This thought has been simmering for some time, and on the back of the Arsenal game and Cup Final, would like to hear what you all think.  

Question - are Chelsea simply a nearly team?  What I mean by this is do they really have the self-drive and winning mentality to be serial winners.  If so, what is the route of that problem?

Sure, it is simple to say this post comes off the back of the FA Cup loss.  Credit to Leicester.  The game is on the margins, but we're always left talking about the same things.

• Inability to score goals.  Beyond that, inability to create good chances.  Wasteful in final third.  Corners poor, crosses poor, shots not on target.  Keepers work so little against Chelsea
• Selection.  We are rotating too much.  Rhythm is disrupted.  When there are trophies on the line, you play your best team, period. 
  • Under no circumstances should Kepa be starting today.  I'm not sure Mendy saves that; was a great strike.  However, in a game of margins, we're left with Kepa picking the ball out the net, and the opposing keeper making world class saves.  Has the last 18-24 months taught us nothing?
  • Is our inability to score goals linked with the lineup having 8 defensive players, Mount, and two attackers.  
• Comfortable and slow.  How much do they really put into it?  It always feels like we're waiting for something to happen. Once Leicester scored today we started playing with more urgency and pace.  
• Predictable.  Once chasing, you just knew we'd have the obligatory post hit, world class save against us, and a disallowed goal.  How many goals have we had disallowed for offside this season.  The pattern of games Chelsea play are very predictable from the off.  Teams have to do so little to beat Chelsea. 

My point is this Chelsea team is loaded with talent.  Loaded.  But, when it really matters, when it really is time to stand up and be men, they shrink.  Is that 3 of last 4 FA Cup finals we have lost?  We always seem to get ourselves in a position for success, and then simmer.  Last season top four went to final game.  This season it will do if we're lucky, but no guarantees on Tuesday.

I am concerned that the team is soft and does not have the ruthless streak needed to be winners, let alone a generation of serial winners.  We were spoiled in days gone by with Cech, Terry, Lamps, Ballack, Essien, Drogba - all captains for their country.  Perhaps Silva aside, and no disrespect to Dave, we look like 11 followers out there looking for someone to take control.

Biggest test of their careers in two weeks.  We're yet to cross the line when it really matters - time to step up or step out for some.

Edited May 15, 20215 yr by PhilH930

We've got too many mediocre players. I'm sick to death of watching Werner miss every shot he takes, and f**k up nearly every opportunity he has in behind then (on the rare occasion he's actually onside). Ziyech does nothing. Havertz strolls around without a care in the world. 

And we play such dire football most of the time, the odd game aside. It's just endless passing around at the back, move it forwards slightly, then sideways, then back. And I feel like most of that stems for Jorginho and his role in the side to "keep the ball moving". What's the point of moving it around if it's going nowhere?

You can't win if you can't score it's that basic.

We haven't got a Lampard, a Drogba, we don't even have a Costa when he was having his half season sulks.

Emotions are high right now but this team isn't built for finals.

Giving Leicester the ball from a throw in is exemplary of being a nice guy and nice guys don't win trophies. They become Arsenal and Spud

15 hours ago, Deino said:

Emotions are high right now but this team isn't built for finals.

Giving Leicester the ball from a throw in is exemplary of being a nice guy and nice guys don't win trophies. They become Arsenal and Spud

I don't think that, just think that the vegan meditating Tuchel thought he should play Kepa and few others that got us to the final.

Don't think that sentimentality will happen against City.

20 hours ago, Zeta said:

We've got too many mediocre players. I'm sick to death of watching Werner miss every shot he takes, and f**k up nearly every opportunity he has in behind then (on the rare occasion he's actually onside). Ziyech does nothing. Havertz strolls around without a care in the world. 

And we play such dire football most of the time, the odd game aside. It's just endless passing around at the back, move it forwards slightly, then sideways, then back. And I feel like most of that stems for Jorginho and his role in the side to "keep the ball moving". What's the point of moving it around if it's going nowhere?

We do an amazing job at scoring goals when we are offside.

When we are onside is like watching the dog and duck several pints in.

21 hours ago, Zeta said:

We've got too many mediocre players. I'm sick to death of watching Werner miss every shot he takes, and f**k up nearly every opportunity he has in behind then (on the rare occasion he's actually onside). Ziyech does nothing. Havertz strolls around without a care in the world. 

And we play such dire football most of the time, the odd game aside. It's just endless passing around at the back, move it forwards slightly, then sideways, then back. And I feel like most of that stems for Jorginho and his role in the side to "keep the ball moving". What's the point of moving it around if it's going nowhere?

Agree zeta,I'm just so bloody gutted with the amount of money we got for Hazard that we spent on this dribble.

This is why getting a real world class CB is essential. Without T.Silva we are so average in defense and it's remarkable that Tuchel managed to fix our defense with the current players we have. Look at Liverpool, without Van Dijk they are struggling to reach top 4 but with him they are champions.

This 3 man at the back is a remnant from Conte, our players are still the strongest in that formation because otherwise we can't defend at all, Lampard tried to simply play for a goal more but when everyone is missing chances it's impossible. Sarri simply ignored our poor defense by having the ball all the time and by playing with 0 risks passing it and it worked but at some point you have to wonder when are we going to get a new world class defender? 

Make no mistake every big team or every winning team or legendary team has had at least 1 world class defender. When T.Silva leaves we are as good as a top 8 team in reality but because of the midfield players that can override our weaknesses we get to fight for the top 4, in reality our squad with the defense we have  we will never win a league title.

It doesn't matter that Kovacic and Jorginho can control possession and it doesn't matter that Kante and Mount can overwhelm the opposition, you can't win without a good defense and we don't really have it, Tuchel did a great job but the limitations will still be there specially in tight games.

18 hours ago, axman2526 said:

We do an amazing job at scoring goals when we are offside.

When we are onside is like watching the dog and duck several pints in.

Ive always wondered this, whenever we are offside, which is usually always Timo, the ball is always in the back of the net. Weve scored like 6 offsides goals in recent games.