Chelsea verdict: Subdued Blues distracted by the Euro Super League.. how are they meant to play on amid chaos off field?
SO we now know Chelsea have pulled out of the European Super League.
As fans gathered outside to protest the controversial breakaway proposal, and then celebrated as news of its demise filtered through, what must Chelsea’s stars have been thinking?
What did they know? What had they been told before this crucial clash with Brighton as protestors attempted to stop their bus rolling into Stamford Bridge? Probably not a lot.
They then had to go and play a Premier League game not really knowing the future of the club, the future of their Champions League campaign, whether they still needed to finish in the top four, and even whether they will even be allowed to represent their countries again.
Because these were all the rumours flying around that the players would have seen.
How are they supposed to then go and play a match pretending that everything was all dandy?
Well, the answer is, they didn’t. Yes, they played it in spirit, their bodies were there and they were doing something that resembled playing football.
But this Chelsea team looked lacklustre, tired, confused, and absolutely subdued as they tried to string passes together.
There was no intensity, no creativity, and a lack of all the basics.
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But can all that be pinned on the distraction of the European Super League?
Of course, it will have a massive effect on the players, and the board will take extra blame for Chelsea failing to beat Brighton tonight, managing only a goalless draw.
However, when you aren’t even completing the basics of football, further questions must be asked. For that, there isn’t really an excuse.
Chelsea were absolutely awful tonight, and there is no excuse for such a poor performance.
But at the end of the day, we must remember that this is a bunch of confused players going through real turmoil following the rumours and dramas of the last two days, so we cannot blame them for being subdued.
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