At the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, it was looking like Chelsea football club would struggle throughout the season because they were not able to sign new players due to UEFA transfer ban slammed on them and the fact that they sold their best player, Eden Hazard to Real Madrid. For the first time in the modern history of the club, they had to depend mostly on academy graduates to execute the season and surprisingly, it was Frank Lampard who has not gotten a top-class experience in coaching that was brought in to manage the young team.
The season started with little or nothing to hope for from the perspective of Chelsea’s fans. Suddenly, Tammy Abraham and a bunch of others came from the blues and started performing wonders for the team. A team critics thought would end up struggling to escape relegation or get stuck mid-table, found the momentum to be among those contending for a top-four finish.
Since Frank Lampard has reignited the hope of Chelsea’s fans and heightened their expectations, nothing less is expected of him. Hence, from the beginning of 2020 until date, he and his men have been subjected to stringent scrutiny – every draw or loss attracts stiff criticism.
At this point, it is not just about how they play on the pitch but how they will avoid dropping from the top four. After defeating Manchester City 2-1 when the Premier League returned from the coronavirus break, it was as if no club can stop Chelsea again. To the dismay of football fans, they were humbled by a struggling West Ham United 3-2, less than a week after.
And then, they returned to winning ways and moved to the 3rd spot, giving the fans and even pundits the assurance that they mean business. However, on Saturday, they met a fearless and determined Sheffield United that humbled them 0-3 and put their chances of finishing in the top-four at a big risk.
Though they are still sitting 3rd with 60 points in 35 matches, that could change today if 4th placed Leicester City defeat relegation-threatened Bournemouth later in the day. It can also get worse for the Blues if 5th placed Manchester United Defeat Southampton on Monday.
The Possible Drop of Chelsea: This is the Mathematics
Chelsea football club are currently sitting 3rd on the league table with 60 points in 35 games. They have just three games to either survive the drop or drop to 5th or even lower If they lose all their remaining games.
As it stands, they have 14 goals difference, lesser than 4th placed Leicester City with 32 and 5th placed Manchester United with 26. If Leicester City win their game tonight, they will have 62 points which will automatically take them back to the 3rd spot. If they draw, they will have the same points as Chelsea but will go to the 3rd spot due to better goals difference.
After that has been said and done, if Manchester United win on Monday, they will have 61 points, and automatically move to the 4th spot while Chelsea drop to 5th. If they draw and Leicester win or draw, Chelsea will be on the 4th spot, Leicester City 3rd and Manchester United 5th with 59 points.
So, the destiny of Chelsea remaining in the top four is no longer in the hands of the club but in the hands of their competitor which has even made it riskier for the survival of the North London club.
“I am not concerned about top four today,” Lampard said after Chelsea’s lost to Sheffield United. “Today I am concerned with how we performed.
“All I do is sit and watch the games and consider what we want to do. We will see where we are when we approach Norwich. But we can’t approach Norwich or Manchester United or Wolves like we did today.”
