Chelsea took on Wolverhampton Wanderers on the back of the news that Todd Boehly has officially been confirmed as the club’s next custodian. Clearly buoyed by the new-found clarity about the future of the club, the players started off the match well, cheered on by a home crowd that has finally refound its voice. However, despite Romelu Lukaku’s quick-fire brace early in the second half, the Blues’ defensive issues once again reared their ugly head. Ceding possession in dangerous areas and losing control of the game as Wolves chased their second goal, Chelsea would ultimately fall victim to a 97′ equaliser from Conor Coady.
Here are the three lessons we learnt the Blues’ disappointing draw with Wolves:
1. Woeful home record
Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Wolves meant that Chelsea has now lost 21 points at home this season. Recording just seven wins in 13 home matches prior to the international break in March, the Blues’ record at the Bridge has severely hindered its ability to match up with Manchester City and Liverpool. Since the international break, however, things have somehow gotten worse.
Apart from losing 3-1 to Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, Chelsea also recorded embarrassing losses to Brentford and Arsenal, shipping four goals in both games. Key defenders take turns having “brain fart” moments and as much as Thomas Tuchel would like the fans to believe that Chelsea’s home pitch is hindering the way his team plays, the results are simply not good enough. Beyond the fact that any future title charge has to be predicated on good home form, the Blues’ poor home record could yet derail their bid for top four this season. With a squad as expensive and talented as the one that Tuchel has at his disposal, finishing any lower than third this season has to be seen as an abject failure. With two more home games against Leicester City and Watford coming up in the league, Tuchel has to set the record straight, or risk Chelsea’s automatic Champions League qualification spot coming under unnecessary pressure.
2. Resurgent Romelu
Oh the miracles that scoring a goal can have on a striker’s confidence. It may already be May, but Romelu Lukaku is finally, finally showing signs of rediscovering his goal-scoring touch. Starting, perhaps a little surprisingly, ahead of Kai Havertz, Lukaku had an OK start to the game. He failed to control a couple of balls over the top and he got off shots that didn’t really work Jose Sa in the Wolves’ goal. However, that all changed early in the second half.
The Belgian won and converted a penalty in the 56′ of the match that would prove to be the turning point of the contest for the club record signing. Having sent Sa the wrong way with an excellent penalty, Lukaku was on hand to curl in Chelsea’s second just over a minute later. A poorly directed pass came off Timo Werner and rebounded kindly into the path of Christian Pulisic, who duly rolled the ball in for Lukaku to score his second of the match.
It was only the 28-year-old’s sixth and seventh Premier League goals of the season. However, it was a performance that clearly endeared him to the Stamford Bridge faithful. Furthermore, for the first time in months, this match suggested that Lukaku still has something to offer to this team. These may be uncertain times for many of the players as the summer transfer window creeps up. However, maintaining similar levels of performance for Chelsea’s remaining games of the season could yet secure the Belgian’s long-term future at “the club of his dreams,” despite his struggles throughout his second debut campaign.
3. It’s Boehly time, baby
It may have taken close to three months (and counting) for a new owner of Chelsea Football Club to be officially announced, but the Boehly consortium’s impending arrival as Roman Abramovich’s successors offer much-needed clarity for the club—both on and off the pitch. With key players such as Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen already on the way out and many other players facing contractual uncertainty, it would not be too much of a stretch to suggest that the noise surrounding the club may have adversely impacted performances on the pitch.
In Saturday’s starting XI, aside from the aforementioned Rudiger, club captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso both only have a year left on their deals and it is rumored that both are eyeing a return to Spain soon. Similarly, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are soon to have 12 months left on their contracts and with the club effectively in stasis for the past few months, their focus may have been affected. With a new owner now in place, decisions over key individuals within the squad can now be made and, more importantly, implemented. Moreover, having pledged over one-and-a-half billion pounds over the next 10 years into the squad, exciting changes are incoming at SW6.
Suffice it to say, this writer cannot wait to see what is in store for the club starting from the summer transfer window of 2022.
What are some of the lessons you learnt in the match? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!