Chelsea finished a turbulent 2018/19 campaign in third place in the Premier League by just a single point, though they were a spectacular 25 points behind second-placed Liverpool above them. A stumbling end to their season with just one win in their final five games saw the Blues fall over the line only because sides around them also failed to compete for the Champions League places. In fact, fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur won just two of their last nine games, as did Manchester United whilst Arsenal won two out of seven. Chelsea miraculously relied on the sides around them to lose, and it worked.
However, this term they may not be so lucky. Just past the halfway mark, Chelsea are sitting in fourth spot with a five-point gap to the Europa League places below; but once again a chasm is beginning to form above them as the gap between themselves and Manchester City sits at eight points. The only reason the Blues are not closer to the Red Devils in fifth is that United, Spurs and Wolves have all squandered their opportunities to close the gap.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have lost to Watford and Arsenal in their last four fixtures, two sides considerably further down the table than them. Tottenham have recorded a draw with bottom side Norwich and defeat to Southampton in their previous two encounters whilst Wolves have had the significantly harder tasks of Manchester City and Liverpool. Three points from those matches was a good return but this was followed up by defeat at ten-man Watford.
While the clubs above them scarcely falter, Chelsea have recorded a loss to Southampton and a draw at Brighton in their past three Premier League matches. They currently have a nice buffer to the chasing pack but if their indifferent form continues, Frank Lampard’s side risk sliding down the table and away from qualification for Europe’s elite competition.
While destiny is in their own hands at this stage of the season, the Blues cannot rely on other sides to slip up as they did at the end of the previous campaign. Lampard must find a way to improve results or a fantastic conclusion to 2019 is at risk of being ruined.
