At the beginning of the season, plenty of Chelsea fans believed that the club would go on to defend the Premier League title. Seven months on and, although things are very different at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea ‘never say die’ spirit certainly lingers on. In December, Jose Mourinho was dismissed after a poor run of results but interim manager Guus Hiddink has had an immediate impact and Chelsea have gone on a 14-match unbeaten league run since the Dutchman arrived at the helm.
The personnel hasn’t really changed since Hiddink’s appointment but he just seems to have given the entire squad a new lease of life. Under Mourinho, Chelsea were restricted at times and the former boss came under scrutiny for his negative ‘park the bus’ style of play – especially in the big games. Hiddink has allowed Chelsea’s flair players to be creative and while that has left them exposed defensively at times, it has allowed them to express themselves and entertain the fans.
As of March 24th, Chelsea are sitting pretty in tenth position but could potentially finish in the top six this season if the likes of Liverpool, Southampton and Stoke City continue to slip up. Chelsea are 10/1 in the latest odds to finish in the top six and the likes of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas will be crucial to their chances of snatching a Europa League spot. Both players were poor under Mourinho this season but have really stepped up to the plate since Hiddink’s arrival at Stamford Bridge.
The Europa League places could open themselves up naturally for Chelsea this season. Liverpool have a two-legged European clash with Borussia Dortmund on their minds whilst Stoke City and Southampton have the tendency to shoot themselves in the foot against the Premier League’s “lesser sides”. Meanwhile, both Manchester clubs could struggle if they continue their downward spirals under Louis van Gaal and Manuel Pellegrini. In fact, it’s only really Chelsea who are in any sort of decent form and they may profit if those clubs go into ‘holiday mode’.
Chelsea may not have the easiest set of remaining fixtures but most of them are certainly ‘winnable’ games, especially given their current run of form. While they have to face the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, it may be their final day of the season clash with Leicester City that decides whether they secure a top-six finish or not. In fact, that particular encounter may also have implications on the title race and Hiddink’s men will be fired up as they attempt to stop former manager Claudio Ranieri from lifting the Premier League title at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea deserve a top-four spot based on their performances in the second half of the season and fans will have plenty to thank Hiddink for if they manage to snatch a European spot given their precarious position three months ago. Only time will tell but, with a bit of luck, there’s absolutely no reason why Chelsea cannot finish in the top six this season and Costa and Fabregas could be the men to continue firing them up the Premier League table.
