Chelsea's disastrous season ended exactly how many feared it would... In defeat.
Losing 2-1 away against Sunderland on the final day confirmed the Blues will miss out on European football altogether next season, capping off a miserable campaign full of inconsistency, poor discipline and wasted opportunities in front of goal.
Too often this season, Chelsea have made life unnecessarily difficult for themselves. Whether it has been red cards, defensive mishaps or wasteful finishing, the same problems have occurred far too often.
And according to captain Reece James, Chelsea’s latest defeat followed exactly the same pattern once again, with one his teammates being to blame.
Reece James blames Sunderland defeat on Cole Palmer
Speaking to Chelsea's official website after Sunday's disappointing defeat, James admitted Chelsea’s failure to take their chances early in the match proved hugely costly against the Black Cats.
“I think it [defeat at Sunderland] probably reflects how our season has gone – we've underachieved," he said.
“We had a few chances in the first half and we didn't take them. I feel if we had taken our chances, the game would have been different."
There is no doubting James was referring to Palmer with these comments. The former Manchester City star had a great chance to open the scoring inside the first four minutes but fluffed his lines and ended up passing the ball to opposition goalkeeper Robin Roefs.
Palmer was clean through but failed to convert, allowing Sunderland to settle into the game before they eventually took control and went onto also take all the points.
In Palmer’s defence, he did respond early in the second half by scoring Chelsea’s only goal of the game, but ultimately, it wasn't enough.
Although the Chelsea skipper never directly named Palmer, anybody who watched Sunday's game at the Stadium of Light will know exactly which missed chance he was referring to.
Palmer's Chelsea future far from certain
Palmer’s long-term future at Chelsea has been uncertain for several months now.
Despite being one of the Blues' most gifted, and valuable players, the England international has been heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.
His boyhood club Manchester United have repeatedly been mentioned as admirers, while more recent reports have linked him with a sensational return to Manchester City ahead of Enzo Maresca's arrival following Pep Guardiola's departure.
Despite all the noise, Chelsea are unlikely to actively push Palmer out the Stamford Bridge exit door, but should a mind blowing offer come in, a transfer cannot be ruled out.
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