Chelsea’s lack of leadership in defence was exposed during their 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday. <\/p>\n
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A calamitous opening quarter of an hour at Stamford Bridge saw Forest race into a two-goal lead, thanks to Taiwo Awoniyi’s header and Igor Jesus’ penalty. <\/p>\n
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The Tricky Trees then sealed victory just after half-time when Awoniyi scored his second, before Joao Pedro’s incredible bicycle kick in stoppage time was a mere consolation on another difficult afternoon. <\/p>\n
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The Blues have now lost six successive league matches for the first time since November 1993, putting them at huge risk of missing out on European football unless, of course, they win the FA Cup. <\/p>\n
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Chelsea need to invest in defensive leaders<\/h2>\n
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Chelsea dropped to ninth in the Premier League following their latest defeat, as defensive problems continued to haunt them. <\/p>\n
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Awoniyi was completely unmarked inside the 18-yard box for his header, and then Malo Gusto’s reckless decision to pull the Nigerian’s jersey cost his side a penalty. <\/p>\n
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As former Stamford Bridge hero Thiago Silva watched on from the crowd, he will have noticed a lack of leadership in defence, something that arguably hasn’t been present since he left the club in 2024. <\/p>\n
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Silva was a stalwart at the back for Chelsea, and his ability to help the younger players and set the standard was crucial to steadying the ship. <\/p>\n
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The Brazilian’s departure left a void that still hasn’t been filled, with BlueCo preferring to invest in promising talent instead of experienced heads. <\/p>\n
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Clearly, the likes of Tosin Adorobioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Mamadou Sarr all need someone of Silva’s ilk to anchor a defence that lacks anyone taking control. <\/p>\n
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Whoever Chelsea appoint as their new manager to replace Liam Rosenior must address this issue once the transfer window opens in June or risk the same problems happening. <\/p>\n
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Chelsea eyeing Premier League-proven talent<\/h2>\n
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A disappointing campaign can only be somewhat salvaged if Chelsea win the FA Cup final against Manchester City and end their 13-match winless run in the fixture. <\/p>\n
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But beyond this season, BluecCo’s priority is hiring the right manager, and many feel Xabi Alonso is the perfect candidate to lead the Club World Cup winners into a new era. <\/p>\n
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If they can somehow persuade Alonso to work under the controversial owners, then it’s already been revealed that Chelsea will target Premier League-proven talent in an attempt to transform their squad. <\/p>\n
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That is similar to what Manchester United did last summer when they captured Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo from Wolves and Brentford, respectively, with Chelsea set to follow that strategy. <\/p>\n
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