Chelsea FC: Champions in waiting or perpetual challengers?

Chelsea cannot go two full years without a “crisis”. Is this team a champion with bad luck or a challenger that occasional reaches up?

Sustainability is a unicorn for the vast majority of clubs. Winning a trophy a season is virtually unheard of outside of the realms of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris Saint Germain.

Chelsea have touched that level without ever reaching it. The trophies have come, yes, but often with different managers. The season after is another “crisis” and the cycle begins anew.

That is where the Blues are right now. The club has been unable to create a series of good seasons. The glory of the Champions League in 2011/2012 preceded a difficult 2012/2013. The 2014/2015 title was followed by the capitulation of 2015/2016. And now, a rampaging 2016/2017 is being followed by a stumbling 2017/2018.

The remaining months will not only determine if Chelsea can make top four and compete, but it will also determine the character of the club. Who are they? Are they champions with bad luck or are they merely challengers who reach above their level from time to time?

Similar sentiments followed the 2016/2017 season. Could the reigning champions really have such bad luck to finish tenth? Debates raged over how much blame the players should take. Most assumed it was merely a one-off. That the squad did not need a major overhaul. The players would bounce back and everything would return to normal again.

Things did return to normal. The club lifted their second trophy in three years. Under Antonio Conte, anything seemed possible. With the right reinforcements, the squad could build a dynasty.

But just like after the last title, reinforcements were scarce. The overall squad remained largely unchanged. And once again, the team has struggled.

The struggles of this season are nothing compared to 2015/2016, but they can be equally as damaging. Failing to make the Champions League once can be a bad year. But twice? That is a questionable mentality regardless of skill level. It does not matter that sandwiched in between were titles. A solid fight for first has been absent.

The players will have to answer these questions themselves on the pitch. Failing to make top four will confirm that as skillful as these players are, they are mentally toxic. They should be trimmed as the overhaul begins.

But if they are able to make top four, the players will remain at the club. They will still have to prove who they are: champions or challengers.

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If these players want to be remembered as legends, both at the club and in the sport, they will need to stand up and be counted. No more margin for error. Just performances that answer the question; are these players champions or challengers?

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