Mauricio Pochettino has endured a difficult start to life as Chelsea manager Photo: Getty Images/Ian Kington Match review: Chelsea v Aston Villa
One Premier League win this season, two since Graham Potter was sacked, and Chelsea have not beaten a major team in the top flight since a 2-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in January 2022.
Sure, there's been the odd night of celebrations against AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League since then, but domestically they've been terrible and it's no surprise Chelsea lost to rising Aston Villa on Sunday.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino may feel like he is operating with one hand tied behind his back due to a laundry list of injuries, but it has been almost two years since Chelsea have troubled any team seeking entry. into the top six — Newcastle United were happy with the club and avoided relegation when they lost last March.
Chelsea may occasionally beat Luton Town, their only league win of the season, or Bournemouth, as they did towards the end of last season, but they are so far removed from their so-called rivals that it is daunting.
If there was ever any evidence that this is not a Pochettino problem, any more than it was a Potter problem, it is underlined by the sad history that has left Chelsea a relatively easy target for any half-decent teams with an action plan.
He also predates the current ownership of Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital, but they have managed to spend over £1 billion without doing anything better and it seems to be getting worse.
Chelsea's two central midfielders are Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo — cost a total of £220 million, but were managed by Villa players Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Camara, who were signed for a total of £15 million.
Moussa Diaby was worth £45 million. and now has two goals and three assists to his name after Ollie Watkins assisted Villa's winner, a far better result than Mikhail Mudrik, who has two assists and no goals since joined Chelsea in an £88 million deal in January.
Ollie Watkins' A superb strike saw Aston Villa win 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. Photo: AP/Alastair Grant
It should have been the perfect game for Chelsea to jumpstart their season as Villa didn't return to England until 2am. Friday morning after the defeat to Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League.
Villa have failed to keep a clean sheet away from home in the League and Watkins is yet to score in domestic competition, but as you might have guessed, both of those ducks were broken at Stamford Bridge.
But Chelsea were unable to break their duck in front of the goal. Pochettino's side have failed to score in any of their last three league games and the Blues have drawn 13 top-flight matches in 2023 — more than any other team. This is the most times they have failed to score in a single year in the League since 1995, and there is still plenty of time for them to break this particular record of 14 goals.
Since the start of the year, Chelsea have won just three times in the league at Stamford Bridge — against Luton, Crystal Palace and Leeds United.
No wonder Chelsea fans are so used to booing his team at Stamford Bridge. final whistle. Those fans who spent a staggering £1,700 to sit behind the home bench won't be the only ones feeling left out on Sunday.
At least they would have had a good idea of Malo Gusto's challenge, for which the right-back received a red card after a Var review that happened right in front of them.
Chelsea's Malo Gusteau was sent off for challenging Aston Villa's Lucas Digne Photo: Reuters/David Klein
Gusteau unnecessarily threw himself into a tackle on Lucas Digne right in front of the home bench and on those in the exclusive dugout club in the 55th minute as Chelsea threatened to open the scoring.
Referee Jared Gillett initially showed a yellow card, but then changed it to a red after War Andrew Madeley sent him to the monitor, and everything else was so predictable.
Chelsea was doubly infuriated by the fact that down to 10 men , they essentially conceded the winning goal from their own corner as Villa captain John McGinn collected the ball near his own area and simply tried to pass to Diaby to get out of trouble.
But Diaby managed to get past Thiago Silva and passed the 39-year-old before sending Watkins running towards goal with only Levi Colville in his way. Colville blocked the striker's first-time effort but he reacted brilliantly to fire the ball past Robert Sanchez and into the net.
Brighton travel to Chelsea for the League Cup on Wednesday night before Pochettino's side make the short trip to Fulham. without the suspended Nicholas Jackson and Gusteau. A defeat to either of them would have been considered a surprise in the good old days, but not now.
Line-ups: Chelsea vs Aston Villa.
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