Chelsea should defeat Fulham before fully celebrating win over Tottenham

On the back of two massive, hard-fought fixtures Chelsea have a lot to be happy about but are still some time away from being able to celebrate.

Chelsea have done something remarkable over the last two matches. After being pushed around and called a banter club since the start of 2019, the Blues have finally taken a big result. Maurizio Sarri shocked the world when he came out in the Carabao Cup final with a tweak to his formation. Instead of his usual 4-3-3, Sarri’s men played a 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1, and it worked. He made a few more changes to face Tottenham, and now Chelsea have kept consecutive clean sheets against two of the Premier League’s best teams.

Despite a massive 2-0 win over Spurs, there is no reason to celebrate. Of course, all Spursy jokes are still acceptable, but nobody’s morale should change just yet. Beating the bottlers is always enjoyable, but Chelsea no longer has the luxury of overlooking any opponent.

Even though Sarri has noted that this new tweak works and he will stick with it, the questions surrounding the players’ motivation still remain.

Several times this season, Sarri has spoken about his inability to motivate this group of players. They have struggled in games against teams like Bournemouth, showing no character or fight. However, they have turned up against the biggest teams. In both matches against Liverpool, two of the three matches against Manchester City and a match against Spurs, the Blues looked as if they could win the league. Alas, Chelsea sit sixth in the Premier League and only in two competitions – and no trophies – at the end of February.

If that trend continues, the 2-0 win over Spurs will have little impact on the direction Chelsea is headed. Despite Wednesday’s result, the club is still temporarily in ruins.

The Blues’ bout against Fulham at the weekend now becomes the most vital match to date, as absurd as it sounds. A short two-mile trip to Craven Cottage to face one of the league’s worst teams will show us how legitimate this revitalized Chelsea side really is.

Anybody who has watched these Chelsea players over the last few seasons knows they won’t motivate themselves for this match. Fulham will be motivated. They have a new interim manager in Scott Parker and, although the Cottagers are down and out in the Premier League, a west London derby win will help end their season on a high note. These are the games the Blues typically struggle in.

Sarri has committed to change, now it’s time for the players to step up. The team needs to do something it has done only a small handful of times this season: smash a relegation-caliber side.

This weekend’s match against Fulham could decide a lot. A loss would put Sarri back on the chopping block. Chelsea would all but be out of the race for top four and the fans will begin to grow irritable again (to put it nicely). It would also cancel out any significance the Spurs win had. The stakes of this match should be enough to keep the players motivated.

Meanwhile, a convincing win would be monumental. In fact, a massive win at the weekend would give the club something to think about when it comes to Sarri’s future. The Italian has already bought himself some time with a win over the north London bottlers, but he can save his job at Craven Cottage. Maybe a few of the players can, as well.

Over the last few months, when Chelsea have been to hell and back, the top concerns have been player motivation and Maurizio Sarri’s stubbornness. Sarri seems to have fixed one of those problems. If he can instill some consistency and motivation into this side, the dark clouds will part and reveal the sunshine over Stamford Bridge once again.

Although refreshing, the Spurs win is not important yet. Other than winning against one of your most fierce rivals, there is little reason for Chelsea to celebrate.

Take a step back and view the Spurs game as a possible catalyst. This could be a like-new beginning for Chelsea, but only with a convincing win against Fulham. And that only if the players rise to the occasion.