This has been a truly painful season as a Chelsea fan. Last season was terrible, but at least it was consistently terrible. It was a dreary drudge each week, but at least we weren’t even allowed to get our hopes up.
This season has been different. There have been flashes of promise regularly, enough to make you believe for a moment. Enough to convince you that the injured players can come back and turn things around… but each time it’s a heart-breaking return to reality in one way or another.
Sometimes it’s been bad news from the medical department, other times it’s been a collapse on the pitch. In each case, it’s even more agonising than just being plain old bad.
At times I’ve been so annoyed I want to get someone else to write my discussion post on the game, yet all season there’s been a sense that we’re just about to turn a corner. It’s enough to keep hope alive – only to crush it.
This last couple of months has been the perfect illustration. It all began so well with a strong performance against Man City away which saw us close to taking 3 points off the incoming champions.
Then it was an agonising defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup final. Not to worry! A good win over Leeds in the FA Cup. Then, pure pain as we mess up and draw with Brentford.
But then a 3-2 win over Newcastle which was almost 3-1, and saw us reel them in in the race for European places. Even better, a big win over Leicester in the FA Cup! Maybe this is the moment this… oh now, we’ve slipped up late against ten man Burnley and drawn 2-2.
Then it gets really silly. That infuriating game was followed by a magical win over Man United, which was followed by the pure rage of dropping points against stricken Sheffield United. Then a 6-0 smashing of Everton, a promising performance (but a defeat) against Man City in the FA Cup semi, and then this Tuesday’s 5-0 horror show at the Emirates.
We’re really not sure what to expect next, other than false hope and let downs. Aston Villa are a very good team and could easily take us apart. As could Spurs after them, and in fact West Ham look pr… OK that’s enough.
If there’s one thing this mad season has taught us, it’s take each game at a time.