Chelsea: The Blues put on uninspiring show versus Aston Villa

Olivier Giroud tried to rescue a sluggish Chelsea side, but Aston Villa equalized at the 54′ and left Stamford Bridge with an unsatisfying draw.

Chelsea was only able to take a measly point versus Aston Villa, who lacked the Blues quality, but not in heart. Absent a goal by who else, Olivier Giroud, the Blues once again tossed away a lead and subsequently, two points, to their opponent with poor defending. They gave up a score on a shot through the legs of Edouard Mendy by Anwar El Ghazi on a very savable ball. Who among the Chelsea faithful frankly didn’t expect a Villa breakthrough though, even before the Giroud strike? Once again, the Blues failed to take a full three points from a top half team.

Chelsea was sluggish and lead-footed in the opening half hour, seemingly running in sand. The Blues seemed to be outpaced, outmuscled and outplayed by a far less talented Villa squad. They just can’t seem to find the back of the net and an opportunity to break open any of these increasingly more painful-to-watch games. Bad luck, unbelievably poor directional shooting, too much midfield passing and a lack of directness in attack continues to plague a slipping Chelsea squad that is beginning what could become a fall into Premier League irrelevance.

Manager Frank Lampard changed up his team and at least inserted Giroud into the first team, places Jorginho in midfield and set up his defense with Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta. Callum Hudson-Odoi started on the right wing with Christian Pulisic staying on the left. There was even a Timo Werner sighting at center forward (do you believe?) and Kai Havertz came on.

Hard-nosed and tough players have been the bane of Chelsea for years. They out-work the team in blue and ultimately take points with effort rather than overwhelming talent. Maybe Chelsea should invest some pennies on talents like John McGinn, instead of the more heralded types who seldom seem to make the grade.

It’s becoming increasingly more obvious that when Ben Chilwell is fit and barreling down the left, good things happen for the Blues. Aside from Chilwell and Giroud though, an occasional burst by Hudson-Odoi and the unfortunately oft-misfiring Pulisic, there is little to feel good about in this squad. Pulisic and Mason Mount need a laser rangefinder to help them get shots on target and into the net. There is a total lack in the midfield at present of a box-to-box midfielder who can burst forward, dribble, pass or shoot and maybe even score goals on a regular basis. That player does not currently reside in the Blue shirt of Chelsea and it’s a glaring, missing piece in the side.

Two points lost—not nearly good enough for a contender of any type. Lampard can complain about the fixture schedule until the chickens come home to roost, this team is lacking in steel, guts and heart. Until and unless that attitude changes and/or the team brings in players who’ll bring that toughness into the side, this poor run of form will continue. It’s beginning to be less of an aberration than the norm, and to put it bluntly, it ain’t good.

It was pointed out previously that this team hadn’t beaten really anyone in it’s run of 17 games unbeaten. It continued to show against Villa that it still can’t on a regular basis. Unless it does, and soon, the 2020/21 season will be a lost one, and Champions League qualification will be nowhere to be seen.