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It all began with a text message. It all backfired on the darling of Stamford Bridge, the so-called 'guv'nor', Diego Costa. The volatile Italian boss Antonio Conte had sent the striker an unprofessional text message, revealing to him that he was no longer a part of his plans.
Costa waited till the transfer window and then switched to his beloved club, Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, for Chelsea, the hunt began and they found a replacement for the decorated Diego Costa.
It was Alvaro Morata indeed; the man who was on the back of a 20-goal season with Real Madrid, despite having to score most of those 20 goals off the bench.
Time has moved on and we have come a long, long way in West London. Antonio Conte has departed. Maurizio Sarri has arrived, implanted his footballing philosophy and received his fair share of criticism as well. Diego Costa is undergoing a barren spell of sorts at the Spanish capital.
And Alvaro Morata, who was supposed to be a fierce goal-scorer at Stamford Bridge, is now about to switch to Costa's club, Atletico Madrid. Football is a funny game, as they say. Consequentially, reports suggest that Sarri will reunite with former Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, who is to be tasked with sharing the goal-scoring burden with Eden Hazard and Pedro.
Whether Chelsea's problems in front of goal continue or perish remains a major tactically charged discussion, but let's analyse why Alvaro Morata endured a torrid time with the Blues, despite having started off brightly.
Here are three reasons why Alvaro Morata failed at Chelsea.
#3 Inability to adapt to the Sarri-ball
First and foremost, Morata's downfall last season due to friction between Conte and the players was the start of a massive downfall. Sarri arrived and heaped praise on his striker, tried to boost his confidence by hailing him many a time while speaking to the media, but Morata had none of it.
The 60-year-old Italian often asserted that his No. 9 was training hard, scoring goals etc, but not much could be done due to the player's mentality.
To play the Sarri-ball, the entire team must carry the ball from a yard to another. The striker is as essential as any other midfielder, as he is required to chase back, involve in build-up play and keep the flow going.
Morata was anything but the above. Neither did he cap off chances as regularly as he should have, nor did he maintain possession. This was seen on many occasions, as whenever the ball came to his path, the Spain international would hit the ground or more often, lose out on possession.
While Sarri looks at the process and detail, Morata prefers ready-made passages of play. Not once would you have seen the forward exchange more than three-four passes in quick succession with his teammates.
Unfortunately, his nature to try and be direct proved to be his nemesis at England. As a result, he wasn't included in recent games and is now most likely to go back to Spain.
#2 Poor physicality
Chelsea wanted a replacement for Costa and they got a complete opposite, one may argue. Morata didn't have the appetite for goals, nor did he possess the capability to shut haters down. He wasn't prolific in front of goal, nor would he rub shoulders with the sturdiest centre-halves in England.
More often than not, whenever a ball was played straight through the channel to him, he would take a touch and without having planned the next move, he would go to the ground looking for the referee's whistle.
Not only did it hamper the pace and flow of the game, but also his confidence. The former Juventus and Real Madrid man couldn't adapt to the substantial physical requirements of English football.
Time and time again, against various opponents, he was seen down on the floor instead of knocking at opposition back lines. Morata would hit the floor way too often; something that neither his teammates nor the referees would buy.
#1 Inability to handle the English media
One of the biggest ingredients of the football played in England is its media. From the media's brutal nature and the direct statements to its ability to emit news faster than lighting and in bulk, makes the newspapers and TV shows real powerhouses across the landscape.
World-class players and managers have fallen victim to the same, and the latest addition to the list seems to be Alvaro Morata. His uncanny characteristic to buy fouls for cheap and poor form only increased criticism, which eventually, couldn't be handled.
Goals dried up for the 26-year-old, and his pass completion rate led to massive scrutiny, so much so that he had to consult a psychologist in order to deal with the pressure.
It was clear in the FA Cup third round fixture against Nottingham Forest - Alvaro Morata was living on borrowed time at Chelsea. Despite netting a brace on the back of two fine passes from Callum Hudson-Odoi, he refused to celebrate.
Moreover, it was more of relief than happiness. It was almost as if a toothless tiger had found its prey begging to be eaten. That itself is a clear testament of the player's mental strength.
