never really stop. Chelsea and Antonio Conte may be on the verge of another flare-up of player power.
Batshuayi’s and Luiz’s outbursts may go deeper than the substitution. Each have reasons to feel aggrieved about how Antonio Conte is using them. They may also know that their respective roles are about to diminish even more. But instead of buckling down, buying into the vision and working hard to find a place in the squad (see also: Fabregas, Cesc), they are lashing out.
The cynical side of me would ask if there is trouble in paradise. At some point it stops being passion and starts to be a problem
— Travis (@Travtical) October 18, 2017
These incidents could reflect not only a boiling over of other tensions, but a lack of concern with showing it. If the players respected Conte or feared the consequences of visible discord, they would take hold of themselves. They would not want to act like that, even if they felt that way inside.
One of Antonio Conte’s major achievements last season was healing a fractured locker room and restoring the coach to his rightful place in the team hierarchy. Chelsea’s recent run of bad form, the difficulties several key players are having and the absence of a powerful leader like John Terry may have resurrected some of those undercurrents.
Michy Batshuayi and David Luiz were each justifiably frustrated at their substitution: Batshuayi at himself, Luiz at Conte. But they cannot take that out on their teammates or the coach. Their bruised egos are a distant second to the club. Antonio Conte and Gary Cahill need to keep the team united and lined up behind Conte and his plan.
Next: Chelsea throw away 2-0 lead to Roma: Should anyone be surprised?
If three losses are all it takes for this group to turn on the coach, then Chelsea really are the bought-and-paid-for mercenaries their detractors say they are. And here they thought just us fans were plastic.