I really feel bad for Chelsea fans right now. Frank Lampard has begun his second stint as manager of Chelsea with a dreadful 1-0 loss versus Wolves as the Blues put out a pathetic, lethargic effort.
This will go down as the worst season in modern Chelsea history (aka: 2000-now) if things don’t change drastically.
Despite Lampard coming back to be the third man to sit in the Chelsea dugout this season, this Chelsea side gave its trademark performance against Wolves as they were run off the park.
Chelsea literally had nothing going for them offensively as they not only were outshot on target 4 vs. 1 by Wolves, but they also were also only able to register just 7% of their total shots (1/13) on target to get shutout for the 17th time this season!
Regardless of whether its Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, Christian Pulisic, or Pierre-Emerick Aubeymang playing up front (which they all were at some point today), Chelsea’s offense truly is the ineptest I’ve ever seen from a traditional Top-6 side. All of these offensive players have had their confidence torn out of their chests and stamped on by every single opponent they play, which was the case yet again today as Wolves had no fear of Chelsea.
Sure, this Wolves side may not have dominated possession as the Blues ended the match with 62% of the ball to their 38%, but Julen Lopetegui was throwing his fullbacks, Nelson Semedo and Toti Gomes, and his wingers, Matheus Nunes and Daniel Podence, forward on almost every attack.
Normally, when a team enters a match against Chelsea in the bottom-12 of the Premier League, they’d be a little more cautious of Chelsea’s superior attacking talent hitting them on the break. Clearly, that wasn’t the case today as not only did Nunes score a wonderful half-volley from the edge of the box into the top corner of Kepa’s net to win the game, but they really could have had another goal or two if they were more clinical.
Though, to be honest, I get why they weren’t scared of a Chelsea attack consisting of a guy who only scores disallowed goals (Kai Havertz), a guy who can create all the chances in the world but can’t finish them (Joao Felix), and a guy who misses open-goal chances for fun (Raheem Sterling).
Anyway, Chelsea had one measly, 25-yard Joao Felix attempt land right into the hands of Jose Sa in 90+ minutes of football. Just one shot!
You can’t win a game of football if you can only muster a single, outside-the-box shot in a match against a team that not only is sitting in the Bottom-12 of the Premier League, but also has given up an astonishing 42 goals against already. That’s tied for the 7th worst GA in the Premier League this season.
But, I guess Chelsea had to go out and prove that they can make even the shaky defensive line of Nelson Semedo, Craig Dawson, Max Kilman, and Toti Gomes can look like the 1990’s AC Milan defense.
I should be more impressed with how easy this Chelsea offense can make even the worst Premier League defense look competent, but that eroded days ago when this team got its second manager fired and Todd Boehly brought in a guy almost got relegated last season as replacement.
Before I give my dire judgement of how the final ten or so games of Chelsea’s season will pan out, let me just say that this win should keep Wolverhampton in the Premier League. Of course, there is still eight games left with Wolves only being four points ahead of the relegation zone, but I just don’t see the Bottom-8 picking up enough points to surpass Wolves if they win 2-3 more games.
As for Chelsea, I’d be getting very nervous about a bottom half finish for the first time since the 1995/96 season if I was a fan.
Not only are Chelsea in the midst of a 4-game winless streak now, but this loss has now sunk them to being behind 10th place Fulham, who still have a game at hand over the Blues, on GD. Personally, I think Chelsea will finish either 9th or 10th as Fulham are free-falling, while 9th place Brentford are also in the midst of a 4-game winless streak.
Nevertheless, Chelsea will be hard pressed to get Europa Conference League football this season with 8th place Liverpool currently 4 points ahead of them with two games in hand, while the route to the Champions League by winning the competition will be closed off as soon as they face Real Madrid next week.
Some season this has turned out to be, right Chelsea fans?
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