When Chelsea waved goodbye to Jose Mourinho in December as they sat just one point above the relegation zone with 15 points from 16 games, the prevalent opinion was that things could only get better for the reigning Premier League champions. But after the Blues twice surrendered a lead to suffer a 3-2 defeat to relegation-threatened Sunderland, leaving them in danger of a bottom-half finish, it became clear that the dark days are really not yet behind them.
Goals from Wahbi Khazri, Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe have now confirmed Chelsea will finish below Blackburn’s 1995-96 attempt at a title defence as they can no longer match their seventh place finish. In fact, ninth is as high as Guus Hiddink’s men can go, though ending up in the bottom half of the table is a strict possibility in what will be the worst total for a Premier League champion by some distance.
Numbers, though, do not tell the whole story. It fell to captain John Terry to illustrate just how soulless and irrelevant the five-time Premier League winners have been this season, being sent off against the Black Cats, meaning he has likely played his final game for the team he has spent 21 years with. For the fans to be denied the farewell to their most iconic player and for the former England captain to have bowed out in an underwhelming performance which has summed up a horrific year is somewhat cruel, but how better could the futility of their season be defined?
The Blues were distinctly lacking in the fighting qualities they showed in Monday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham, the same fight and vigour they have rarely shown all season as their top-class players were embarrassed again. Nemanja Matic’s goal celebration only needs to be held up alongside Defoe’s to show which side wanted it more.
With a record of 12 wins, 12 draws and 12 losses, the Stamford Bridge club have gone from Premier League elites to mid-table mediocrity, doing their best to break all kinds of unwanted records in what started out as Mourinho’s worst ever season as a manager.
In December, Chelsea's loss total was their second worst in 80 years and the worst in their entire Premier League history.
Guus Hiddink has spoken of the team playing for pride but they have lost every ounce of it - showing that they can’t wait for their holidays and, for some, the European Championship.
Incoming coach Antonio Conte has a massive job on his hands to resuscitate this fallen, weak and crippled giant, but the Italian has the passion and management skills to lift Chelsea's stars from rock bottom.
That, though, is for the future. Before fans and players can focus on next season, they must close this one with at least an ounce of pride. But with nothing to play for and the absence of the heart of the team in Terry, it is a sad day to be a Chelsea fan and it might get worse over the next two games when they take on Liverpool before being tortured by the title celebrations of Leicester City and their wonderful fairytale story.
- Goal