Chelsea season review: Sublime at one end, ridiculous at the other and the rise of Cole Palmer
Love them or loathe them, you can never accuse Chelseaof being dull. This has been another extraordinary season of high drama for the men’s team, although the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium is still waiting for a first trophy to show for all its expense.
Fans went from booing their own players to singing jubilant chants at the end about “going on a European tour” after Mauricio Pochettino’s side secured a sixth-placed finish.
If The Athleticreflected on everything that went on in the 2023-24 season, it might set a new record word count for one of our notorious ‘long reads’ but here are some of our thoughts on what transpired during the campaign.
2023-24 in 23-24 words
Like an English summer barbecue, it took a while for things to start cooking but it was worth seeing out until the end.
The moment they’ll remember the season for
No game summed up the best and worst of Chelsea more than their 4-3 win over Manchester Unitedin April. It was chaotic at times, a reflection of what the club have been like off the pitch. To go from 3-2 down in the 99th minute to 4-3 winners in the 101st sparked celebrations worthy of Chelsea at their pomp.
The moment they’ll wish had never happened
Extra time of the Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpoolin February.
You do not hear many people talk about how Chelsea played well for 90 minutes against Jurgen Klopp’s side and probably deserved to win the match, but their display after that warranted criticism. Chelsea did not take the game to Liverpool, despite their opponents having four inexperienced academy players on the pitch, and lost out to a late Virgil van Dijkheader.
He went a bit far, but Gary Neville’s “billion-pound bottle jobs” soundbiteis a label they will now struggle to shake until they win a trophy.
Goal of the season — Cole Palmervs Everton
You know something has to be good if it gets me to try writing a piece using Wyscout. I usually leave such practices to my colleagues who are a bit more accomplished and comfortable with using technology. But, like one of the Everton defenders attempting to take the ball off Palmer that night, I ventured into an area in which I was not too comfortable.
The goal deserved to take centre stage: a fine team move that ended with a nutmeg, a fancily flicked one-two and a neat finish. Yes, Moises Caicedo’s staggering strike from the halfway line against Bournemouthon the final afternoon pushed him close, but the team element to the build-up to Palmer’s goal, combined with that brilliant finish, still edges the Ecuadorian out.
For a more detailed homage to Palmer’s strike, or for evidence I did actually use Wyscout, read my deep dive into Chelsea’s goal of the season below.
The stat that sums up the season
Documenting how many players Chelsea have been listed as ‘continuing their rehabilitation’ on the club’s official injury updates was an option, but I have gone for the goals for (77) and against columns (63) in the Premier Leaguetable. They represent the positives and negatives of their campaign.
For better or worse, games have been very entertaining to watch. Chelsea have improved in attack as the months have gone on but Pochettino has struggled to get the balance right. Setting a new club record for most Premier League goals conceded is nothing to be proud of.
Did that really happen?
Axel Disasi’s stage dive in the away end at Crystal Palace following Conor Gallagher’s goal to put them 2-1 in front. It took celebrating with the fans to a new level.
Runner-up for this award has to be the scrap between Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jacksonfor the ball, which was more worthy of WWE, to take a penalty against Everton.
Best quote
“You cannot sit if you don’t have a chair. An engineer that is going to build a building, ‘I want to see so quick the nice furniture in the flat, and sleep there’, but first of all, we need to build the structure of everything.”
Pochettino went down many paths over the last 11 months to describe the challenge of delivering on “Chelsea’s project”. Perhaps this diatribe after the West Ham Unitedgame this month summed it up best.
He could have gone further and discussed what kind of shop the chair would be purchased from. Clearly, it would be from a fledgling business where many items do not come cheap but start to look better the longer they sit in your house.
What the owner might have said to the manager after full time on the final day
“You have done well in your last five and a half games.”
The issue that will dominate the summer
The transfer market, particularly the outgoings. Chelsea will have to sell players to comply with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR)even though it has emerged that the need to raise revenue before June 30 may no longer be the case.
The scrutiny will be on who makes way. If academy graduates Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobahleave to pay for some questionable expenditure, fans will not be pleased.
The player who could be a breakthrough star next season
Due to injury, Chelsea have only seen a flash of what Carney Chukwuemekacan do.
His highlight of the season — a first Premier League goal in August — was quickly followed by the worst as the attacking midfielder suffered the knee complaint that has repeatedly kept him on the treatment table. He showed he can score goals and if Gallagher is sold, he is in line to benefit.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5498516/2024/05/20/chelsea-season-review-palmer-pochettino/
Chelsea season review: Sublime at one end, ridiculous at the other and the rise of Cole Palmer
Love them or loathe them, you can never accuse Chelseaof being dull. This has been another extraordinary season of high drama for the men’s team, although the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium is still waiting for a first trophy to show for all its expense.
Fans went from booing their own players to singing jubilant chants at the end about “going on a European tour” after Mauricio Pochettino’s side secured a sixth-placed finish.
If The Athleticreflected on everything that went on in the 2023-24 season, it might set a new record word count for one of our notorious ‘long reads’ but here are some of our thoughts on what transpired during the campaign.
2023-24 in 23-24 words
Like an English summer barbecue, it took a while for things to start cooking but it was worth seeing out until the end.
The moment they’ll remember the season for
No game summed up the best and worst of Chelsea more than their 4-3 win over Manchester Unitedin April. It was chaotic at times, a reflection of what the club have been like off the pitch. To go from 3-2 down in the 99th minute to 4-3 winners in the 101st sparked celebrations worthy of Chelsea at their pomp.
The moment they’ll wish had never happened
Extra time of the Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpoolin February.
You do not hear many people talk about how Chelsea played well for 90 minutes against Jurgen Klopp’s side and probably deserved to win the match, but their display after that warranted criticism. Chelsea did not take the game to Liverpool, despite their opponents having four inexperienced academy players on the pitch, and lost out to a late Virgil van Dijkheader.
He went a bit far, but Gary Neville’s “billion-pound bottle jobs” soundbiteis a label they will now struggle to shake until they win a trophy.
Goal of the season — Cole Palmervs Everton
You know something has to be good if it gets me to try writing a piece using Wyscout. I usually leave such practices to my colleagues who are a bit more accomplished and comfortable with using technology. But, like one of the Everton defenders attempting to take the ball off Palmer that night, I ventured into an area in which I was not too comfortable.
The goal deserved to take centre stage: a fine team move that ended with a nutmeg, a fancily flicked one-two and a neat finish. Yes, Moises Caicedo’s staggering strike from the halfway line against Bournemouthon the final afternoon pushed him close, but the team element to the build-up to Palmer’s goal, combined with that brilliant finish, still edges the Ecuadorian out.
For a more detailed homage to Palmer’s strike, or for evidence I did actually use Wyscout, read my deep dive into Chelsea’s goal of the season below.
The stat that sums up the season
Documenting how many players Chelsea have been listed as ‘continuing their rehabilitation’ on the club’s official injury updates was an option, but I have gone for the goals for (77) and against columns (63) in the Premier Leaguetable. They represent the positives and negatives of their campaign.
For better or worse, games have been very entertaining to watch. Chelsea have improved in attack as the months have gone on but Pochettino has struggled to get the balance right. Setting a new club record for most Premier League goals conceded is nothing to be proud of.
Did that really happen?
Axel Disasi’s stage dive in the away end at Crystal Palace following Conor Gallagher’s goal to put them 2-1 in front. It took celebrating with the fans to a new level.
Runner-up for this award has to be the scrap between Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jacksonfor the ball, which was more worthy of WWE, to take a penalty against Everton.
Best quote
“You cannot sit if you don’t have a chair. An engineer that is going to build a building, ‘I want to see so quick the nice furniture in the flat, and sleep there’, but first of all, we need to build the structure of everything.”
Pochettino went down many paths over the last 11 months to describe the challenge of delivering on “Chelsea’s project”. Perhaps this diatribe after the West Ham Unitedgame this month summed it up best.
He could have gone further and discussed what kind of shop the chair would be purchased from. Clearly, it would be from a fledgling business where many items do not come cheap but start to look better the longer they sit in your house.
What the owner might have said to the manager after full time on the final day
“You have done well in your last five and a half games.”
The issue that will dominate the summer
The transfer market, particularly the outgoings. Chelsea will have to sell players to comply with profitability and sustainability rules (PSR)even though it has emerged that the need to raise revenue before June 30 may no longer be the case.
The scrutiny will be on who makes way. If academy graduates Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobahleave to pay for some questionable expenditure, fans will not be pleased.
The player who could be a breakthrough star next season
Due to injury, Chelsea have only seen a flash of what Carney Chukwuemekacan do.
His highlight of the season — a first Premier League goal in August — was quickly followed by the worst as the attacking midfielder suffered the knee complaint that has repeatedly kept him on the treatment table. He showed he can score goals and if Gallagher is sold, he is in line to benefit.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5498516/2024/05/20/chelsea-season-review-palmer-pochettino/
