After 15 games in the Premier League this season, Leicester are top of the table, while defending champions Chelsea are languishing in mid table mediocrity in fourteenth place. It’s almost as if we’re seeing a real life Space Jam situation play out, with someone having taken the Blues’ all conquering powers and given them to the Foxes!
At this stage of the league last season, Chelsea were 26 points ahead of the Foxes. This season, they are 17 points behind. There’s even been talk of the Blues being relegated from the top flight. Preposterous as that may have sounded at the beginning of the season, it’s a real possibility now. And equally possible is the notion that little Leicester may win the league ahead of their more fancied rivals.
Indeed, under fire Blues boss Jose Mourinho has admitted as much, saying “A couple of weeks ago I said it would be impossible for Leicester to win the league. I don’t say the same now”.
While some say see it as a sign of respect for Claudio Raneiri’s side, others think it’s Mou playing devious mind games to lull the Foxes into a stage of complacency.
Leicester City only rejoined the Premier League two seasons ago and continue to surprise fans and surpass expectations, while Chelsea are experiencing one of their worst seasons in recent memory. Mourinho has bought himself some time by beating Porto 2-0 last night, thus keeping his record of always qualifying from the group stages intact, and avoiding the fate that befell Louis van Gaal and Man Utd in Germany.
Following Chelsea’s bitterly disappointing loss to newly promoted Bournemouth last week, the team will be looking to do whatever it takes to help right the sinking ship before the end of the season.
Chelsea need rebuilding all over with both defence and attack requiring some fresh blood to turn things around. Major transfers that had fans filled with hope at the start of the season have failed to pan out. The loan of Colombian striker Radamel Falcao has been a disappointment, to say the least. He’s only scored once in nine appearances for the squad. The team’s other forwards have also failed to impress. Diego Costa has notched a measly three goals in 11 Premier League appearances and Loic Remy hasn’t scored once in his own five appearances.
Compare this to the ridiculous form of Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy and the gulf between the two sides upfront has never looked wider. He is currently the Premier League’s top goal scorer and even broke the record for goals in consecutive matches set a decade ago by Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy.
While he has remained hesitant to invest in new signings this season, Mourinho has admitted to the Telegraph that his team has had more than its fair share of difficulties in putting points on the board. “Scoring goals is a lot about individuals. The creation’s collective, but the finishing’s something very individual,” he said. “We didn’t score against Stoke or Tottenham. We scored one goal to beat Norwich. It’s difficult for us to score goals.”
Leicester are having no problem in that department though. They’ve scored 12 times in their last five league games- Chelsea by comparison have managed only two.
Then there’s also the small matter of discontent in the Chelsea squad. After being substituted, Eden Hazard pushed away Mourinho’s hand when the latter looked to embrace him. Things aren’t looking good at the Bridge, and Chelsea’s Portuguese gaffer needs to get things right, and fast.
Few could have predicted Chelsea’s fall from grace as much as they could have foreseen Leicester City’s sudden ascent to glory. Betfair has the lowdown on Chelsea’s chances of finishing the season strong, but barring a serious turn of events, fans and pundits alike seem to think that the Blues will be missing out on playing in the Champions League for the first time since 2012. The site currently lists the squad’s chances of a top-four finish at 8.60 and it might even be an uphill battle for the team to even make an appearance in next year’s Europa League.
Funnier things have happened though- in 2012, Chelsea finished a lowly sixth, but won the Champions League. If they get relegated but win the UCL, that would be as bitter sweet as it gets for Mourinho.
A season ago, this game would be a mismatch, but it promises to be exciting on Monday. The Foxes are looking to prove they aren’t a fluke while the Blues are trying to convince their supporters that they aren’t a lost cause just yet.
Leicester City League form- last five games
Swansea 0-3 Leicester
Leicester 1-1 Man Utd
Newcastle 0-3 Leicester
Leicester 2-1 Watford
West Brom 2-3 Leicester
Chelsea league form- last five games
Chelsea 0-1 Bournemouth
Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea
Chelsea 1-0 Norwich
Stoke 1-0 Chelsea
Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool
What happened in Leicester’s last meeting against Chelsea?
Ended 3-1 in favour of the Blues. Leicester at home, in April 2015
Leicester City vs Chelsea
King Power Stadium, 14 December, 2015 (Monday)- 20.00 UK KO