Chelsea Season 20/21: A Tale Of Two Managers

                                          Chelsea Season 20/21: A Tale of Two Managers

credit: sundayworld.com

  ̴Vivaan Jain

Edited By: Mitansh Kagalwala

Chelsea’s 2020-21 season was a rollercoaster, with many ups and downs. Following Frank Lampard’s top 4 finish in the 2019-20 season, it was common opinion that he over-achieved with the squad he had during the 2019 season due to the transfer ban. Consequently, the board backed him and spent a prodigious sum of $220 million on signing new players, at a time when signings were at a premium. His squad was bolstered with the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Edouard Mendy, Ben Chilwell and Malang Sarr (though he went back out on loan). These signings accompanied by players like Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount achieving high form was thought to have made Chelsea a title contender for the 2020-21 season.

The start of the Premier season didn’t go as well as expected. In the first few games, points were unexpectedly dropped against Big Sam’s West Bromwich Albion and Southampton. It was in the month of October when Chelsea began a winning streak that gave new hope to the Blue Faithful. Chelsea remained unbeaten for 18 games across all competitions. Chelsea looked in control and as a result of their unbeaten run were top of the table in the middle of November.

Unfortunately, good things have to end. We started losing games to Arsenal, Man City and the rest of the “big Six”. Chelsea were not able to win a single game against the top 8. The central idea behind spending 200+ million in a market ravaged by the pandemic, to bridge the gap to City and Liverpool and return to the glory days, was lost. The big money signings expected to turn up at the big games looked lost and invisible.

Under Frank Lampard, Chelsea lost the attractive style and flow of play that fans had come to expect from the Blues. There was no game plan and the young team looked lost on the field. The wide players just crossed the ball into the 18-yard box towards out-of-form strikers, hoping that someone would stick out a toe and put it in the back of the net. There was no imagination, and no creativity.

However many brilliant things Lampard had done with Derby, he was and is still a young manager who does not yet possess the experience and tactical nous to achieve success in the biggest and most intense league in the world. Individual talent and the skill of your flair players can only get you so far; to win a championship, you need a system. Something Lampard failed to develop.  

Despite being a club legend, at a club at Chelsea, Lampard could be afforded only some amount of time. The owners want results, and they want them immediately. Chelsea fell all the way from the summit to 9^th! It was clearly evident from the players’ body language and mentality that they lacked motivation. The 0-2 loss away to Leicester was the last straw for the board and Roman Abramovich, billionaire owner of the club. With Thomas Tuchel, who had only just guided PSG to the previous Champions League Final, having become recently available, Frank Lampard was sacked and Tuchel took charge at Stamford Bridge. It was a tough decision to take, but in hindsight, the right one.

The players felt motivated under Tuchel and their body language changed. Tuchel employed a classic 3-4-3 formation, previously used by Antonio Conte in Chelsea’s title winning 2016/17 season. Certain players like Marcos Alonso and Callum Hudson-Odoi started getting game-time and were given more freedom in their attacking wing-back positions. Tuchel was unbeaten in 14 games in all competitions, finally losing 5-2 to West Bromwich Albion. As the season progressed, a strong chemistry was slowly built in the team and there were glimpses of great play against the bigger sides like Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City.

Ensuring a top four spot took until the last matchday where the Blues took on Aston Villa. If it weren’t for a little help in the form of Tottenham coming from behind to beat Leicester, Chelsea would be playing on Thursday nights for the 21-22 season.

Looking back retrospectively, there were many reasons for our failure to win the league. Whether it be the lack of squad depth, lack of belief in the system, lack of field leadership, our squad demonstrated the inability to fight back or of being decisive in the final-third. Some would point their fingers at certain players for the above issue. Timo Werner, for example, was one of the most expensive signings made by the club and the German has, till now,  failed to live up to the expectation of the fans. He was the target of a lot of criticism when it comes to poor finishing in the 6-yard box and lack of goals. However, he was heavily involved in creating chances, making assists and winning penalties for the team with his speed and runs-in-behind.

The best and perhaps most surprising moment of the season for the team came when resurgent underdogs Chelsea beat Real Madrid and then Manchester City, possibly the best team in the world at that point, to win a Champions League, something nobody predicted at the start of the season. Ending the season on such a great note, especially the triple-beating of City, will have filled Blues faithful throughout the world with great hope for the upcoming season.

Best Players of the Season:

In my opinion, Mason Mount deserved to win Chelsea’s player of the season award. There is nothing better than watching a player grow from the club’s academy to play a crucial role in a UCL-winning season.   He has delivered on the highest of stages, from crucial Premier League games to the Champions League knockout stages and even the final. Mount was the most consistent player in the team. under both Lampard and Tuchel, and was undroppable throughout the season. The attacking midfielder looked mature beyond his years. Mount played 54 games in all competitions last season, scoring 9 and assisting 9,  and averaging 47.28 passes a game.

Beside Mount, Chelsea’s other standout players included new signing goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who solved their Kepa problems, the tireless N’Golo Kante, who never stopped running, and the wall that was our defense: Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta.

Worst Players of the season:

Hakim Ziyech was a disappointment this season and was unable to replicate his Ajax form. He scored some crucial goals for us in this PL, FA Cup and Champions League but was inconsistent in terms of getting assists and making opportunities. Many might point out that lack of game time has been the primary season for him being unable to show his class, but it can be argued that Tuchel has not been happy with what he is providing to the team. Simply speaking, there were certain matches in which he was taken off due to him showing less energy on the pitch.

Timo Werner has had a decent season but was poor in front of goal in terms of finishing and being decisive. The former RB Leipzig forward has struggled to make the desired impact for Chelsea in the Premier League. Scoring only 6 goals and  getting 8 assists, he has been somewhat instrumental for our success in the Champions League. The fact that he made 35 appearances in the Premier League is testimonial to the fact that the energy he provides on off-the ball movements and counter-pressing from the forward line is necessary for our style of play. However, the patience of the fans is wearing thin, and the Chelsea board and Stamford Bridge is waiting and hoping to see the Timo Werner they imported from Germany.  

-Much is expected from Ziyech and Werner in the upcoming season and much must be provided if they are to continue at Chelsea. For now, Chelsea fans will look expectedly and with hope towards the new season, hoping Tuchel can replicate his UCL success and can snatch a Premier League title too.