One of the many trials of being a football fan is that you have to endure whatever garbage your team churns out and accept it as part of the emotional contract you have drawn up with your club. You must persist through the torture, unable to leave your seat for an early train home or switch the channel on your television to escape from the drudgery.
With the end of the 2012/13 campaign a matter of weeks away, Chelsea are approaching a crossroad in terms of their immediate future.
How they finish this campaign will obviously have a huge bearing on their summer activity with a new manager on Roman Abramovich's shopping list along with a few new faces to continue the development of the first-team squad. In that regard, Champions League qualification is essential. After all, someone as big as Jose Mourinho that sits on top of the managerial tree simply does not do the Europa League. That competition is left for those seeking to forge a reputation (see Andre Villas-Boas) or those trying to restore one (see Rafael Benitez). The Champions League is where it's at and a failure to return among Europe's elite would bring significant repercussions on the club.
With Abramovich's desire to see Stamford Bridge illuminated with skillful football in the image of Barcelona, there has been a slight loss of identity; the same identity that brought the club three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and, of course, the European Cup. The ideal scenario is for the team to remain successful while serving up the type of flare to impress fans and neutrals. The problem with that – as we have seen at the Emirates – is that often the emphasis can weigh too heavily on the side of style at the expense of substance.
Beautiful football is worthless unless it is converted into silverware. If you think this is questionable, consider that Pep Guardiola – while still manager of Barcelona – conceded that he only instructed his team to play in their distinctive 'tiki-taka' style because it won football matches. Had it not served that fundamental purpose he would have sought another route to glory.
Anyway, it is believed Petr Cech has become a target for Arsene Wenger as the Gunners plan to bolster their goalkeeping ranks. I for once, find this unbelievably hilarious. Why would Cech ever leave Chelsea? And if he did, why would he ever join.... Arsenal? In fact, who would want to join Arsenal? Lol. Yes offense.
What Chelsea need to take on board is that aesthetics must not take precedence over results. Arsenal have suffered through Arsene Wenger's fanatical desire to conquer the pace and physicality of English football with his cast of young players while simultaneously proving to his free-spending rivals that it can be done through small purchases rather than with the help of a bulging wallet. It hasn't worked. Arsenal have not even got close to the team they used to be and their stagnation should be a salutary lesson to everybody at Stamford Bridge that compromising success comes at a price.
Another season of turbulence will only confirm the club as a madhouse and one that nobody with serious ambitions would be willing to join. It would undermine any chances of attaining major silverware and as a consequence, could persuade the likes of Hazard and Juan Mata that their futures lie elsewhere despite the money on offer.
The Gunner's trophy drought has seen each one of their stars – and Alex Song - eventually leave in order to add a medal to their collection and it will continue to happen there as long as the status quo is maintained. If fundamentalism takes hold among the Blues' hierarchy the same thing could happen in West London and Chelsea could become the new Arsenal.
Now that's a terrifying thought.
-Ariff Alyahya
Credits and Labels: PL
