Ken Barkway provides his thoughts following our defeat to Palace!
Many years ago a good friend of mine decided to embark on the dubious journey of becoming a referee in the arcane game of Rugby Union. One of his early assignments as a cub whistleblower was at the Honourable Artillery Company in the city. An age-old irregular army unit made up of the kind of chaps that used to wear pinstripes and bowler hats in their day jobs. Danny asked these stereotypical buffoons (think the Monty Python Upper-Class Twits Race) who was the captain, to be greeted by a round of guffawing – “We all are”. I’m sure they did this every bloody week.
Somewhat tortuously this episode came to mind after Saturdays entirely predictable episode of glorious unpredictability (copyright @gate17marco). It happened that the reigning champions and humblers of Atletico Madrid away found a way to lose to a side enjoying the worst start to a season since football was invented.
Palace had not earned a point in seven games. Not a point, in fact, they had not so much as mustered a goal. Despite the bookies making Chelsea heavy favourites, it was inevitable that not only would they break their scoring duck, they’d also bank their first three points of their campaign.
If a team is on a historic, horrific record-breaking run of form Chelsea will stop the rot. That’s a given. Look at the bookies line. If Chelsea are heavy odds on you can bet the house on them not winning.
I’ve heard moans about Kante’s or Morata’s absence, and sure it’s never helpful to lose half the spine of your team but really the team selected should have won. That’s not to say that they had any divine right, there’s no such thing in this game. You can have a day when the officials have a hand in the result; you can have a day where you create a pile of chances and convert none. That’s football. It’s simple you score more goals you win. And frankly we were abject, and Palace clearly wanted it more.
But let’s go back to captains. A team of captains (haw haw). Let’s go back a decade. What has changed? This squad – pretty much – have won two championships, as had te 2007 vintage. Technically the current squad are probably a match for the 2007 team. The 2007 almost certainly had a good deal more quality in depth than the current squad. But the 2007 vintage were very different – and it is my belief that the difference is leadership. In 2007 there were in any match half a dozen players who had captained their national teams, Terry (obviously), Ballack, Lampard, Essien, Drogba, Cech – the spine of the team, all recognised leaders – the armband was largely superfluous, leadership was deep within them not bestowed upon them. This was a strong group of individuals, strong enough to lead the team and maintain continuity through the precession of various managers, often continuing to achieve in spite of the manager of the day. This is in stark contrast to the current crop, who look lost in any kind of adversity. On Saturday, even Luiz didn’t step up – a man I’d always admired for his big match big balls as much as his ability to play in that much hair. On reflection, maybe the match wasn’t big enough. There are players who are capable of leading by example but don’t appear to have the gravitas to organise and galvanise the players around them; I think this is true of Cahill, Azpilicueta and probably Kante. None ever hide or give less than everything, but you seldom see them directing players or geeing them up.
The one thing that led to near unanimous consensus in the pub chatter last season was that while Terry could be replaced as a player, his presence, his leadership would leave a sizeable vacuum. He was the last of the gang to go. And it has proven to be the case.
I’m not sure this is singularly a Chelsea problem, it seems to be a rare commodity in the game generally. How do you instill this mentality into the players? Are this generation of superstar coaches emasculating the players with their rigid tactical discipline? I think I’ve found part of the problem, but I’ve no idea how it can be solved.
Leadership is certainly a factor, as is squad depth. But it’s early in the season and Chelsea have through injury, suspension and weird officiating not yet managed to settle into a rhythm in the way they did at about this time last season. I suspect that this game is like Arsenal last season, it will spur Mr Conte to reshape and reconsider how best to utilise his meagre squad. Hopefully, we can get on a run and figure at the right end of the table and go deep into the Champions League.
Written by Ken Barkway – Follow Ken on Twitter @KenBarkway
