Chelsea 2021/22 season review: Roman empire ends as Blues face new dawn | OneFootball

Two cup finals, Champions League qualification, a European Super Cup and world champions.

A lot has come Chelsea’s way this season. And yet it’s been their most turbulent campaign in two decades.

Competition breakdown

Premier League – 3rd

For a side that have not been out of the top four for the entire campaign, it’s interesting to note how disappointing this campaign has felt for Chelsea.

The Blues had been leading the Premier League table right up until December but a wobble over Christmas saw Thomas Tuchel’s side draw five and lose one of their seven games and eventually had to watch as Liverpool and Manchester City galloped ahead.

Then Russia invaded Ukraine and Chelsea’s whole existence came under threat.

With Roman Abramovich a close ally of Vladimir Putin, the British government froze his assets in the UK including Chelsea.

That meant a protracted buying process off the pitch and as Tuchel admitted himself the sale had “an impact” on his players with thoughts naturally drifting to their futures.

Champions League – Quarter-finals

Chelsea suffered a solitary defeat in the Champions League group stage as they came undone against a solid if unspectacular Juventus side in Rome.

The Blues finished second in the group and booked themselves a last 16 clash with Lille who were duly dispatched.

A classic encounter then ensued with Real Madrid, who won 3-1 in London before Chelsea went 3-0 up at Santiago Bernabéu to put one foot in the semi-finals.

As is their wont though, Real Madrid scored with 10 minutes to go to take the game to extra time before Karim Benzema capitalised on an Antonio Rüdiger slip to head in a winner.

FA Cup – Final

It’s fair to say that Chelsea’s run to the FA Cup final was on the easier side this season – although at points, they made it more than difficult for themselves.

Plymouth were only beaten 2-1 after extra time at Stamford Bridge whilst Luton more than held their own in a 3-2 defeat.

Chelsea then played the bad guy as they asked Middlesbrough if their game in the quarter-finals – away from home at the Riverside Stadium – could be played behind closed doors because government sanctions meant they could only sell 500 away tickets.

Despite that mad request and a febrile atmosphere, Chelsea were victorious 2-0 and won by the same margin in their semi-final against Crystal Palace.

The Blues then held their own against Liverpool in the final but were undone 6-5 in the penalty shoot-out.

EFL Cup – Final

Chelsea needed penalties to beat Aston Villa and Southampton in the early rounds of the EFL Cup but then comfortably brushed aside Brentford and Tottenham to once again face Liverpool in the Wembley showpiece.

And yet again it was goalless in normal time as the game went to spot kicks.

This time it went all the way down to the goalkeepers as Kepa’s effort went miles over the bar whilst Caoimhín Kelleher netted with aplomb.

Player of the season: Édouard Mendy

Thibaut Courtois and Alisson may have something to say about this, but arguably the very best goalkeeper in the world has, at times, kept Chelsea afloat this season.

The upgrade from Kepa Arrizabalaga has been remarkable and it’s no coincidence that the Blues downturn in form over the festive period and January coincided with the Blues having to play the Spaniard between the posts instead of their Senegalese sensation.

A remarkable shot-stopper and calming presence, Mendy is getting better with every passing season.

Game of the season: Tottenham 0-3 Chelsea

The game that took Chelsea to the top of the table and seemed to suggest that the Blues could dominate a supposed rival and the Premier League as a whole.

On this sultry mid-September evening, Spurs had just come off the back of beating Manchester City whilst Chelsea had beaten Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa as well as drawing away at Anfield.

The west Londoners took that form and produced a stunning second half display with Thiago Silva, N’Golo Kanté and Antonio Rüdiger getting the goals.

Top goalscorer: Romelu Lukaku

His second coming over the summer from Inter was supposed to be the final piece in the jigsaw for Chelsea.

Instead, Romelu Lukaku has become a chastised figure at Stamford Bridge and despite netting 15 goals in all competitions is already gracing the back pages with rumours of a return to Italy.

Rising star: Harvey Vale

The next youngster to come off the vaunted Chelsea youth production line.

Harvey Vale has already made four appearances for the first team this season but expect there to be a few more next term as the 18-year-old adapts to life amongst the big boys.

Vale has been a star midfielder for the youth sides for some time now and a regular at England schoolboy level.

What comes next?

A question that had a dire meaning only a few weeks ago now relates almost entirely to the summer transfer plans and the vision of the new owners.

Todd Boehly and his consortium have a record of investing heavily in the LA Dodgers baseball and will surely do the same in the off-season for their new acquisition.

And there will need to be some reinvestment with Rüdiger already confirming his intention to leave and Lukaku potentially on his way out too.

With Tuchel at the coaching helm however, it would be foolish to write off Chelsea whatever happens.