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Having watched the Club World Cup final again and taking time for the performance and result to settle in, I can’t help but think it’s yet another missed opportunity for Chelsea this season.
The performance was OK if you think about it. Corinthians never really troubled Petr Cech that many times or looked like scoring compared to the chances Chelsea had in the game.
The difference is the fact that yet again this season, when push comes to shove and in the big games, Chelsea have stumbled, failing to take their chances, which has cost us.
We have now lost the Community Shield, the UEFA Super Cup, participation in the Champions League and now the World Club Cup final so far this season, and apart from the Super Cup loss to Atletico, we only have ourselves to blame.
Of course the focus, as expected, will be on Fernando Torres and the two chances he had in the game. The first was more of a half chance really as he brought the ball down, controlled it and flicked it towards goal, but the second was a clear opportunity. He rushed it, never composed himself and fired straight at the keeper.
Gary Cahill did the same in the first half from a half-cleared corner, in addition to a good save from their keeper to deny Victor Moses and again from a long range Juan Mata shot.
If Chelsea NEVER created chances in the game then I would be far more worried than I am at the moment, but for a club that has been as successful as ours over the last eight years, something needs to happen inside that dressing room now to get back that winning mentality.
After the long trip from Japan, Chelsea head up to Leeds on Wednesday night, and it surely is now our best opportunity for a trophy this season. However, we have to take our chances.
For the last few seasons, the press, media and “pundits” have been talking about Chelsea needing to evolve the team, to get rid of the older, more experienced players and for us to see a new generation at the club. I cannot help but wonder: If we had John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba all fit and still playing for us, would we have missed out on everything I have mentioned this season?
Chelsea need to pick themselves up, train and work hard to put things right and to get over what has happened already this season. In a season that promised so much, it’s turned into a damp squib.
God help us if we lose to Leeds on Wednesday!
