Carlo Ancelotti has a calmness that comes from years at the top as a player and manager – but even his patience is being tested by the drama at Stamford Bridge. All is not well at Chelsea and turning their stuttering campaign around might be the toughest test of Ancelotti’s career.
A mini dip in form has turned into a major slump. At the time of writing The Blues have managed just two wins in their last eight games, with one of those courtesy of a late goal against minnows MSK Zilina, along with four losses and two draws. In the space of a month, a season that appeared destined to end with more silverware now threatens to yield nothing, and players who dominated in the opening weeks now seem shell-shocked and low on confidence.
As Ancelotti struggles on in search of the form that had Chelsea bossing the league table in August and September, the clock is ticking. Despite the fact that Blues owner Roman Abramovich is still fully behind Ancelotti, the Russian has proved to be ruthless in his pursuit of trophies – an approach that has done as much harm as good.
When Abramovich parted company with Jose Mourinho, it opened the door for Manchester United to muscle in and take back the tag of England’s best team. Under Ancelotti, Chelsea had returned to the top. Now the Premier League is savouring a genuine four-team title race.
Pressing the panic button before the New Year – and with Chelsea just two points off the leaders – might seem a bit extreme, but this current patch is as bad as anything Abramovich has witnessed since he arrived in English football. Ancelotti was picked out by the Russian as the man to finally land Chelsea the Champions League trophy – a fact that should earn the former AC Milan boss more time – but sub-standard domestic form will not be tolerated, especially with rumours linking the club with Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.
There is plenty more to be revealed about the drama behind the scenes, but it has become clear that the start of Chelsea’s woeful run coincided with Ray Wilkins’ departure as assistant manager. The players have openly criticised the decision, Ancelotti has admitted it was out of his hands and Wilkins has been silent on the matter. Chelsea as a whole have suffered.
If ever there was a case against the idea of owners who are not ‘football men’, the events at Chelsea – and Newcastle United – would be exhibit A. With every passing week, the split with Wilkins looks more ridiculous, undermining Ancelotti and frustrating key figures like John Terry. Over at Old Trafford and the Emirates, they will have been rejoicing that Chelsea have conspired to shoot themselves in the foot.
Losing in Marseille in a meaningless European game is no crisis, especially as The Blues had won their first five Champions League games, but the performances against Liverpool, Sunderland and Everton are far more worrying. The defensive steel has been replaced with fragility and the attack that was putting five or six past teams in August has been all too easily subdued. Frank Lampard’s return cannot come soon enough, but will not entirely cure the current malaise.
For Ancelotti, the next ten days may make or break his season. Games against Arsenal and Manchester United present chances to restore pride and return to the top of the table. But on current form, the prospect of losing one – or both – is a good bet. The Italian may not survive a defeat at home to United.
It is a reminder, if ever it were needed, of how quickly things can change. The Blues could do no wrong earlier in the season, prompting talk of league points records and a comfortable title win. Now, they are looking up at United and Arsenal.
Throughout the recent drama, Ancelotti has handled himself with class, balancing openness with an admirable reluctance to criticise. But he will know that it is crunch time for Chelsea over the coming days, with their aura of invincibility in tatters after a slump that has left fans in shock across the country.
As for Abramovich, he must show faith in Ancelotti because if he thinks Guardiola would swap the joys of the Camp Nou for potential turmoil at Stamford Bridge, he could be in for a big surprise of his own.
