Chelsea can’t save their season by winning the FA Cup… but it could be the last chance for underperforming stars to salvage theirs
Antonio Conte's side have a point to prove against Southampton in the semi-final after an underwhelming Premier League season
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ANOTHER trip to Wembley beckons for our boys in blue in what could be the only path still open for us to take something shiny home this season.
Sure we could still pip Spurs to the hallowed fourth spot that served Arsène Wenger so well in terms of ‘trophies’ over the years, but I’m sure you’ll agree there’s nothing better than watching your team pick up a piece of silverware, especially at Wembley.
It’s been a less than impressive league campaign this time around and as defending champions many of us thought we’d put up a far better fight than we have, yet it seems that club politics, injuries, the extra matches and travel all took their toll.
Heads have dropped, stress levels have risen, and performances have fallen.
At times like these you need strong heads and hearts to pull the group through, inspire them, give them a kick up the behind and remind them that they’re playing for OUR club and that any one of us would our nuts off on that pitch if given the chance.
Players like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole and dare I say, Diego Costa… fighters, leaders and most of all, too proud to put in half a shift when 110 per cent is needed.
And none of this ‘taking it easy with a World Cup coming up’ nonsense either.
Our form since the turn of the year has been patchy at best, we can point the finger at any of the reasons listed earlier but I’m sure you’ll agree that many players have underperformed at times, especially given the heights many of them hit last season.
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Victor Moses has frustrated where before he flew, Marcos Alonso at times has been amazing but truly awful at others, Alvaro Morata started on fire but now looks a damp squib, Gary Cahill continues to divide opinion, and the less said about Tiemoue Bakayoko the better…
Then we come to our little superstar; Eden Hazard, who appears more and more to have his head elsewhere as the season progresses.
World Cup? Real Madrid? Who knows…? But now he and others need to get their heads out of the clouds, back onto the pitch, suck it up and remember who pays their wages.
It’s time for our players to stand up and show the passion and fight that won us the title last year, show us they give a damn about the club and still have some pride and passion left.
If a match at Wembley in a cup semi-final can’t motivate them, then I don’t know what can.
Winning the FA Cup won’t salvage our season, but it could be the last chance for some of our underperforming stars to salvage theirs.
