Chelsea loss ends title defence but presents new opportunities
Chelsea’s dour, uninspired and poor loss to a fighting West Ham on Saturday eliminated them from the title race. That does not, however, leave them without opportunities.
Chelsea were terrible against West Ham and Antonio Conte must have let them know it. Despite the fact that they were tired, they were simply uninspired and poor. This Chelsea team didn’t deserve to win. They were disappointing across the board and they will need to observe that and improve.
Eden Hazard lacked his usual magic. It is for days like this that, despite having the talent of a Messi or Ronaldo, he is ranked 19th in the world. It’s not guaranteed that Hazard will perform when the team needs it.
On Saturday, Chelsea needed it and Eden Hazard never arrived. He’s one of the most talented players in the Premier League’s rich history. He’s got it all and that’s why days like this are so frustrating. He leaves you starving and not stuffed on some occasions.
The difference with Ronaldo and Messi is that they need to be beaten. They do not lose. They end up on the wrong side of a result if another team is fantastic, not because they were poor. That is the difference.
It's Over: Conte finally admits Chelsea are out of the title race
There’s nothing in this world stopping Eden Hazard from a Ballon D’Or except himself. Chelsea are built for his success. Both Hazard and the Blues must do better. Such performances must be deleted from the DNA of the side and left to annals of history.
Alvaro Morata was a shell of himself. Supposedly he was carrying an injury. But if this is the way he plays when carrying one then he should not take part at all. Morata could theoretically be the best striker in Europe. He has the height, speed, technique and an unbelievable ability to read the game.
But he’s soft. Rather than falling to the floor and asking the referee to prom every time he’s pushed, he should fight back. Have some bloody stomach, be a little nastier, go to war. It is only because of what Morata has the potential to do that days like Saturday cannot happen. He has the ability to decide not just matches but seasons and, frankly, he must or he’ll forever be the polite little boy who gets substituted for star players.
Tiemoue Bakayoko simply shouldn’t play for Chelsea again until he’s fixed whatever is wrong with his physical or mental self.
The Chelsea defence doesn’t look good enough. There’s no shame in saying that Andreas Christensen wasn’t as sharp today as he has been in previous matches. That comes with his age.
However, for the West Ham goal Azpilicueta was caught between tackling and blocking the shot. He did neither. Gary Cahill was fine. Though at some point it has to be acknowledged the defence has failed if a goal is scored. You cannot be considered to have defended well while conceding. They were poor. All five of them.
Finally, Thibaut Courtois. Arnautovic’s shot was savable. People are reticent to blame the goalkeeper at times but this is a fault. Chelsea dominated this match from a time and possession perspective and yet Courtois’ concentration was not up to scratch.
It is astounding that again we sit around contemplating his contractual value and Chelsea allow themselves to be embarrassed by his public blathering and yet somehow he cannot do what is simple. His save percentage is abysmal and far outside even the top 10 in Europe.
More from The Pride of London
- Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea player ratings: Abysmal, reckless, wasteful
- Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea: 3 Blues talking points
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 1 Blue Mauricio Pochettino should drop
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 3 Blues who must start
- Predicted Chelsea lineup vs Bournemouth: Palmer starts in 4-2-3-1
After all, the point of having a frightfully expensive goalkeeper is for him to bail out the defence when needed. David De Gea did so for Manchester United against Arsenal. He’s the benchmark in the Premier League and Courtois lives a litany of literal light ages from that realm of play. Very little is asked of him and yet he still leaves Chelsea wanting.
Chelsea can use this though. They will not win the league. With four losses, that’s nigh on impossible.
Instead, they should focus on a top four finish and the Champions League. Before Champions League fixtures they should rotate to make sure players are fresh. They should reach at least the semi-finals. Look for the big matches. Hopefully, Chelsea get PSG or Barcelona and collect a scalp. The old Chelsea squads never feared the big clubs. This team should build a backbone and never-say-die spirit against them too.
When rotating Chelsea should play players like Jake Clarke-Salter, Charly Musonda Jr, and Ethan Ampadu. There’s no reason why those players can’t get to 12-15 appearances each by the end of this season if they play cup matches and low lying clubs at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea were poor on Saturday. The Blues have too many players who should be world leaders in their respective decisions but, for some reason, seem strangely content with being “OK”. It needs to change and part of how that happens is by not wasting the opportunity to look to and build for the future.
Chelsea can use this positively or they can flounder about indecisively. The latter would be the only way they can truly lose this season.
Next: Chelsea should take action in January to remedy stagnant attack
What do you think? How should Chelsea plan for the rest of the season? Let us know in the comments below!