As we approach the midway point of the 2022/23 Premier League season, it’s safe to say that Chelsea’s campaign so far has been far from smooth sailing. Despite a summer of lavish spending on new players such as Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, and others, the Blues find themselves languishing in 10th place in the league table, with just 20 goals scored in 16 games.
To make matters worse, the club has been plagued by a string of departures, including key players such as Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and Timo Werner. While some of the club’s new signings have shown promise, such as Sterling who is currently the team’s top scorer in the Premier League, others like Cucurella and Koulibaly have struggled to adapt.
These struggles are not solely the result of poor performances on the pitch, however. The behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the club has been just as tumultuous. Late last season, all of the club’s accounts were frozen, causing distractions for the players and backroom staff. Eventually, the club was taken over by American billionaire Todd Bohely, but disagreements over signings between Bohely and then-manager Thomas Tuchel led to Tuchel’s dismissal.
Chelsea’s poor decision-making over the last few seasons has had a direct effect on their current situation. Since Roman Abramovic took over the club in 2003, the focus has been on short-term success. Any manager who goes through a period of poor results is likely to be sacked, leading to a revolving door of 17 different managers in the past 20 years.
While this method has delivered success in the past, it seems to be failing now. Managers are given large sums of money to spend in the transfer window, only to be sacked after a few disappointing results. This constant turnover of managers and players has made it difficult for any cohesive system or style of play to emerge at the club.
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry highlighted this point when Tuchel was sacked, saying “why do you allow him to bring in all these players and then sack him after?” The constant turnover of managers and players is a recipe for disaster, and Chelsea’s struggles this season are a testament to that.
To recover from this situation, the club has turned to Graham Potter as their new manager. Potter has had success in the past with Brighton, but whether he can replicate that success at Chelsea remains to be seen. One thing is clear, however – Potter needs time to implement his system and work with the players he wants.
The treatment of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal is a prime example of what can happen when a manager is given time to build a team. Despite a shaky start to his tenure, Arteta was given time to implement his ideas and build a team around his vision. The result has been a significant improvement in Arsenal’s performances and a sense of stability at the club.
For Chelsea’s sake, it is crucial that Potter is given the time he needs to turn things around. Otherwise, the club will remain in transition for years to come. The constant turnover of managers and players has left the team without a clear identity or style of play, and only time and patience will allow Potter to build a team that can compete at the highest level.
In the short term, Chelsea fans will be hoping for an upturn in form that will allow the team to climb the league table and challenge for a top tier position in the league table.
