Chelsea are not exactly known for their long-term planning. But if they can get their head up from their repetitive preparations to face Eintracht Frankfurt, here are a few things they can learn from the recent game at Manchester United.
Chelsea, through the best efforts of everybody but themselves, still have two routes open to next season’s Champions League. They need to learn as much as they can from every game because, regardless of where they finish or who is in charge, they cannot stay on the current course. We’ll get them started.
1. Maurizio Sarri will get another season as Chelsea manager
This game was a direct representation of the season. Chelsea came out the gates with completely the wrong mindset and were overrun by their otherwise uninspired opponents. They managed to stumble their way to a goal, and then rode out the game from there. There was no cohesion, no transition from back to front, and absolutely no creativity from anyone whose name is not Eden Hazard.
As an entire squad, Chelsea seem completely incapable of adopting Maurizio Sarri’s tactics, despite having successfully adopted (to an extent) the styles of five other managers in the five years before his appointment. Antonio Conte’s reign especially showed how sponge-like the players were in terms of adopting new systems and formations, winning the league in the season in which they switched to a three at the back seemingly on-the-fly.
Sarri does not seem to be a good teacher, but it also seems as if he will do enough to hold on to his job, if not a place in the top four. Much like the top 4 spot, if Chelsea do maintain it, the job will not have been earned through his merit.
A bad teacher is not exactly who you want in charge when you have a transfer ban, but the Sarrismo train limps on, and looks set to continue next season.
2. Blues will be incredibly lucky if they finish in top four
Chelsea were very fortunate to leave Old Trafford with a point, on a weekend Tottenham lost to West Ham at home in their new stadium (which is hilarious) and Arsenal lost an upset for a second week in a row.
Chelsea have shown nothing to indicate they deserve Champions League status next year, but they could well get it if their luck continues.
It seems unlikely Chelsea will win more than four points from their final two games based on their current form, against Watford (H) and Leicester (A). But based on the form of those around them, that could well be enough.
3. Callum Hudson-Odoi’s injury will severely impact Chelsea’s run-in
Willian had an especially Willian-like game against Manchester United. That I need not give any further explanation shows how common this problem is. Pedro then came on and looked like an equally blunt instrument up front.
With Higuain and Giroud both suffering from a lack of confidence, quality and ball time, they need better service from the wings to bring them out of their funk
In the last two games Callum Hudson-Odoi started, one in the Premier League and one in the Europa League, Olivier Giroud scored four goals. All of Hudson-Odoi’s five assists for Chelsea this season have come from wide areas, and four of those have been to strikers – two for Giroud, two for Alvaro Morata.
Chelsea were in dire need of some flair and creativity from wide against Manchester United. They didn’t get it from Willian or Pedro.
As they approach the end of the season, Hudson-Odoi’s absence will be felt in both the final stages of the Europa League and the Premier League run-in, and could mean the difference between success and failure in both competitions. For a guy who wasn’t “trusted” before he asked to leave in January, he’s come a long way in term’s of his squad standing and season’s impact in a very short period of time.
4. Sarri will have to dip into the current on-loan players next year
Assuming the transfer ban is upheld, which every indication says it will be, Sarri will be forced to breathe some life into the squad through returning loanees. Another flat performance this weekend showed the current squad needs new energy, dynamism, and just plain old new ideas.
If Sarri has any common sense – and I say “if” because it’s anyone’s guess at this point, he will see the opportunity his young players represent as they return to the fold. Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James (to name a few) all excelled this season in the Championship, they all offer something different in their positions, and they all bring the right youthful positivity and rebranding potential to shape Chelsea’s 2019/20 season for the better.
Sarri is not by nature a trusting man, so it may take a while for those ideas to take hold. If and when they do it will be to the betterment of the entire club.