One win and one defeat from their first two matches in the new Premier League campaign can be viewed as rather disappointing where Chelsea are concerned.
Although they managed to beat Brighton and Hove Albion 3-1, their performance was a little leggy and sluggish, whilst their 2-0 loss to Liverpool perhaps showed how far Frank Lampard‘s side remains from some of the best in England’s top-tier despite all the new additions they have made.
On the other hand, perhaps things are going as well as the Blues could have hoped from their first two fixtures of the new season, as many would have probably accepted that the new signings need time to gel and the Reds would have always been a bridge too far; even at Stamford Bridge.
With there being some mixed expectations surrounding Chelsea this season – whether they compete for the Premier League title because of the money they have spent on superstar talent this summer or to solidify their place in the top four under Lampard – they need a quick start if they are to have a good chance of achieving at least one of those aims.
Trend analysis provided by Betway shows that teams competing for the league will usually need to have achieved an average of 24 points after their first 10 games, whereas those chasing a Champions League place need an average of 19.1 points in the same period.
Those totals have continued to grow over the years as the strength of clubs in the Premier League continues to increase – with the Blues having been one of the first sides to increase the competition and the need to approach the season quickly, according to former Manchester United legend, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Speaking in 2012, he said: “If you go back 12 years, our norm was to start the season slowly and build up to the second half.
“That changed when Chelsea won the title two years in a row. We had to change our pre-season approach.”
Chelsea may already have three points on the board after two games, however with matches against West Bromwich Albion (away), Crystal Palace (home), Southampton (home), Manchester United (away), Burnley (away), Sheffield United (home), Newcastle United (away) and Tottenham Hotspur (home), the Blues will need to be at their very best.
There are a number of matches where Lampard’s side could fail to get the 19-point average to potentially achieve the fourth-placed finish in the Premier League.
However, if all their new signings gel and the club can continue to get the best out of the likes of Christian Pulisic, then maybe the Blues can be looking at achieving at least one goal.
Whether Roman Abramovich will be happy with a top-four finish after splashing out a fortune, though, will remain to be seen.
