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Premier League: Chelsea can salvage their poor season by winning the FA Cup

Lack of leaders in the team has cost Chelsea its Premier League season. But they can still salvage their moderate season by winning the FA Cup.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte

Bengaluru, April 4: Lack of leaders in the team has cost Chelsea its Premier League as well as the season. Antonio Conte's side are fifth on the PL table, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and the last weekend's 1-3 defeat at Stamford Bridge to Spurs has more or less hampered their chances of Champions League football next season. That apart, their only silverware this season could be the FA Cup but even there, they face a gritty Southampton test in the semi-final on April 22.

Football fixtures | Recent results

From Premier League champions in the 2016-17 season, Chelsea have found it hard to repeat their success on the pitch this year. They are going through a rough patch, which is clearly evident from the lack of communication on the field amongst the squad members. The absence of experienced leaders has also seen them lose to Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16 as well as to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup.

Striker Alvaro Morata and defensive midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, reinforcements for Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic, have only flattered to deceive this season. Yes, Morata has 14 goals in 29 appearances, 11 of those coming in the Premier League. But the Spaniard has been as influential as his compatriot Costa, now with Atletico Madrid, in the attacking third for Chelsea. As for Bakayoko, the Frenchman is clearly struggling to adapt to the physical conditions of the Premier League even while Matic has been splendid for Manchester United.

Chelsea's poor performance this season cannot be blamed on these two alone. Manager Antonio Conte has not able to continue his dream run after bagging the Premier League in his first season in charge of the club. While other clubs like Manchester City and Manchester United have made huge investments in players, Chelsea have made poor signings in the summer and winter transfer windows.

Defensively, Chelsea have not looked the side that had a strong leader like John Terry before. The spark that Frank Lampard had in the midfield and the decisiveness of Didier Drogba up front clearly lacks in the current set of Chelsea players, who are nonetheless pretty talented. The quality of this Chelsea side is not anywhere near the side which has won the Champions League in the 2011-12 season. That boss Conte has been unable to get the best out of the current lot could well cost him his job at the end of the season even though he still has a year left on his contract.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, seemingly upset with the performance of the club, is looking to make drastic changes next season. As many as nine players could reportedly be sold at the end of the season. Stalwarts like winger Eden Hazard and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are on the verge of leaving the club to join Real Madrid in the La Liga.

However, with no Champions League football next season, one can only wonder how Chelsea will rope in stars after selling these nine players. The answer to that could lie with the manager they bring in. Former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel, Barcelona stalwart Luis Enrique and current Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri have all been shortlisted to replace Conte at the helm next season.

Chelsea can still salvage their moderate season by winning the FA Cup. The Southampton challenge on April 22 could turn Conte's fortunes around and it's definitely something achievable for Conte's side.

Story first published: Wednesday, April 4, 2018, 15:37 [IST]
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