At this point in the Premier League season, it should surprise no one that Chelsea lost 3-1 to a mid-table West Ham. This Chelsea team has not played a decent game of soccer in nearly a month.
Anyone who calls this an embarrassing result is delusional, since for it to be an embarrassment there has to be some sort of upset mentality. Sure on paper, this could be the Hammers' best win of the season. But when was the last time a game was played on paper?
Look around the stands at any recent Chelsea games and you see banners calling for former manager Roberto Di Matteo to be reinstated, the dismissal of the current seat occupier Rafa Benitez, and the even more radical mutinous cries for the end of Abramovich era.
But what would any of this really accomplish?
Di Matteo brought Chelsea their first Champions League trophy and though I supported his appointment from day one, his firing was just in line with how the club has managed every coach in the wake of struggle.
Benitez has been there for an hour, and though that hour has been miserable, the coaching carousel has to stop eventually to give some sense of stability.
Let’s all be honest, Abramovich is the only reason any Chelsea fan can stand chest puffed against the likes of Red Devils and Gunners.
These calls of action are truthfully just the last act of a desperate fanbase, who is clinging to anything, reaching for the final bit of hope that floats somewhere in the footballing atmosphere.
Every loss, every shutout, every goal conceded, every misplaced pass, every bad call, every time the whistle blows to start a game, hope dies a little for the Chelsea fanbase.
This extends well beyond the fact that Chelsea is likely eliminated from winning the league and does not control their destiny in Europe. It has more to do with the fact that you don’t know whom to trust on this team any longer.
There was a time, only an April ago, that a heavily underdogged Chelsea was facing Champions League elimination against Barcelona. The entire footballing world thought the Blues would be shellacked at the hands of the technical wizardry the Catalans are capable of.
But you would be hard pressed to find a single blue-blooded individual that knew the likes of Frank Lampard, John Terry and Didier Drogba could not see them through.
When you woke up today, knowing that Chelsea needed a win against West Ham to even keep pace with the leaders, who could you count on to make sure that happens?
Juan Mata? Petr Cech?
Sure, why not? But let's not forget that these two individuals, probably more than anyone else on the pitch are at the mercy of their teammates' ability to hold up their end of the deal. Mata can only create the chances, someone needs to be on the other end to put them away. And there is only so much even the game’s best keepers can do.
Who do you trust to score the goal when one is needed? Who do you know will make that crucial clearing header? Who do you want to be there when the game is on the line?
It has been months since I have written an article. Many of you have asked why I do not write anymore. The real reason being I now I have a full-time job and it is difficult to find the time daily to produce worthy writing
But I would also like to add there is nothing worth writing about on this Chelsea team. Heck, the best player currently on the club is not even with the team! (Have you seen what Romelu Lukaku has been doing for West Brom!?)
The lack of hope elicits itself in one of the most basic plays in the English game. Too many times today did Chelsea do well to work the ball out wide and get a good cross in to an empty box.
There is no longer a point for Chelsea to even make the crossing attempt, as the best that can come of it is often a defender foolishly heading it behind for a corner. And at worst, it reminds the fans how much they are like that ball, floating aimlessly with no hope in the end.
Follow me @thecriterionman
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~Bleacher Report - Chelsea~Read more... Chelsea 1-3 West Ham: The End of Hope, The End of Trust
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