Things tend to remain constant while they change. Chelsea has made nine signings and seven exits this season, totalling a net spend of £75 million. There is a new manager and kit, and a new sponsor will be announced shortly. Despite the ongoing turbulence, the performances remain consistent and comforting.
Nicolas Jackson continues to be offside frequently. Cole Palmer appears to be the only true source of attacking talent. Marc Cucurella, a Spanish left-back, appears to be a different player. The two £100 million midfielders continue to look fundamentally average. The only vocal criticism of the club’s transfer policy was for Conor Gallagher, whose move to Atlético is currently stalled. Todd Boehly’s hair may have been clipped, but he still sits in the executive box, looking benignly perplexed.
The perception of unreality was, of course, the most significant constant in the modern game. In many ways, this was the ideal way to begin the season: a clash between the Premier League’s two most successful sides of the past decade, with one facing 115 Premier League charges for alleged breaches of financial fair play regulations, which they deny, and the other under investigation for possible offences committed by their previous owner. If a transfer ban is expected, it will help to explain their market activities this summer.
This is a season that should bring closure to one case while also providing more clarity on the other. Both have the potential to significantly damage the Premier League’s credibility. All of football now feels like one of those moments after a probable offside when everyone is waiting to see if a flag will finally be raised. Is this real? Does it count? Will any of this matter? Is it all just ghost football, which could be exorcised at any time?
Chelsea’s performance was not bad, but it was disjointed and lacked consistency. Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández made mistakes that allowed Mateo Kovacic to score the decisive second goal.
The absence of Raheem Sterling—or, more properly, his camp’s reaction to it, in which they issued a statement calling for “clarity on the situation”—added to the air of disarray. Sterling, who returned early for individual training, appeared in all six of Chelsea’s pre-season games and clearly expected to participate, despite the fact that they only won one of them. He was notified on Friday of the “technical decision” to leave him out.
However, having 48 first-team players contributes to this situation. Chelsea’s five wide forwards (Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, and Pedro Neto) were likely disgruntled to be overlooked on matchday 20.
Chelsea entered the season without a main jersey sponsor for the second consecutive season, having been unable to find someone ready to pay the rumoured £60 million asking price. A short-term arrangement is expected to be announced soon, but for the time being, everyone can enjoy the kit’s swirling blue design as is. The advertisement, similar to a British Gas ad from a decade ago, depicts the club’s passion, drive, and determination as the hottest parts of a flame. It also includes a “melting pot pattern” that represents the fusion of Chelsea’s rich legacy with the dynamic culture of London.
Speaking of which, Fernández was appointed captain a month after posting a video of himself and many Argentina teammates singing racist songs. While it is understandable to commiserate with Chelsea because the offence occurred outside of their control, it is their responsibility to clean up the mess. The punishment of apologising and donating to an anti-racism foundation appears lenient, and the assumption that the situation is resolved is both optimistic and unsettling.
That dynamic culture costs fans an average of 5% more to attend this season and does not include allowing children to take photographs on their phones of post-match interviews or have the geography and lore of the ground explained to them by accompanying adults; stewards were notably quick to chase away those who lingered, explaining: “If we allow that, we’ll be here all day.”
Fans are considered an annoyance, academy products are sold off to make an accounting gimmick work, and the squad is so large that it requires a network of clubs to accommodate them. Clearlake and Boehly promised disruption, but the result is a fractured club searching for a soul.