At the start of December, Chelsea were flying. They were top of the Premier League, top of their Champions League group and had the best defensive record in the whole of Europe.
Since then, things have started to fall apart.
Less than a week before Christmas and a decimated Chelsea no longer are in command in any of these three areas.
They have dropped down to third in the Premier League, finished second in their Champions League group and have lost their defensive solidity – keeping just one clean sheet this month.
Chelsea have won just one of their last five games in all competitions – and that was clinched by a controversial injury-time penalty in a 3-2 home victory over Leeds United.
The fact Chelsea struggled so much to win that game tells its own story. Leeds are having a nightmare run and were thrashed 7-0 by Man City and 4-1 by Arsenal in the following two matches.
City have now opened up a six-point lead at the top over Chelsea. Pep Guardiola’s men look unstoppable right now and have won eight games in a row in the Premier League.
Thomas Tuchel faces his first mini-crisis of his Chelsea career.
Since taking over from Frank Lampard on January 26, he’s basically done no wrong.
Chelsea looked unlikely to qualify for the Champions League when he arrived. He not only achieved this with ease through the league, he went on and deservedly won the competition itself.
This season, the objective was to win the Premier League. Despite never really clicking in an attacking sense ever since August, Chelsea were looking on track to achieve this at the start of this month.
Having previously been virtually impenetrable, Chelsea now look much easier to score against. This month they have conceded three to West Ham and Zenit, two to Leeds and one to West Ham and Watford each.
Tuchel is struggling badly to get the best out of his big €115 million signing Romelu Lukaku, who has scored only five goals in all competitions since arriving and provided no assists.
Chelsea, like many other teams, are also suffering from a length absentee list due to COVID. It is understood that seven players are missing having contracted the virus, including Lukaku, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The Blues asked for the 0-0 draw with Wolves to be cancelled but were rejected by the Premier League. They were only able to name six substitutes and they rarely threatened Wolves throughout a dour match. Christian Pulisic again was forced to line up as the lone striker due to a lack of options, it’s clear he is not comfortable playing here.
What did Tuchel say about Wolves game not being postponed?
“We thought we had a strong case regarding the security and health of players, we have seven positive cases, we were made to be in the bus and travel together for three hours, were in a meeting together, in dinner and lunch and the situation does not feel like it will stop,” Tuchel complained.
“We applied to not play and put the situation under control and it was rejected. It is very hard to understand it, we are concerned about the health of the players. We end up with players who play coming from injuries and we take the risk.
“I am worried from a medical point of view, we have had four days of consecutive tests. How will it stop if we are in a bus together and in meetings? We are disappointed, we are a bit angry.”
Chelsea now have four games in 11 days over the Christmas period and Tuchel needs to find a way out of this crisis or his side’s Premier League title chances risk going up in smoke.