It shouldn’t feel like this. The apprehension. The disillusionment. The hostility. Yet it does. Time away hasn’t helped, nor the distraction of a winter World Cup. Pessimism has continued to permeate the Chelsea fanbase.
It’s why few supporters are stirred by the resumption of the Premier League season, and why fewer will watch tomorrow evening’s game against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge with genuine enthusiasm.
Fatigue is partly to blame. This has been a year like no other; one even the madcap football club that is Chelsea is unlikely to repeat. A required sale, government sanctions, two cup final defeats, new owners, the departure of a beloved head coach, injuries aplenty, and a relentless autumn fixture schedule. The emotional overload is indisputable.
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That uninspired performances were produced and results faltered prior to the World Cup did nothing to raise the mood and reinvigorate supporters. And head coach Graham Potter, brought in from Brighton to replace Thomas Tuchel in September, has become a lightning rod for every frustration.
Potter is not blameless for the current malaise; his anodyne nature in front of the swath of television cameras – win, lose or draw – has done little to inspire belief in many supporters. In this respect, he must become more authoritative, more commanding, in the months ahead when facing the media.
However, the increasingly popular narrative that Potter is a poor coach is incorrect – and very much unfair. He has taken the long road to the top, has put in years of hard graft away from the glitz and glamour of the Premier League and Champions League. He has earned his opportunity to coach Chelsea and it is impossible to make a firm judgement as to whether he will succeed after just 14 matches.
Improvement is needed from Potter and the players, of that there is no doubt. Yet it cuts both ways. The atmosphere created inside Stamford Bridge has been poor for much of this season; the feeling of apathy is inescapable at many matches. And on social media (admittedly not the fairest reflection of the club’s fanbase) the toxicity has become inescapable and abuse indefensible.
Players are not immune from this constant negativity. Nor are those who work at the club. It is not an easy environment, and certainly not a healthy one, to thrive in. This is not to say supporters can’t criticise or voice their displeasure, but the discontent has become overbearing and counterproductive in recent weeks.
The mood within a club’s fanbase does matter – and its importance is perhaps greater than many appreciate. An excellent case study for this can be found across London with Arsenal.
After the success achieved during Arsene Wenger’s first decade in charge, there was a significant drop-off following the club’s move to the Emirates Stadium. Title challenges were replaced by top-four pursuits – and even they became infrequent in the latter Wenger seasons and under Unai Emery.
The appointment of Mikel Arteta was designed to halt the slide, and Arsenal sacrificed any semblance of immediate success in the Premier League. A grander vision would be worked toward.
It wasn’t a smooth road and Arteta endured hugely difficult moments. His coaching ability was questioned, there were painful results, and some supporters called for the Spaniard to be sacked. Others were more understanding of the long-term plan. It is they who have been rewarded over the past 12 months as Arsenal have transformed into Premier League title challengers once again.
Winning matches is the ultimate panacea for supporter frustration, but the connection between fans, players and staff hasn’t been this strong at Arsenal for several years. And its significance can’t be underestimated.
"Our supporters have been absolutely phenomenal [following the Covid pandemic],” said Arteta after Arsenal completed a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November. “They have transformed the mood of the club, that’s my opinion. And they have transferred that belief to the players.”
No such bond currently exists at Chelsea. There are simply too many divides within the fanbase, too many battle lines to maintain. Countless supporters still yearn for Tuchel to return, something which will simply not happen. Others are still struggling to identify and understand what the club will become in the post-Roman Abramovich era.
Then there are those whose fandom, and thus their emotional connection, is predicated on Chelsea winning trophies. The prospect of a fallow season is difficult to comprehend – and many simply do not appear willing to even accept that. It’s why any defeat is met with vitriol, why any disappointing performance is met with condemnation.
Potter has taken the brunt of this. Players have been on the receiving end too, and not just from those on social media. Amid such an unrelenting negative atmosphere, it is difficult to envisage a Chelsea side that thrives in the Premier League during the second half of the campaign.
So a reset is required. A mindset change is needed. It’s been easy to support Chelsea with Premier League titles being won and Champions League trophies being lifted. The true test of devotion is in these difficult moments. Much like Potter and the players, it is time for supporters to step up.
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