Stick or twist. It is a decision out of Chelsea fans’ control, but one they must bear witness to either way – despite some willing for this season to be over already.
“I’m sorry you are going to have to sit through this game,” one Chelsea season ticket holder, Tracey, says half-jokingly, or perhaps with utter sincerity, to i ahead of Saturday’s home match against Leeds.
It is the first of a home double header for the Blues, with Borussia Dortmund to follow in the Champions League on Tuesday, where they currently trail 1-0 after last-16 first leg defeat in Germany.
That defeat was one of six already this year, with Chelsea winning only once in 2023 and drawing another four. In that time, 13 goals have been conceded, and just four scored.
Subsequently, the calls for Graham Potter to be sacked just six months into his five-year deal have grown, and though the head coach has retained the backing of Chelsea’s owners, there is no telling what two further defeats could do to his prospects.
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Heading into these crucial few days in west London, i spoke to a panel of Chelsea fans, all season ticket holders, to gauge the current mood inside Stamford Bridge. “Flat,” said Sebastian Marsh, succinctly, which speaks of a gloomy outlook echoed by a “devoid of optimism” Tracey, while both Tom Overend and Dan Silver joked (or once again, maybe with complete sincerity) that the Premier League goal is to reach the “magic” 40-point mark.
Three believe Potter should go. “Unfortunately,” both Tracey and Sebastian added, and while Tom is the anomaly, he does believe a change is needed unless the club “pledge to back Potter considerably more”. All four are also aware that a sacking, which would have certainly happened under Roman Abramovich’s watch by now, may not be forthcoming with co-owner Todd Boehly evidently eager for this project to transform into a successful long-term one.
“Waiting for something to miraculously change on Saturday and then against Dortmund seems the epitome of madness,” Tracey says. “We only want what is best for the club. It’s lacking in optimism, passion and desire, because what we are paying and travelling to witness is only the same as what we are feeling. You only get out what you put in, and that’s not very much at the moment.
“Although Roman was a private man, you knew when he was going to act. The players and manager also knew when he would act. We don’t know enough of Todd Boehly and Clearlake to be able to predict their movements in any capacity.
“But I do believe, in this moment, they are sticking with their decision. Whether that is in desperation to see through their first ‘appointment and project’, or blind faith, it remains to be seen.”
“The previous regime almost always went for elite managers,” adds Dan, a Chelsea Supporters’ Trust member. “It was hire them, win, fire them, which worked. The new owners, they want a project, but defeat to Leeds and lose to Dortmund and they will have big decisions to make.
“The club seems to have faith in Potter. I think he will get a pre-season, so write this season off and if come December we are well adrift then questions will have to be asked.”
Potter shed light on the darker side to his troubled start at Chelsea last week, revealing he and his family have been subjected to death threats. “That’s obviously not pleasant,” he said, admirably matter-of-factly, and naturally the belief – or hope – among the fanbase is that such threats are not from actual Chelsea supporters.
“They were vile and unacceptable,” says Tom. “No matter your view on Potter, threatening a man and his wife and daughters is awful and makes me embarrassed to be a Chelsea fan.”
Tracey adds: “I could never understand the motivation for the death threats… nothing ever warrants such abhorrent behaviour. I’d like to think this isn’t match going fans, and more the actions of a keyboard warrior. A man and his family should be able to live in peace despite his situation in his workplace.”
Chelsea’s results in 2023
- Nottingham Forest 1-1 Chelsea
- Chelsea 0-1 Man City
- Man City 4-0 Chelsea
- Fulham 2-1 Chelsea
- Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace
- Liverpool 0-0 Chelsea
- Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
- West Ham 1-1 Chelsea
- Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Chelsea
- Chelsea 0-1 Southampton
- Tottenham 2-0 Chelsea
‘Get Jose Mourinho for Round 3 or Hansi Flick’
Chelsea fans will fondly recall the 2016-17 campaign, the last time they won the Premier League. They were also FA Cup runners-up that year, but notably did not play in Europe having finished 10th the season before – Jose Mourinho departing with the club 16th in December 2015 before Guus Hiddink took interim charge.
And no Europe may not be a bad idea, both Dan and Tom agree, with the former noting: “A season without Europe allows Potter or a new coach to actually train and get players fully integrated and playing with their style.”
Sitting in 10th heading into this weekend, Chelsea face an uphill battle if they want to play European football next season. The Champions League, unless they win it this season, is almost out of the question, and even a Europa League spot looks unlikely, never mind the Conference League.
“For me, the season is done,” says Sebastian. “We should look to next year with the likely prospect of no Champions League football… Chelsea shouldn’t be 10th. Everyone knows that. I understand it takes time for players to gel, however when you lose to bottom-of-the-league Southampton and then Spurs consecutively, with no signs of improvement, enough is enough. Chelsea need an experienced head coach and for me, I’d be going for Jose Mourinho ‘Round Three’ or Hansi Flick.”
Transfers and tactical tweaks
A £600m-plus spend under Todd Boehly included a January of eight incomings and just the one departure, with Jorginho moving to Arsenal, and while a Premier League chief has said Chelsea may have to sell players to pass FFP tests, that will not deter them from looking into further signings.
i reported in February that while Chelsea’s owners deemed their initial rebuild complete, they will not stand idly by if world-class players are available in the summer, meaning a further reshuffle of the pack is likely.
“Get a proper striker, cut our losses on Lukaku, and buy a top-class goalkeeper,” says Dan, who identifies Ivan Toney – who could soon face a suspension after accepting betting breaches – as a possible option, while he also believes “proven goalscorer” Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang deserves a run up front.
“Despite us all crying for a back four earlier on, it isn’t working now and he should revert to a back-three system to allow Ben Chilwell and Reece James greater license in attack,” says Tom, who adds: “Just a goal would be nice!”
It is not just personnel and tactical changes, though. Tracey would quite simply like to hear more honesty from Potter, Sebastian would prefer less pessimism, while Tom says fans feel “disconnected” from the manager “because of his perceived lack of passion and affection” for the club.
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Tracey adds: “I’d like to hear the truth in pre- and post-match press conferences, something that instils me with some hope that the issues within the team are actually being pinpointed and not absolved to keep the peace.”
And for the summer? “I don’t even know what that holds for us at the minute, so it’s hard to comment,” Tracey concludes. “But maybe just maybe, I’d like my Chelsea back.”
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