Chelsea’s mid-season slump hadn’t caused too much consternation among the fanbase; a dip in form was perhaps considered par for the course for a side that had largely overachieved in the first half of the campaign as the Blues pushed as high as second in the Premier League.
Ironically, despite dismal defeats to neighbours Fulham and struggling Ipswich, as well as frustrating draws with Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, it is the defeat to champions Manchester City that has been the catalyst for uproar. A performance lacking in energy and ambition against a wounded City side that was there for the taking after Chelsea took an early lead, the 3-1 reverse brutally exposed something much deeper as the deficiencies in the squad were laid bare.
The result leaves Chelsea down in sixth – exactly where Mauricio Pochettino had them when he departed in the summer – and has left sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley once again facing some uncomfortable questions from a fanbase that expects a far better return for a £1 billion ($1.24bn) investment.