Problems Aplenty at Chelsea

One of the Premier League’s worst kept secrets was unveiled two weeks ago at Anfield when Liverpool defeated Chelsea 2-0: that England’s reigning champions are a very different squad without midfielder Michael Essien and striker Didier Drogba.

The revelation, which should come as a shock to no one, was made palpably evident by an anemic display put forth by the rest of the Blues, who were without the services of the versatile Essien (injured), and who were denied those of their indomitable forward for the first 45 minutes before a malaria-stricken Drogba (somewhat reluctantly) made his way onto the pitch just after halftime. And although Chelsea generated several more opportunities in the second half, the sickly Ivorian’s cameo was negligible.

After Sunday’s appalling 3-0 home defeat at the hands of plucky Sunderland yet another, perhaps more significant, secret was exposed in Carlo Ancelotti’s side: that Chelsea really aren’t that good. Allow me to rephrase: Chelsea really aren’t that good without a fully fit Essien and a fully fit Drogba in the starting XI.

In Drogba, Chelsea have a headstrong, hungry, and powerful striker whose killer instinct in front of goal falls second to none. In Essien, Chelsea have a multifaceted midfielder whose versatility, dynamism, and industry are irreplaceable. Without one or the other or both, the football being played by the collective whole dips notably in quality and zest, and becomes less watchable with each scoreless, elapsing minute. Both footballers have been rendered indispensable by Chelsea and their followers, and both men unquestionably are the keys and cornerstones to the Blues ultimate success.

So the burning question has to be asked: which African footballer is more valuable to the West Londoners?

Considering the plethora of goals he has bagged in all competitions in recent years (including a golden boot-winning 29 last season), instinctually one might at first be more inclined to say Drogba. Tandem partner Nicolas Anelka and left winger Florent Malouda are more than capable of finding the back of the net themselves, but neither pose as dangerous a threat as does 2009’s African Footballer of the Year. That being said, Drogba’s figures will inevitably overshadow the labor and physical presence of Essien, both of which elude the stat sheet.

Consider for a moment the last three and a half seasons both domestically and on the continent for Chelsea. The 2007-08 season saw the Blues come within a point and a missed spot kick away from winning both the Premier League and the Champions League, respectively, falling ultimately in both races to Manchester United, who at the time boasted the world’s greatest player, Cristiano Ronaldo. Essien remained healthy for much of the season, while Drogba remained injured for a large chunk of it.

In 2008-09, the Blues got off to a flying start before hitting a rut in the winter months, which eventually led to manager Luiz Felipe Scolari’s dismissal. Not surprisingly, an out-of-form Drogba and an injury-plagued Essien, who was out for several months, coincided with Chelsea’s poor form. Only when Guus Hiddink took over as interim manager in February—at almost the exact moment Essien was cleared to play again—did the 2008 Premiership/UCL runners up begin to steer the ship in the opposite direction. And had it not been for a heartbreaking away goal at the death by Barcelona’s Andrés Iniesta, an Essien wonder-volley would have been enough to secure a rematch with United in the UCL Final in Rome.

Then there was last season, and while Drogba continued to bag goal after goal, it wasn’t enough to thwart eventual UCL champs Inter in the first round of sixteen. Essien was nowhere to be found that match, as he was injured again, this time for most of the season. Chelsea, of course went on to win the double, but did so with only a point to spare over a Ronaldo-less United.

Finally, there is this season, and the last two weeks have told a similar tale. They fell to Liverpool without Essien and a fully fit Drogba, then defeated Fulham 1-0 last Wednesday with both players in the starting XI, Essien heading home the game-winner. The Ghanaian international foolishly challenged Clint Dempsey at the end of the fixture, however, and was duly sent off and handed a three-match ban. That left Drogba and the rest of the Ancelotti’s unit to battle Sunderland, and, well, let’s just say having Essien in there might have helped.

Obviously, it is not quite that simple. Yes, Chelsea are a galvanized squad when Essien is healthy and in the starting XI, as they often are with an in-form Drogba. Unfortunately for the Blues, however, the Sunderland defeat, which is already being called the worst at Stamford Bridge during the Roman Abramovich era, exposed several other flaws in the foundation.

One need only to have looked at the Chelsea backline deployed by Ancelotti against Steve Bruce’s squad on Sunday to see that at the moment all is not quite right at the Bridge. Detrimental injuries to both Alex and John Terry that could keep the center-half partnership sidelined for months meant that normal right backs Branislav Ivanović and Paulo Ferreira were left to fill their void, while Ashley Cole and José Bosingwa covered the left and right flanks. The makeshift backline breached a whopping three times, and Ancelotti may now be forced to spend in January and reel in a dependable center-half to hold down the fort until the Brazilian and the Chelsea skipper return.

Then there were the subs, which consisted of regular Salomon Kalou and batch of untested, inexperienced youths such as Gaël Kakuta Josh McEachran, all of whom (with the exception of 25-year-olds Kalou and backup keeper Ross Turnbull) couldn’t legally purchase a drink in the United States today if they tried. Where were the normal reinforcements of Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Deco, Juliano Belletti and Ricardo Carvalho? Ancelotti should be applauded for his persistent and methodical utilization of youth into the squad, but perhaps it would have behooved the Italian to retain a couple of the aforementioned veterans he let walk in the summer for unforeseen circumstances such as these.

The loss to Liverpool was unexpected. The loss of Essien for three matches even more so. And Sunday’s loss to Sunderland? Let’s not even go there. And yet, after two weeks of relative turmoil and unrest, Chelsea still sit atop the pinnacle of the English Premier League two whole points above city rivals Arsenal. They may be too heavily reliant on Essien and Drogba, they may have a jerry-rigged backline, and they may have a handful of unknown, unproven kids coming off the bench. But as of today, they are still the best club in English football. If they should fall this weekend at Birmingham, however, Ancelotti’s raised left eyebrow will tell the story and the Italian may for the first time in his spell at Chelsea be forced to cope with a club on the brink of crisis.