We’ve finally arrived at Chelsea’s last three matches of the season, and the past eight months of supporting this team have probably taken a tangible amount of time off my life. The constant managerial changes and overall lack of direction have been incredibly frustrating to experience as a fan, so I can only imagine what it’s been like for the players, management, and club staff. Regardless, the Blues survived another Premier League campaign without being relegated, and for that, we should be thankful.
However, it’s a strange feeling to be watching weeks of football that essentially mean nothing. CFC’s Premier League title hopes were over before the World Cup, they were eliminated from both domestic cup competitions relatively early, and their European run was halted in the quarterfinals by an underperforming Real Madrid side. There wasn’t even a chance at sneaking into the Europa Conference League. I’ve written these words a million times before, but the vibes around Stamford Bridge have been terrible since Thomas Tuchel’s departure back in September, and restoring a culture of positivity in west London will be of the utmost importance during this upcoming offseason.
The other big news item surrounding the Blues over the past week has been Mauricio Pochettino’s impending appointment as manager. I’ve been a vocal critic of Poch since his time on the Spurs sideline, so I can’t say I was too pleased with the initial reporting. And I’m still not sold, but there have been some stories about the Argentinian tactician that made me question my dissatisfaction when they came across my timeline. I didn’t realize that Poch is so demanding and puts a heavy emphasis on physical fitness. I still question if he has the mentality to manage at the top level after his stint in the French capital, but there’s no point in being negative before anything’s been made official. For now, I’ll just hope for the best.