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Can Anybody Stop Chelsea?

Published by Ian John on October 28, 2010

As the Premier League season reaches its quarter point, there has been enough drama off the field to drown out events on it. Rooney-gate and Liverpool’s ownership battle have been the talk of the back and occasionally, front pages for so long that at times it has been hard to remember that the Premier League season is actually under way.

And that one team seems to be running away with it.

That team is Chelsea. Carlo Ancelotti’s men have made a superb start to the season and have lost just once, away at Manchester City, thus far. Manchester United may argue that they have not lost a game, but Chelsea have been more impressive than that one loss suggests.

It hasn’t been the fact that Chelsea are not losing games that is impressive, but more that Chelsea are winning them in such style and with such apparent ease. Last weekend Wolves were swept aside 2-0 with consummate ease, even if every Chelsea player that day would happily admit that they were below par.

What is impressive about Chelsea at the moment is that they are doing it without the services of Frank Lampard, who is still injured and having only just got John Terry back into the team. Didier Drogba too hasn’t been quite at his imperious best, but it hasn’t mattered as players like Florent Malouda, Mikael Essien and Nicolas Anelka have all made huge contributions to the team and their fantastic start to the season.

Roberto Mancini has already crowned Chelsea as champions this year and it is hard to argue with that, when you consider the fortunes of their nearest rivals.

Manchester United, although they have put an end to Rooney’s future, now have the small matter to hand of getting him back to his best form. So far Rooney has been a shadow of the player he was during the first two thirds of the 2009-2010 season and unless that changes, United are going to struggle. The win at Stoke was a big one for United but sterner tests await the men from Old Trafford and with a defence that looks far from solid, better teams may have more joy against them this year than in the past.

Certainly Arsenal will hope so. The Gunners took advantage of 10 man Manchester City at the weekend to come away with a great win at Eastlands, but Arsene Wenger will know that Boyata’s 4 minute dismissal irrevocably changed the pattern of that game and played into Arsenal’s hands. The Gunners seem to have a little more resilience this season but without injuries and that soft-centre particularly against the big teams (as Chelsea have already shown this season) will always likely count against them.

Manchester City may have harboured hopes of being Chelsea’s nearest challengers this season. They may still be but Roberto Mancini cannot afford to play against any top four side, at home or away, for 86 minutes with 10 men. City have the players to realistically challenge Chelsea, but do they have the knowhow and experience? I think City may come close, but in the end they will fall short, not on talent, but on experience in crucial games.

Tottenham could arguably make a case for being a challenger too. Harry Redknapp’s men are on the march, inspired by Van Der Vaart and Gareth ‘Lionel Messi’ Bale. However the rigours of the Champions League may take their toll on Harry’s young side and in the end Spurs will probably happily settle for Champions League football once again.

Liverpool? Don’t make me laugh.

So at the moment, it appears to be Chelsea’s title to lose. United, City, Arsenal and Spurs will have to go some over the next few weeks to haul the Londoners in, but at the moment, it is hard to see any of them matching Chelsea’s scoring power and consistency. Time will tell, but Chelsea are looking a strong bet to clinch their second title in two years.

Can anybody stop them?

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