There was a lot of excitement surrounding Chelsea last summer, perhaps a bit too much.
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali won their second trophy as Chelsea owners as the Blues went on to beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final.
Some young and exciting players were also signed, such as Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens. Understandably, Boehly was very hopeful of what the future would bring.
Who has been Chelsea’s biggest underperformer this season? ⬇️
Players of Chelsea form a huddle
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
After Chelsea’s Club World Cup triumph, he was asked for his thoughts on his team and the upcoming 2025/26 season.
In response, Boehly told talkSPORT: “I think the boys have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with, and I think that’s what we were hoping for.”
Those comments are now laughable, with Chelsea finishing 10th in the Premier League table and failing to qualify for any form of European football.
In the end, Boehly, Eghbali and the club’s sporting directors got carried away with the team’s Club World Cup success and complacent in the transfer window.
Todd Boehly celebrates with the trophy after Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain: Final - FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
The whole world knew Chelsea needed a new central defender, especially after Levi Colwill’s injury. Yet the club refused to act. That, the failure to sign a reliable goalkeeper like Mike Maignan, Cole Palmer’s form and the decision to hire Liam Rosenior absolutely killed Chelsea this season.
Going forward, the club’s owners and sporting directors cannot make those sorts of mistakes again.
Wayne Rooney has spoken positively about Chelsea despite their failures, backing them to be a threat next year because of their lack of European football and Xabi Alonso’s arrival. They will only have to play once a week.
However, that is not going to be enough to push them up the table and into the top four. Chelsea still need a new centre-back, left winger and possibly a goalkeeper. They need to create a spine like Arsenal have with David Raya, Gabriel, William Saliba, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, for example.
There is too much talking at Chelsea when these owners and directors get one small thing right. Supporters now need to see more action.
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