Are Chelsea the Real Deal?

In Chelsea’s last four matches we have seen two extremely convincing wins sandwiched between two poor losses. The question is—are the cracks beginning to emerge?

The Blues are currently top of the Premiership ahead of Liverpool with their mighty goal difference of 23. Against newly-promoted—albeit high-flying—Hull City and Roy Keane’s Sunderland, Chelsea made it look easy scoring eight goals, playing with the freedom and style they have shown so often in the first quarter of this season.

However, either side of those wins Chelsea lost their home record to Liverpool, in which they had 80 minutes to break them down after falling behind, and lost badly this week in the Champions League at Roma.

Questions are beginning to emerge as to whether Chelsea, with the injuries that they have had to the likes of Ballack, Essien, Deco, Joe and Ashley Cole, and Drogba can achieve success against top quality teams which are well organised and hard to break down.

Chelsea have so far struggled at home in the Premiership against Manchester United—just about scraping a draw—and Liverpool. In both these games, Scolari’s team had difficulty creating many clear cut chances and lacked the fluency and style they have been able to show in other matches.

When Chelsea’s front men have come up against top defenders they have struggled to find a way through. They seemed to run out of ideas quickly in these circumstances and for example against Liverpool resorted to aiming long balls up to Anelka—a player who is not strong in the air.

The question is—would the likes of Anelka, Malouda, and Kalou really get into the top sides? The three attackers may have scored and shown positive skill going forward against the so-called weaker teams, but against the better sides the trio have been exposed as distinctly average. 

Joe Cole has now returned from injury, but the player is some way off hitting top form, and without his flair and ability to get past the opposition, who really can do it for Chelsea against a well organised, defensive unit?

Robinho would have been a good start.

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