The season is rolling on at some speed. It feels like Mauricio Pochettino has only just got his feet under the table, but in fact Chelsea have played 25 of their 38 league games this season.
There’s a third of the season left, but what can we expect from it?
At our current inconsistent clip we will stay just where we are – wedged deep in the sofa cracks of mid table, seemingly unable to force our way higher than 9th or lower than 12th.
Our last three games have seen us battle Man City to a draw, lose to Liverpool on penalties in the Carabao Cup final, and then sneak past Leeds in the FA Cup.
It’s hardly a steamrolling run of wins which hints at some all conquering league form to come. So why the excitement?
Well City and Liverpool are very good. And while Leeds aren’t on that level, we played a half changed and fully exhausted team in that game. Overall, there have been good signs, considering the opposition. Before that, we were starting to look good.
This is when the European calendar kicks back in, and a lot of those teams above us are going to start suffering. Yes we still have the FA Cup to worry about, but as it stands that’s a one off game against Championship Leicester. It’s hardly a trip to Qarabag or a two leg tie against a dangerous Serie A side.
Maybe it’s just blind faith, but the positive signs we’ve seen from Malo Gusto, Nicolas Jackson and Djordje Petrovic in the last few months, combined with the quality already in place in the likes of Conor Gallagher, Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer, means we’re actually approaching a full team of players we like and trust.
We will soon have far more options at full back and in midfield, and a fit squad while our rivals are forced to play away games in Europe seems like a good chance to climb the table, just when most fans have given up on the idea.
It feels like Mauricio Pochettino has never been closer to the sack, but in two months time he could yet have secured his long term future.
