The 2018 World Cup starts shortly after the season ends. With its importance, Chelsea’s players could mentally and physically prepare for it at the club’s expense.
There is no player in the world that does not dream of lifting the World Cup. No other trophy has the prestige or the glory attached to it that the World Cup does. Even Lionel Messi, among the greatest players of all time, will always have an asterisk next to his career if he fails to lift it.
The World Cup is on every player’s mind and has been all season. Players have sought transfers and loans to find whatever playing time they could. The more they play, the better their chances of making the roster.
This already saw Michy Batshuayi leave on loan. It likely play its role in Nathaniel Chalobah and Nathan Ake (when the Netherlands still had a shot) leaving the club.
Could there another aspect to the World Cup? Could players be “checking out” now to save themselves for the tournament?
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The English season is long and tiresome. And with Manchester City so far ahead in the league, there could be a dark voice in the back of players heads that is saying “take it easy, you cannot win anymore”.
Of course, Chelsea have plenty left to play for. Top four is a must. The FA Cup is a possibility. The Champions League is a long shot but theoretically available. But those happen every year. The World Cup happens once every four years and some players may not get another chance.
That could manifest itself in small ways with dire consequences. Taking it easy at practice turns into not being prepared for a match. Deciding not to sprint to save their legs could turn into conceding a goal. Simply pulling out of a tackle for fear of injury could result in a goal or being benched the next game.
It is a conspiratorial thought but one that has surely entered the mind of many players. Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, N’Golo Kante, Gary Cahill, Alvaro Morata and Willian all know they will be at the World Cup. Saving themselves now could mean a better World Cup and a shot at history.
And that is not to mention the short time between the World Cup, preseason and the start of the next season. Energy saved now is energy to be used later.
This notion, however outright it may be, may be to blame for Chelsea’s dip in form. So many of the stars have gone missing in moments of need. And the worse the form becomes, the harder it will be to motivate the players with a perceived more important target on the horizon.
Antonio Conte wants players to be focused on the present. Looking too far ahead will cause you harm right away. If the players are doing so, Conte will need to set them straight. At the end of the day, the club is paying them year after year. And the long term damage of failing at club level will outweigh the boost they earn from lifting the World Cup.
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As the World Cup inches closer and closer and the season’s fate more decided, these problems will become more and more pronounced. It is up to the management and the players themselves to police for it. Otherwise, it could derail Chelsea’s season and have long lasting effects for the future.