Chelsea’s awful Premier League form continued on Sunday as they fell to yet another defeat at Everton.
The Blues have been nothing short of terrible in 2023, and Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Goodison Park only adds to fans’ misery.
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s 54th-minute opener gave Everton the lead before substitute Lewis Dobbin sealed three points for the Toffees in added time.
Sean Dyche’s Everton side have responded superbly since their ten-point deduction, winning nine of their last 13 games. This latest win makes it three wins on the bounce for them, something Chelsea haven’t managed since October 2022.
They have only won two consecutive league games once under current manager Mauricio Pochettino. A 2-0 win at Fulham on 2 October was followed by a 4-1 thumping of Burnley at Turf Moor.
Pochettino’s side have picked up just 39 points from their 39 matches this calendar year. No side has fewer points from the same number of games.
Excluding the six teams to be promoted into or relegated from the Premier League in 2023, Chelsea have the lowest points in the top flight. Only Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have as few points as Chelsea.
And with both of those sides having played a game fewer, Chelsea’s points-per-game return is the worst of any side in the Premier League over the past two seasons.
Chelsea’s Managerial Changes
Since the beginning of the year, Chelsea have won just nine times in the Premier League. They have lost twice as often, with 18 defeats to their name. And with 12 draws, no Premier League team has dropped more points in 2023.
This is not a problem that started under Pochettino, though. The Argentine manager arrived in July, replacing interim boss Frank Lampard, who struggled once again during his second spell at Stamford Bridge.
Under Lampard, Chelsea managed a solitary Premier League win, beating Bournemouth 3-1 in May. In their other eight games, they lost six and drew twice, meaning they took just five points from a possible 27 during Lampard’s tenure.
Lampard’s predecessor Graham Potter fared little better. Despite a strong start at the club, winning his first three Premier League games, Potter would quickly begin to struggle.
Unbeaten after five games, Potter’s Chelsea would then win just four from their next 17 in the league, leading to his sacking in April.
Has Pochettino Made Chelsea Worse?
One thing’s for certain, Chelsea are considerably worse now than they were under Thomas Tuchel. Now in charge of Bundesliga side Bayern Munich, Tuchel led the Blues to UEFA Champions League glory in 2021.
Under Tuchel, Chelsea enjoyed a Premier League win percentage of 56%. They picked up 122 points from a possible 189 and lost only 11 of the German’s 63 league games in charge.
Graham Potter replaced Tuchel in September 2022, but could only manage a 32% winning record. Following Potter’s sacking, Lampard’s return to the club saw some of the worst Chelsea performances in recent memory.
Lampard’s one win in nine Premier League games equates to a winning percentage of just 11%.
Unsurprisingly, Pochettino has at least improved on that. With five wins from 16, and 19 points from a possible 48, the former Tottenham boss has a winning percentage of 31%.
But considering Potter was sacked with a marginally better record, it’s no surprise to see the pressure mounting on Pochettino.
Chelsea Managers’ Records Since Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel (26 Jan, 2021 – 07 Sep, 2022) – P63 W35 D17 L11, Win percentage: 56%, Points: 122/189
Graham Potter (08 Sep, 2022 03 Apr, 2023) – P22 W7 D7 L8, Win percentage: 32%, Points: 28/66
Frank Lampard (06 Apr, 2023 30 Jun, 2023) – P9 W1 D2 L6, Win percentage: 11%, Points: 5/27
Mauricio Pochettino (01 Jul, 2023 – Present) – P16 W5 D4 L7, Win percentage: 31%, Points: 19/48
What these stats show is that while sacking Tuchel was clearly a mistake, Chelsea’s problems run far deeper than their manager. Three men have tried and failed to improve the team’s fortunes, and surely the finger must now be pointed further up the club’s hierarchy.
Todd Boehly took charge of the club in May 2022 in a deal worth £4.25 billion. But since buying the club, Chelsea’s Premier League form has plummeted.
Having spent more than £1 billion in the transfer market, often on players who have underperformed terribly, questions must be asked of the wider management at Chelsea. While the mangers must take some responsibility, the buck stops with Boehly.
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