A former Chelsea star has opened up on why the club’s long wait for another Premier League crown is still on.
Busy Schedule Is Draining Edge Of Chelsea In Premier League
Former Chelsea star Gus Poyet knows the club inside out. He believes the problem is not talent or effort, it is the brutal English calendar.
Speaking to Mirror Football, Poyet said: “Now, the problem is that they don’t have precision anymore because they don’t stop playing.
“So if we want to see quality, they need to play less games. They keep playing games every three or four days. It’s difficult. It’s very difficult.
“The top teams, they can’t maintain their level. And the bottom teams, they don’t play that many games. They’re getting better.”
Poyet feels the West London club often look strong early on. However, they fade when injuries pile up and legs become heavy. The Premier League does not reward tired teams. When focus drops even slightly, points slip away fast.
For Chelsea, those small losses have added up year after year. That is keeping them just short of the finish line.
Frame it and put it in the Louvre
Gus Poyet 🇺🇾 has won the domestic double in Korea 🇰🇷
He leaves the K League having won everything while giving the boomers in charge of the league the proverbial middle finger. pic.twitter.com/a6VUG2Vxgq
— Albert Kim (@Albert_Kim2022) December 6, 2025
Success Elsewhere, But League Glory Slips Away
Poyet’s words carry weight because he lived the pressure at Stamford Bridge. Between 1997 and 2001, he won major trophies and felt what it takes to compete at the top. He points out that Chelsea have not lacked quality since Antonio Conte’s title win in 2017.
Over time, the level of league performances start to dip. Poyet also hints that this is not just Chelsea’s issue. English football as a whole pays the price for a busy schedule that leaves no room to reset or recover.
Author’s opinion:
Chelsea’s hunger to fight on every front is admirable, but it may be costing them the one prize that matters most. Until the balance changes, the title drought may continue.
As featured on Chelseanews.com