Historically significant, as one of only four winners of the EPL as it is today, but insignificant as holders of only four titles as opposed to Manchester United's nineteen and Liverpool's eighteen. A great team with quite some matchwinners, but terrible with few superstars and inconsistency. Able to beat Manchester United (last season) but splitting points with Genk in the Champions League. A team of contradictions, that is Chelsea.
The Blues find themselves in a slump again, not unlike last year's interminable mid-season string of unpleasant results. They are yet to win against a major team in the EPL this season, losing 3-1 to Manchester United, humbled 5-3 by Arsenal and thwarted 2-1 by Liverpool. They even lost to long-term absentees QPR, signalling that this team is in a deep hole.
They are not a one-man army like Arsenal, who owe their seventh place to Robin van Persie, which is also why Chelsea do not figure in the top scorers list. (Another reason is that Drogba is pretty injury-prone.) The other big striker, Fernando Torres, finds form in fits and starts and is largely off-colour. Their defence typically performs well for the first twenty minutes, then develops extraordinary complacency and is perenially hovering around the half-line and sometimes even indulging in shots. They then get surprised by perfectly onside goals.
The face of their team, Frank Lampard, is performing well but his age can be seen. He's no youth and the Blues will be hunting for another like him, when he decides to hang up his boots.
They have money. Like the owner of Manchester City, Roman Abrahamovich too has piles of money from being in an oil-rich area. They too can emulate the rising team assembled from money and skill. They too can pose a threat to the record champions defending their title. They can. But the question is, will they?
The Blues find themselves in a slump again, not unlike last year's interminable mid-season string of unpleasant results. They are yet to win against a major team in the EPL this season, losing 3-1 to Manchester United, humbled 5-3 by Arsenal and thwarted 2-1 by Liverpool. They even lost to long-term absentees QPR, signalling that this team is in a deep hole.
They are not a one-man army like Arsenal, who owe their seventh place to Robin van Persie, which is also why Chelsea do not figure in the top scorers list. (Another reason is that Drogba is pretty injury-prone.) The other big striker, Fernando Torres, finds form in fits and starts and is largely off-colour. Their defence typically performs well for the first twenty minutes, then develops extraordinary complacency and is perenially hovering around the half-line and sometimes even indulging in shots. They then get surprised by perfectly onside goals.
The face of their team, Frank Lampard, is performing well but his age can be seen. He's no youth and the Blues will be hunting for another like him, when he decides to hang up his boots.
They have money. Like the owner of Manchester City, Roman Abrahamovich too has piles of money from being in an oil-rich area. They too can emulate the rising team assembled from money and skill. They too can pose a threat to the record champions defending their title. They can. But the question is, will they?
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