Inter Champions League defeat for Chelsea: tactical vacuum or end of an era?

After a string of European successes over the last six years, Chelsea’s insipid exit from the Champions League yesterday feels like a disaster.

The fallout will continue to play out on newspaper back pages for days yet, but Chelsea’s ignominious defeat should be laid at one of two doors: one, a tactical vacuum or two, the ultimate decline of a squad that has been mismanaged for years.

Ancelotti is suffering. Suffering under the uncomfortable comparison with the former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho. In defeat, the marked contrasts between the two men are easy to exaggerate and use as a stick to beat the Italian with. Regardless of those contrasts however, Ancelotti’s Chelsea were obviously far less astutely prepared than the team brought by his Inter counterpart. 

This shone through on the pitch. Overcoming a 2-1 deficit required a positive, ambitious and energised Chelsea to emerge from the starting whistle. The Chelsea on show was nothing of the kind, looking a passive, pale imitation of an Inter team constructed in an image of Chelsea’s better days. Inter hassling and harrying shook Chelsea’s supposed playmakers out of performing to such an extent that the home side’s experience was not able to translate into the required patient possession.

Rather than a spirited start to the game, Chelsea’s football was dominated by an apparent fear of conceding. What else can explain – just for example - the strange, anxious conservatism of Terry and Alex in regularly clearing the ball up the field when picking a pass to a midfield player was a viable option? Surrendering possession was equally a problem at the back as it was in midfield last night.

Chelsea’s performance in the first half was characterised by needless loss of possession and aimless free kicks from distance when playing the percentages was the order of the day. The second half was worse, as patience disappeared entirely and the team resorted to mindlessly punting the ball up the pitch to Drogba, who was forced into shouldering too much responsibility.

In summary, Ancelotti failed on two counts. Firstly, by failing to instil confidence in his team to approach the game with the right attitude. Secondly, by being unable to affect change on the field. Why couldn’t Ancelotti spot his team’s waning performance and take steps to calm his side? What is more, Chelsea’s game plan – if there was one – didn’t appear to change from minute one to minute 90. Why, when playing through the middle wasn’t working (again), didn’t Ancelotti instruct Malouda to stick to the touchline? Instead the Frenchman repeatedly looked to move inside. Why were there no efforts to stretch the Inter defence wide right? It is a sad reality that Ancelotti was unable to halt what was a 90 minute continuum of Inter control and Chelsea impotency.

While the game did point to him being a good, rather than great, tactician, criticism of the Italian shouldn’t go too far however. He played his part in a tepid performance, but on the night his side were exposed by a good Inter side expertly prepared and drilled by Mourinho. That Chelsea were so comprehensively outclassed in every part of the pitch points to a deeper problem.

Chelsea’s form since the end of November makes unpleasant reading, and points to a serious decline in the squad. Far from a knee-jerk reaction, yesterday’s loss brings into focus issues that have been bubbling under the surface for weeks now: that there are great potholes of weakness emerging throughout the aging team.

Beating Stoke or West Ham is one thing, but at the highest level a team is as weak as its weakest player. Yes, Chelsea were shorn of the likes of Essien and Ashley Cole by injury, but it now looks certain that aging has brought about the decline of too many players at the same time. Chelsea’s midfield, once the powerhouse of Europe, was lifeless yesterday in the face of Inter’s persistent harrying and Sneijder’s guile. Lacking energy and dynamism from the off, Lampard and Ballack looked tired and off the pace and all too often weren’t able to get into the box to support Malouda or Drogba. Anelka hasn’t looked on good form for weeks.

And the decline isn’t just an age issue. Chelsea have allowed the squad to become unbalanced, failing to add creativity to its now traditional blend of strength and power. With no Ashley Cole or Bosingwa in the side Chelsea look dangerously short on pace, too.

Don’t get me wrong, Chelsea haven’t become a bad side overnight. But, if the aim is to compete at the very highest level, then allowing the squad to have aged together unchecked, and become so unbalanced, represents criminal mismanagement. Perhaps it is the result of so many managerial changes, but not one of the club’s many powerful figures can claim to have executed any kind of long-term strategy. The team needed gradual refreshing since 2007, and there has been next to none; youth players needed blooding, and they haven’t been given a chance.

There always seem to be ‘too many cooks’ at Chelsea, but they’re not even making any broth to spoil. As someone (he’ll remain nameless) once said, there are different classes of eggs, and class three eggs don’t make good omelettes. Ancelotti’s ‘cooking’ wasn’t up to his opponent’s standards last night, but what chance did his omelette stand when the best eggs are suddenly so short in supply?

The fight for the league isn’t over, but it is in the balance, while the summer will be interesting.

I’m not advocating a squad revolution or spending big on ‘marquee’ signings – just a sensible, ongoing approach to refreshing the squad with good, young players before it’s too late. For more on what I think needs to happen at Chelsea, take a read of:

• The players Chelsea really need
• Arnesen’s failures lie at heart of Chelsea’s future

• Chelsea need to abandon the 'off the shelf' transfer policy

Comments

[Josh]

Chelsea, our beloved blues, are done for this year. They will lose to villa in FA cup, we will lose at old trafford, effectively ending title hopes. Quit spending money on managers every quarter, fire arnessen, get a REAL youth program, and start making smart transfers, not just targeting established and already aging players. Ballack and Deco need to be relieved of all of their duties, carvalho should have been given away last year, and EBJT should have been sold to Man Sh*tty and all the money could have gone to replenish our already declined (not declining) squad.

For the first time in a long time it is a truly awful feeling to be a Chelsea fan.

[les slater]

I was very dissapointed to see Chelsea go out to Inter milan. but Jose Mourinho got his game plan spot on. He knew the weeknesess in the team. They need younger players fo sure. the eteam is aging a bit. I thought if Chelsea had got an early goal they may just do it but 0-0 at half time and knew they were going out. Another year and still no Champions League trophy. Abramovich must ne scratching his head. Seven years ans still no Holy Grail. The League is important but poor away form may cost Chelsea. The FA cup may be the only trophy now but Spurs are in the way and I've got a feeling it could be their year, hope I'm wrong.Blackburn away on sunday. 3 points are a must.