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Blues Stunned by Sunderland Wonderland

Published by Ian John on November 15, 2010

When Ray Wilkins left Chelsea last week, there was an imperceptible raising of the eyebrow for many in football circles. Chelsea’s claims that Wilkins role at the club, he was chief translator and press-officer for former Chelsea boss Luis Scolari in the main, had become surfeit to requirements seemed a convenient excuse. Wilkins seemed to fulfil a useful role at the Bridge. An intermediary between Ancelotti, the players and the fans. So his departure was seen as a surprise, rather than a shock.

The real shock at Chelsea was to come at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Steve Bruce took his improving Sunderland to the home of the Champions who had won all their previous six games at the Bridge, scoring seventeen goals in the process and conceding none. Even minus a few key players, the Champions were expected to triumph but Sunderland had other ideas.

That they ran out deserving winners is a shock, that it was 3-0 is an even greater surprise, but what is most amazing of all is that for the entire game, Chelsea looked like a shell of the team that had looked so imperious at Stamford Bridge during the latter stages of last season and the earlier weeks of this.

For Steve Bruce’s men it was probably long overdue. Sunderland have suffered heartbreak against the top sides on many occasions, there was Fernando Torres ‘goal’ at Anfield that robbed them of a win, Anton Ferdinand’s last gasp own goal at Old Trafford last season that did the same. They’ve drawn with Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool already this season and beaten Man City, Aston Villa and now Chelsea. That is some series of performances.

For Chelsea it was a strange one and coming on the back of a 2-0 defeat at Anfield, and a performance no less inspiring, must be cause for concern at the Bridge. Fortunately, only Arsenal really took advantage of their slip up, winning 2-1 at Everton, with United drawing at Aston Villa on Saturday.

So what is the problem at Chelsea? Injuries of course have not helped. Terry and Lampard were missing at the weekend but there was something more problematic in the team than just missing personnel. It seemed as if Chelsea lacked belief at times and this was compounded by personal errors by players who are usually reliable – Ashley Cole’s part in Sunderland’s third goal a perfect example.

Didier Drogba also mystifies at present. Having heard he suffered with Malaria and is still recovering, it is a shock that he continued to play for so long. However the Drogba of 2010 seems to be a much chirpier fellow. He enjoyed a good laugh with Jamie Carragher last week when the Liverpool man denied him a tap in certainty at Anfield. This week, he seemed inordinately concerned with being nice to the Sunderland centre backs. Where has the menace gone from Drogba’s game? Not too long ago, he’d have more likely barged those defenders out the way than offer them a smile and a pat on the back.

As daft as it sounds, Chelsea seem to be too nice at the moment. Maybe that is why Wilkins had to go. Maybe that is why they need Terry and Lampard back as Chelsea without a lions bite, are a very tame beast indeed.

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