In 2003, Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea for 140 million pounds and then instantly attempted to buy success. The best available players were scouted and sourced with the Premier League title being the main objective. It was a strange moment for English football. Yes, there had been rich owners in the past but never in this way. This was the first time an owner had come in and appeared to have no limit to what they could spend. While this brought with it an abundance of success, the Chelsea of 2023 appear to be in a complete state of disarray. The re-appointment of Frank Lampard as caretaker manager could be defined as an attempt to get back to their roots and reconnect with the culture of the club. However, the genuine question is, is it too little too late?
It is not difficult to claim that Chelsea’s method of buying success has worked. The truth is that buying the world’s best players and hiring the best managers has brought them, in terms of titles, everything they ever wanted. Despite this, there was always been a feeling that there was something artificial about the club’s rise to the very top of the footballing pyramid. In the early days, there of course was something novel about how a club could go from scrapping into the Champions League on the final day of the season to dominating the league so quickly. There came with it, regardless of the critics, a wave of fresh air. There was now a new team for the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool to contend with. In many ways, it simply made the English Premier League better.
So while success arrived at Stamford Bridge, it was in many ways the only thing holding the club up. Their recent fall from grace has revealed that without a shiny medal to distract us all, there is a sense that they have created something slightly hollow out of what was a fantastic football club. The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge suddenly feels unsure of itself. If we compare it to Anfield, even during a particularly poor season, there is a sense of history that runs through every last inch of it, driving Liverpool forward, whether in victory or defeat. Even the Emirates Stadium is now a place that feels like home for Arsenal fans and can most definitely be connected to their performances in the 2022/23 season. Despite only opening in 2006, Arsenal fans were able to grow organically alongside their new arena and to make it their own.
The arrival of Tom Boehly, an American businessman and investor, on June 20, 2022 has seen no aspect of Chelsea’s approach change. If anything, it has become even more chaotic. Managers have been fired and players have been bought with what appears to be with no concern for the squad size or the future. We are all aware that football has and will continue to change. The existence of soccer betting at this crypto bookmaker is a prime example of how a new era can bring with it innovation to propel the game forward. However, when this relates to a football club, it needs to be done with the care and attention that fans deserve.
Chelsea will likely go on to once again battle it out at the top of the table. It seems inevitable with what feels like another limitless budget. The question that needs to be asked is if all of this instant success has somehow disrupted the natural path of the club, and, in turn, has this dampened the joy that simply comes with supporting a team through the good and the bad? In truth, only Chelsea fans will truly be able to answer to this.