Since their Champions League final victory in 2021 over Manchester City, Chelsea have more than struggled to keep that momentum going. They’ve had three different managers and a new owner as they look to get back to being one of Europe’s elite. Since Todd Boehly took over in 2022, the club has spent £906 million on signings as they attempt to get back into European competition as they missed out last season after a subpar 12th placed finish.
They appointed former Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino who was fresh off winning Ligue 1 with PSG. Expectations were high going into this season with good signings and a pre-season which saw great performances. However, after Chelsea’s display against West Ham which saw them get dismantled 3-1 it appears there’s still a long way to go for Chelsea before they can think about the Champions League. Here’s four reasons why they won’t qualify this season:
1. Too much competition
Last season the race for top four was a thrilling one with Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United all fighting for a spot which saw it go down to the wire. Arsenal and Manchester City were miles ahead of them as they were in a title race so top four was more or less guaranteed for those two for the majority of the season. Brighton was last seasons dark horse as they secured a place in the Europa League. Aston Villa managed to gain a Europa league spot too, Unai Emery will be hoping for the same again this campaign. Spurs, who failed to qualify for Europe last season, have made a strong start to the season under new manager Ange Postecoglou. If Chelsea are serious about wanting to challenge for a Champions League spot, they will have to be at their very best almost every week as competition for Europe has never been so high.
2. Struggling to put the ball in the back of the net
It’s true, Chelsea haven’t had a great striker since Diego Costa. They only managed to score 38 goals in the Premier League last season which is embarrassing for a side that lifted the Champions League above their head two years ago. The summer has seen Chelsea buy the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson to help solve that problem. Nkunku picked up a knee injury in pre-season and his return date is not yet known. Chelsea sold Kai Havertz to rivals Arsenal. He was their top goal scorer last season with nine in all competitions. So far, Chelsea have netted two in two games.
The head coach with the latest on Romeo Lavia. 💬
'He is not quite ready yet and needs a few weeks before he will be involved.
'He's conditioning now and working hard to catch up with the rest of the team. We need to wait a couple of weeks before he's ready.' 🤝 pic.twitter.com/1pWrdWI8jn
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 24, 2023
3. Lack of squad chemistry
It’s no denying Chelsea have some great players but gelling together as a team has been a real struggle. Since Boehly bought Chelsea for $5 billion in May 2022, he has spent £906 million on new signings and sold around £400 million worth of players. He sacked Thomas Tuchel in September 2022 and since then Chelsea are now on their third different manager. These players and Pochettino need time to become a team. It’s now whether Boehly has the patience for that to happen.
4. Can’t keep the ball out of their net
Last season in the Premier League, Chelsea conceded 47 goals which is more than they managed to score. This season Chelsea, have bought Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Monaco defender Axel Disasi and defensive midfielders Romeo Lavia from Southampton and Moises Caicedo from Brighton for a record British fee of £115m. Chelsea captain and right-back Reece James picked up an injury against Liverpool which now sees him on the side lines. Pochettino’s men have conceded four goals in their opening two matches.
It’s still very early days in the Premier League. Chelsea host Luton tonight as they look for their first 3 points of the season. But there’s more than enough evidence that Chelsea have such a long way to go before they can think about Champions League football.
Related Content
- Best Premier League Betting Sites – Top Bookies for Premier League Betting
- Football Betting Tips 2023 – Latest Picks & Football Tips
- Football Predictions August 2023
- Football Accumulator Tips 2023 – Latest Acca Betting Tips
- Best Correct Score Tipsters on Telegram & Social Media 2023
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
