I guess Chelsea fans were dreaming big too, weren’t they? It was slick football from Enzo Maresca, and Chelsea suddenly looked like they were going to contest the Premier League crown this season. December arrived, and the dream decided to hit the snooze button. Our title hopes are now as shaky as a late-night VAR call.
Levi Colwill has spoken out to confirm what we all secretly feared: This season Chelsea isn’t quite ready to go all the way for the top flight. Blame England defender’s brutally honest take? “You definitely don’t drop points in December if you are in the title race.” Ouch, Levi, but fair enough!
It’s time to break down what went wrong for the Chelsea faithful and, if there’s still hope—or, more importantly, if we need to get ready for yet another ‘next season is our season’ campaign.
December Blues: What Went Wrong for Chelsea?
Chelsea were supposed to flex their muscles in December and show that they should be at the top of the table. Instead, it’s been a festive nightmare. Fans were clutching their Christmas sweaters in despair after a goalless draw to Everton, a painful Boxing Day loss to Fulham, and a 2-0 defeat at Ipswich Town.
These weren’t bad luck results. Colwill put it bluntly: “It does not feel like title-winning form.” And he’s right. In fact, Chelsea’s two defeats at the end of 2024 equaled the number of defeats they lost in 23 previous league games combined. That’s a huge drop in form, which fans can only ask themselves if we’re witnessing shades of the infamous Frank Lampard slump from 2023.
A Reality Check from Levi Colwill
Colwill’s opinion isn’t random ranting. That’s realistic, coming from someone who knows what it takes to win titles. Speaking to Sky Sports, the England international made it clear: “This season we’re not in the title race.”
It’s nice to hear such a rational player tell you honestly what he really thinks. We get generic answers of ‘You’ve just got to believe in the process and that you will always play one game at a time.’ But Colwill? He’s keeping it real. Maresca’s development of Chelsea is still very much a work in progress, and he knows that.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. And Chelsea, who sit fourth in the league table, are two points behind Nottingham Forest (yes, Forest!) and have a gap over fifth-placed Newcastle United. But if I can finish the way I need to, it is within reach.
What’s Next for Chelsea?
Chelsea, though, did bounce back after a rough December when they take on Crystal Palace this weekend. It would be a win to feel a little bit stable and realize your season isn’t completely over yet.
But Colwill says the dressing room noise is focused more on how to improve and less about external noise. Maresca is still having the players grow, and the players are not letting title talk get in the way. They already know they’re still growing.
‘We know where we are as a team,’ Colin said. It (their confidence hasn’t changed), and morale hasn’t changed. ‘It’s game by game; we just take it.’
Author’s Take: Let’s Laugh at the Pain
I’m a Chelsea fan, so it’s been a little sad watching our title hopes shatter like a poorly made Christmas pudding. But hey, it’s not all bad. Nottingham Forest is above us in the table, and that’s that. That’s a movie worthy of going into twists.
We know that it’s still a transition period at Chelsea, and we have to be patient. Maresca’s system is being constructed, and the team is beginning to look like a team. Title wins don’t happen instantly (apart from Man City, who’ve just had a never-ending money shower). Well, we’re going to keep faith, be positive, and football is supposed to be fun, even when it hurts.
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