Seven Reasons why ...

There is no doubting that Chelsea have made a great start to the Premiership this season, and no doubting the quality of their squad or the credentials of their manager.  There is reason to be cautious though.

 Here are seven warnings (from recent history) that Chelsea may be wise to heed.



2013/14
Arsenal top after 7 games only finished in 4th, a massive 34 points behind Man City who didn't even figure in the top 4 after 7 matches.  Chelsea fans will probably point out that Arsenal had a relatively easy start to the season last year.  They played Villa (H), Fulham (A), Spurs (H), Sunderland (A), Stoke (H), Swansea (A) and West Brom (A).  So far this season Chelsea have already met their main rivals Man City (A) and Arsenal (H).

2012/13
Chelsea themselves threw away an early lead in this 2012/13.  Top after 7 games and ended in a disappointing third.  6 wins  (including an away win against Arsenal) and 1 draw in their first 7 games was not enough to set up a Champion winning season.  They went on to lose against teams like Newcastle, West Brom, West Ham, QPR and Southampton.  Dropping further points against the likes of Reading and Fulham.  Showing that it is a long season and there are no pushovers in the English Premiership.

 Chelsea weren't even close in the end, finishing 14 points off Man Utd who won that year.  Man Utd had lost to both Everton and Tottenham in their first 7 that year.

2011/12
Even the dominant Man Utd couldn't rest on their laurels after a blistering start.  They eventually had to settle for runner up spot.  

 This season was actually quite close.  After 7 games Man Utd had only dropped 2 points but were only top of Man City on goal difference.  And after 38 games the two teams were still level on points, but this time Man City shaded it on goal difference.

 This season Man Utd had played and beaten Arsenal (8-2) and Chelsea (3-1) in their first 7 matches.  

2010/11
This season again it was Chelsea setting the pace early on.  But again the club failed to sustain the pace.  They had 5 points in hand on Man Utd (who had dropped points against Fulham, Everton, Bolton and Sunderland) in early October but Chelsea trailed Man Utd by 9 points at the end of the campaign.

2009/10
2009/10 was Man Utd turn to throw away a good start to the season.  Settling for runner-up.  This time a single point behind Chelsea.  

 After 7 games both teams were tied at the top on 18 points (Man Utd had the better goal difference).  It looked like Man Utd had had the harder opening matches.  They had already played and beaten Man City and Arsenal, while Chelsea hadn't played anyone better than Spurs at home.

 You may be noticing a trend here.  The team top after 7 games yet again failed to win outright.


2008/09 
Chelsea seem the early season experts but too often it ends up an empty promise.  They finished third in 2008/09.

 Chealsea were sitting top and Man Utd were down in 8th on 17th Oct 2008.  By May 2009 Man Utd had closed the 6 point deficit and opened up 7 point lead on the early pace setters.

2007/08
Arsenal had the lead after 7 matches and were unbeaten - and yes, you guessed it.  Failed to win.  Man Utd had a slow start drawing with Reading and Portsmouth and losing to Man City in their first three games.  It didn't stop them overhauling Arsenal who eventually finished in 3rd place - 4 pts behind Man Utd and 2 behind Chelsea.

7 seasons in the last 7 where the early pace setters have failed to deliver.  Do the current Chelsea squad and management team have something that these other squads were missing?

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