Club Focus - Chelsea - Turbulent week piles pressure on failing Blues
Manchester United and Arsenal have overturned Chelsea’s lead at the top after Blackburn threw a spanner in the works. Four points separate the Blues from leaders Manchester United although salvation can be drawn from a game in hand against lowly Portsmouth.
The Southerners Premier League existence may be pending its finale but their impact could be detrimental on the remainder of the teams aspirations at the opposite end of the league. Despite finding themselves at the trough of top division football a win over Chelsea on Wednesday night could be the most crucial of results in the title chase. Portsmouth come into the game on the back of a heroic comeback victory over fellow strugglers Hull. Recent drubbings to Manchester United and Arsenal with 5-0 and 4-1 defeats respectively suggest there should be no possibility of surprise for the visit of Chelsea. However, Chelsea escaped with a narrow victory in the reverse fixture earlier in the season as a Frank Lampard penalty secured the three points for the Londoners.
Chelsea’s score draw with Blackburn accumulates a total of 20 points dropped away from the Bridge this season. Recent outings proving abysmal and with four away games still to play including trips to Old Trafford and Anfield it seems the Blues aspirations of league glory are following those of Champions League ambitions. Manchester United have recuperated from injury problems and an arguably full strength defence coinciding the form of a potent Wayne Rooney’s mean Chelsea’s chances at Old Trafford are slim. With six pointers more commonly associated with those scraping amongst each other at the bottom of the league, this battle of the titans most certainly warrants the footballing cliché ‘six-pointer’. A home win in this clash would almost certainly diminish Chelsea pride, as another league title would surely slip the grasp of a desperate manager after a four year barren spell.
Alternatively to Manchester United’s resolved defensive issues, their challengers, Chelsea’s are mounting. Branislav Ivanovic the latest to join the growing injury list, he greets Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Jose Bosingwa, Hilario, Petr Cech and Michael Essien on Mark Gillett’s oversubscribed treatment table. Their replacements have been admirable in their work load but scrutinised for their inability to mirror the first choice ensemble. Paulo Ferreira was out jumped by controversial figure El-Hadji Diouf in the latter stages of the Blues’ game at Ewood Park, it is unlikely a brute Ivanovic would have succumbed to similar pressure.
Jon Obi Mikel has also received wide spread flak of late after failing to epitomise the performances of defensive shield Essien. The Ghanaian has been an absentee for two months now since returning from the African Cup of Nations, and his predecessor Mikel has been unable to fulfil his boots. The Nigerian, was scouted by the world’s top clubs, with Sir Alex Ferguson rumoured to have been infuriated by the midfielder’s decision to opt away from Manchester and join rivals Chelsea. The resolute midfielder has a stern posture and is comfortable in possession however a lack of pace and understanding are crucial in the defensive midfield role. Unable to read the play has lead to a lack of positional discipline, unlike his former midfield occupier Essien, Mikel is unable to retain the ground to amend his positional mistakes. The defensive midfield position has been a concern for Ancelotti throughout his tenure, with Michael Ballack and Deco both occupying the position earlier in the season although to no avail. Carletto’s attempt to mould Deco into an Andrea Pirlo role, came to no great effect as Deco’s lack of strength and pace proved easily penetrable for opposing attackers. Ballack’s mediocre attempts, although providing more of a physical presence than Deco, were also cut short as the German’s work load failed to meet his rising wage package.
With defensive issues grazing the sides inabilities away from home, Chelsea have an uphill battle to recuperate lost form and regain the top spot in English football. The Blues have arguably the toughest run-in to the season finale, with four tough away games starting with Portsmouth on Wednesday night in a must win fixture. Had the Blues drop points here their focus will centre solely on the FA Cup, a trophy that is become known as the Chelsea cup after fellow elite contenders have apparently disregarded the history of the tournament for its lack of economic value.
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