Could Form and Fixtures Lead to European Football at Chelsea Next Season?
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The 2022/23 Premier League season was a huge disappointment for Chelsea and they finished in 12th place in the table.
A bottom half finish was an embarrassment for a club that had finished inside the top six places in 25 of the previous 26 seasons, winning the title 5 times in those 26 campaigns.
As things stand in the current Premier League season, Chelsea are in 11th place on 39 points, with 11 fixtures remaining. On the face of it, this is going to be another poor campaign for The Blues.
However, there could be some daylight at the end of the tunnel for Mauricio Pochettino and his players. Ahead of the upcoming fixture at home against Burnley in the Premier League, Chelsea are undefeated in 7 of their 8 previous matches in all competitions.
The only loss came in the League Cup final against Liverpool and that was in extra-time. There have been wins at home over Newcastle United in the Premier League plus Leeds United and Leicester City in the FA Cup. Chelsea also beat Crystal Palace away in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
One of the standout performances in Chelsea’s recent run came in the 1-1 draw at Premier League champions, Manchester City. It was a good point and impressive performance from Chelsea and one of only 2 matches Manchester City have failed to win in their last 19 in all competitions.
Chelsea are undefeated in 7 of their 9 most recent Premier League games and they have won 5 of their last 6 league matches on home soil.
With Burnley, Sheffield United, and Everton to play in 3 of their next 4 Premier League fixtures, Chelsea could easily move into the top half of the table and enter the race to finish in 6th place this season. That is something that seemed out of reach a couple of months ago but could now be the target for Pochettino.
Chelsea are also in the FA Cup semi-final, the second cup semi-final they have reached this season. They come up against Manchester City and many people have already condemned Chelsea to defeat.
However, Chelsea’s recent performance at the Etihad Stadium suggests they have what it takes to match Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
The fitness of Cole Palmer will be key for Chelsea in the closing stages of the season. The 21 year old has made 24 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring 11 goals and recording 8 assists.
There have been many arrivals at Stamford Bridge over the past two years but Palmer has been the standout signing.
If he can continue to deliver and Chelsea can pick up at least 3 wins from their next 4 Premier League matches, which should be possible given the opposition, this season could end on a high.
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