Maurizio Sarri and Chelsea have hit a rough patch since the start of 2019. The last 10 fixtures for the Blues have consisted of a record of 5-1-4. Chelsea are a team that expect to win every time they step onto the field. Losses to Leicester City, Bournemouth, Arsenal, Manchester City, and a draw to Southampton look really bad on the manager.
Of those four losses, they suffered a second-half collapse at Bournemouth (4-0), a London Derby loss (2-0) to Arsenal, and an embarrassment during the game of the week against Manchester City (6-0). Now, with larger fixtures looming, Chelsea are on the verge of looking for a new manager, as they slip outside of the top four. The way to look at this situation is to see how this mess happened, what has been done to correct it, and what do the Blues do next?
A Different Shade of Blue
Multiple factors have gotten the blues into this mess. First, and the most obvious, the inconsistency of the team. The best example is from battering bottom-dwellers Huddersfield Town 5-0. Then, a week later, getting walloped by City 6-0, in what could’ve been more.
Some weeks Eden Hazard plays as if he’s the best player on the planet, and the next week he’s singled out with no support. Jorginho looks to be a solid signing one game. The next, he’s the worst player on the field.
Second, stubborn tactics have taken a toll. Every week, Sarri rolls out the same formation, same players, and the same tactics sometimes to little effect. More could be said about players being played out of position, N’Golo Kante and Marcos Alonso in particular, but that’s circling back to the unwillingness to change tactics.
What Changes Have Been Made?
This poor form picked up just before the transfer window opened and continued throughout. Sarri explained to the press that he can’t motivate the team and needed fresh legs. Sarri and the club had to make changes that would get them out of this rut.
The Blues brought in Gonzalo Higuain to solve their goal problems with Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata both struggling. Sarri and Higuaín have reconnected after spending multiple years at Napoli together. Two goals against Huddersfield town brighten the light, but again, couldn’t make an impact in a big game versus City. So, the question is what will right the ship?
Saving His Job
Sarri still has a lot to play for this season. Chelsea still
A manager change could derail the rest of the season during a pivotal time. Sarri needs to earn his way into keeping the job. Giving time to let players grow into his system and rotating the squad could be just what the Blues need.