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One month ago, Chelsea were but a couple of points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool. There was talk of the Blues making a surprise run for the title, a far cry from pre-season predictions suggesting they would be fortunate to even qualify for Europe again.
The noises out of Stamford Bridge were defiant. Head coach Enzo Maresca and many, many members of his first-team squad made sure to let the world know Chelsea definitely were not in a title race. Actions speak louder than words though, and following a run of five league games without a win – draws with Everton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth to go with losses to Fulham and Ipswich – they have been proven correct. This won’t be their year after all.
When Chelsea had ascended to second in the standings, it didn’t feel flukey. They were there on merit following some impressive performances through the autumn, and though they didn’t beat either of the experienced and genuine title contenders in Liverpool and Arsenal, they still went toe-to-toe with the pair of them.
With Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham floundering, Chelsea looked near-certainties to reach the Champions League, but now face a battle to finish in the top four. Their season is unravelling as quickly as it showed promise.