Chelsea: No place for bullying of Chelsea players or anyone else

When this observer saw a young (19-year old) terrific, but smaller (in size only) Chelsea player bullied last season by a huge Manchester United player and there seemed to be no repercussions, none, it demonstrated a particular lack in this team. What’s lacking is called toughness. When a bully is allowed to carry on unchecked, he’ll keep it up and it will get worse. No one seemingly stood up for this young Chelsea player on that pitch last season. If this deficiency isn’t addressed, now, Chelsea will continue to get pushed around by bigger, tougher, less-talented clubs as they often are in the Premier League.

Think of how John Terry would have reacted to such a provocation on a smaller, young Chelsea player last season? It’s a rhetorical question. Everyone knows the answer. It would have been answered, right then, clearly, assertively, and forcefully. Do it again and answer to him. No enforcer who could handle that situation seemed to be evident last season or is evident on the Chelsea squad today. Unless and until he is, this club will be flawed.

Witnessing that incident (a truly pathetic example of bullying by a very big guy against a much more talented smaller player) would make you ill. That young players’ teammates seemingly did nothing to make it clear that such behavior was unacceptable and would be met with repercussions. It’s imperative to make a statement to that team, its goons, and to every other team in the Premier League. Don’t mess with our players.

Who is that player (better if there were at least two) on Chelsea? He doesn’t exist. John Terry was. Retired. Diego Costa was. Gone. Who’s there now? No one at the moment. That lack must be remedied this summer to make Chelsea a team that is feared both as a title contender and a squad that stands behind its players. A team that won’t tolerate bullying of a Blues’ player by anyone, especially bullying of a young smaller one with the heart of the lion on the crest and talent far bigger than the bully who thought he could get away with humiliating this small player and did.

The current Blues squad is currently comprised to a large extent of smaller skilled players who aren’t physically imposing but play well with supreme skill and finesse. That’s fine. But in addition to players like that, any club needs its tough, take-no-prisoners approach players. Like John Terry. Like Milan’s Gennaro Gattuso a few years ago. That has to be a top priority acquisition for the Blues management this summer. Until and unless this deficiency in the team is remedied, bullying is going to continue to plague the club. The right players with the right amount of toughness must be brought into the team.

Bullying at any level of society is a sickening occurrence and has to be eliminated. Completely. In schools, at work, on the pitch, everywhere. The strong always think they can run roughshod over the smaller and weaker. Until someone as tough or tougher stands up to them, at which point, they’ll usually back down, the bullying continues unabated. Bullying is an offensive action anywhere and everywhere. But as has been proven over centuries, allowing bullies to be bullies only enables them to bully more.

In the case of the Blues, the club has to take the steps to ensure that their players are not impacted adversely by this sickening practice. By having capable players on its squad, not to bully others, but to set the bullies straight. Seeing this incident was truly nauseating. The League did nothing. No one else seemed to either. It’s time to step up. Enough is enough. Bullying has no place on the pitch against Chelsea, or anywhere else for that matter.