“The Blues” are presently languishing in the seventh position after 13 fixtures. They are also 13 points adrift of the league topper Arsenal and five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. This performance hardly augurs well for Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League prospects next season. So, will they or won’t they? Let us delve into three reasons why they could miss the bus.
Injuries Proved To Be A Dampener
In today’s time with hectic schedules injuries are commonplace. And Chelsea missed several of their key players with some woes or the other. They are currently without the likes of Reece James, N’Golo Kante, Wesley Fofafa etc. This has severely dented their campaign this time. Even last season they lost James and Chilwell to injuries and the same factor adversely affected their title challenge. Is it going to be the same story this time as well? For Chelsea fans, the answer to the question could be anything but pleasant.
Mediocre Outings Against Top-ranked Sides
This time around “the Blues” have had a tough time against the Premier League’s top-notch clubs. They are yet to win against any of the top teams this season. They lost in an embarrassing manner to Brighton (4-1) in an away fixture and then went down to Arsenal (1-0) in front of the home crowd. They have only managed to secure two points at home against big teams and this could be a setback for their qualifying chances next season.
Poor Midfield & Lack Of A Good Right-Back Cover
Some of their players have not been on the money and this has come back to haunt them. In the absence of James and with an “awful” Azpilicueta, Chelsea are in dire need of a right-back cover. Also, with Kante missing in action, the “Blues” have had a weakened midfield. So, as the winter transfer window approaches, they should ideally look to plug the gaps in the critical positions. This is another reason that has pegged them back this time.
