Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at Arsenal was nothing short of a chaotic London derby at the Emirates Stadium. Despite Liam Rosenior giving a good fight against the League leaders, yet another red card has cost them crucial points.
This time it was Pedro Neto, who was the culprit, after he picked up a first booking for berating referee Darren England after a decision was made after Arsenal scored the second goal.
The second offence was after he slid in a late tackle on Gabriel Martinelli.
It seems as if Chelsea go into every game where they end up throwing it away by finishing the game with 10 men.
For a team that wants to be in the Champions League and fight to win major honours, this is nowhere near acceptable.
“As a group, me as the leader as well, we have to take more accountability for some of the decision-making we’re having in terms of our discipline and in terms of the moments of the goals,” . “Some of them are just not acceptable at this level.
Rosenior: The StandardYou’ve almost got to feel sorry for Rosenior, as it feels like he’s not being helped by the club’s hierarchy, who haven’t provided him with two or three experienced players.
Where’s the John Terry/Thiago Silva in this team?
Who is the real leader in this team?
According to ESPN, Chelsea are top of the disciplinary table, with 63 yellow cards and seven red cards.
Six of the 63 yellow cards have led to sending offs, an that is the biggest issue, not learning from silly mistakes.
This is why serious questions need to be asked of the club’s recruitment strategies.
What more can you expect from recruiting a squad of 18-23-year olds?
There is a batch of seriously talented footballers, but the one think that is is holding them back, is their lack of discipline.
A major part of this is to do with the squad’s age profile, but to be a competitive side in all competitions, more maturity is needed to make this team grow.
Chelsea’s run-in till the end of the season does not look good, with away trips to Aston Villa and Everton, as well as the home games against Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Manchester City.
You would probably think that the team will need at least three or four of those five games, to stand a realistic chance of qualifying for next season’s competition.
It’s a tough ask given their current form, but can they do it?
Can they cut out their discipline issues?
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