Sarri and his players held a closed-door meeting following a humiliating loss.
Last Wednesday, Chelsea suffered their worst league defeat in 23 years, 4-0, courtesy of Bournemouth. The loss dropped the team to fifth place in Premier League standings, tied on points with fourth-place Arsenal, and with only goals-for separating the two sides.
With only a few games left before the season winds down, a compelling question must be asked: Is Chelsea likely to miss out on top four finish again this year?
It’s a sold question, too.
Liverpool and Man City are already out of reach, so it comes down to vying with three teams–Tottenham, a club that’s sitting comfortably ahead, Arsenal, and Manchester United–a squad that has found new life under Interim Manager, Ole Gunnar Solkjaer.
It’s clear, then, that Chelsea have their hands full.
Gonzalo Higuain has been brought in (on loan) to help rescue the situation. But in his first full game, Higuain didn’t help against Bournemouth. He was substituted fifteen minutes into the 2nd half, and that move angered fans, who didn’t believe it was the right call. To Coach Maurizio Sarri, they chanted: “You don’t know what you are doing!”
Maurizio Sarri (photo, Metro)
Although Sarri’s men are into the League Cup final, they face a daunting task of making it into the top-four Premier League finish. Earlier last week, we saw the emotional side of Sarri when he said of Eden Hazard, “He is a great player, but no leader.”
But when a manager criticizes his players, he runs the risk of turning the dressing room sour. “Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I can’t motivate them,” Sarri added.
Sarri ended up having a nearly one-hour, closed-door meeting with his players. No other members of the coaching staff were present. “I wanted to talk to them alone, without anybody,” was the explanation.
Sarri’s strategy may have worked. At publication time, Chelsea was leading Huddersfield, 2-0. But a big challenge awaits–Manchester City, on February 10.
