Chelsea's long-standing problems reared their ugly head in the hugely disappointing defeat at West Ham, but patience is needed at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea were never going to be a quick fix, but after taking an encouraging – if tentative – step forward in securing a creditable point against Liverpool on the opening day, the Blues took two large strides backwards as they were humbled by West Ham in their second outing of the season on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino's first defeat as head coach has left more questions than answers, as whatever potential his side might have to achieve tangible success remains clouded – despite an eye-watering £346 million ($442m) spend this summer alone.
So, where do the Blues stand after just two games played, as chronic issues begin to pinch once again? GOAL assesses the situation at Stamford Bridge…
GettyLacking cohesion
It was inevitable that it would take some time for Chelsea to click at the beginning of this season amid this summer's unprecedented upheaval. There were the early signs of synergy in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool, with almost everything flowing through the brilliant Enzo Fernandez.
However, as the Argentine toiled against West Ham, any semblance of cohesion between his team-mates seemed to disintegrate. While Raheem Sterling shone, there were calamitous breakdowns in communication in defence for all three goals conceded, while Nicolas Jackson was isolated up front.
Pochettino's men actually dominated the ball and passed with accuracy, but there was an element of not playing to each other's strengths and without incisiveness – with runs wasted and the ball often sent backwards.
However, time heal all wounds, and it's clear the manager is yet to settle on his strongest line-up – especially following Moises Caicedo's £115m ($146m) arrival from Brighton.
Of course, there's no guarantee that throwing money at the problem is the solution. Chelsea learned that the hard way last season, and with the squad still bloated as the transfer window ticks down – the cause of many of their problems as they completely lacked a togetherness last season – they cannot afford to repeat their mistakes.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesInjury problems won't go away
"I don't think you should blame everything on luck that's for sure. I think we can have a look and see what we can do better. Obviously, I've been here a few weeks so I haven't got the answers completely. But clearly, we want to always try to improve and that's an area that we can probably improve."
Those were the words of former Chelsea manager Graham Potter in October 2022, when he was queried on the club's troubling fitness record in recent times. Fast-forward 10 months and the situation is much the same, if not worse.
Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Armando Broja, Marcus Bettinelli and, most recently, Carney Chukwuemeka, all find themselves on the treatment table with the 2023-24 campaign in its infancy.
Indeed, compatriots Fofana and Nkunku were ruled out with long-term knee injuries before a ball had been kicked, while James and Chukwuemeka were sidelined for a number of weeks either side of the West Ham defeat in matchweek two.
Having eight players out injured is arguably tantamount to a crisis, and Pochettino and his fitness coaches face a huge challenge in preventing avoidable injuries going forward. Chelsea clearly cannot afford to be without their best players at this early stage of their development as a team.
Getty ImagesUnable to shake the goal-shyness
Chelsea's inability to create chances and score goals became infamous in 2022-23. Indeed, the Blues ranked 15th in the Premier League for goals scored throughout 2022-23; a damning statistic. The 3-1 reverse at the London Stadium will have undoubtedly set off alarm bells for those supporters who watched Chelsea struggle in front of goal on a regular basis last term, then.
Granted, they created openings at will against an offensive-minded Liverpool side who had gaps in the midfield and a leaky defence on the opening day, although they were let down by some profligate finishing.
That creativity was nowhere to be seen against a more defensive-minded West Ham side despite them monopolising possession, in a display that was emblematic of many of their very worst performances last season. They finished the match with an xG of 2.49 from 17 shots taken, including Enzo's missed penalty, while West Ham's was just 1.8.
Speaking after the game, Pochettino said: "Teams like us, we need to get the right balance. We should have won the game with our first half. To find the space to create clear chances [is difficult] but overall it is this type of game that is difficult to explain. You had the possession, you create and maybe you were the better side, but in the end you lose."
So what is the solution? Jackson looks capable of becoming a prolific striker once he has gotten off the mark, but Chelsea's cause obviously hasn't been helped by the untimely serious injury to Nkunku – a player who contributed 70 goals and 56 assists in just 172 appearances for RB Leipzig. The Blues were relying on him.
Despite all the money spent, it's perhaps unsurprising that they're on the lookout for a creative player who can play at No.10 or out wide.
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Getty ImagesContinuing battle to get wins
In terms of the surviving members of last season's squad especially, this is not a group of players who are not used to winning games, so it's hardly a shock to see them failing to get over the line despite the raft of new faces.
To understand just how deep-rooted an issue this is when it comes to fostering a winning mentality, it's worth noting that Chelsea have won just one of their last 14 Premier League games (D5 L8), and are winless in six since a 3-1 win at Bournemouth in May (D3 L3).
Thankfully the fixture list has been kind to the Blues, with games against presumed relegation-strugglers Luton Town, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth to come either side of a home Carabao Cup tie against AFC Wimbledon. Beyond that, Aston Villa will provide a stern challenge, but victories will be expected against Fulham and Burnley.
Things become much trickier in late October, but Pochettino will see the preceding weeks as absolutely crucial in building confidence, getting points on the board and drawing that winning ruthlessness out of his players.