Paul Merson shares his thoughts on Chelsea's recent decline in form, with the pressure mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior. The Blues have suffered six defeats in their last eight matches across all competitions, including a 1-0 loss to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, leaving their Champions League qualification hopes in jeopardy. Chelsea now trail fifth-placed Liverpool by seven points with only five games remaining, and a loss to Brighton on Tuesday could see them drop as low as 11th in the Premier League table. Merson believes Chelsea's chances of securing a Champions League spot are slim, stating that he would be shocked if they managed to qualify.
The team is currently fighting for a spot in European competition next season, with 33 games played and the same number of points as Brentford and Bournemouth. If Chelsea fails to beat Brighton, they could find themselves in 11th place by the end of the week, and Merson does not expect them to win. The only glimmer of hope is if they can beat Brighton and then Nottingham Forest, setting up a crucial match against Liverpool.
However, with no other matches against top-five teams, Chelsea's chances of gaining points are limited. The absence of Champions League football next season would be a significant blow to the club. Merson doubts that top players like Cole Palmer would join Chelsea if they are playing in the Europa Conference League, and he believes Palmer might end up at Manchester United instead. Enzo Fernandez, on the other hand, is unlikely to leave Chelsea due to his high transfer value and the club's reluctance to sell at a loss.
Chelsea urgently needs to address several key positions, including a centre-forward and a goalkeeper, and they require a more skilled player in defensive midfield to complement Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, and Andrey Santos. The future of Liam Rosenior as head coach is uncertain, with the team having won only two games in eight matches under his leadership. Merson is unsure about the project at Chelsea, citing the club's model of buying, producing, and selling players for profit, which may not align with the goals of top managers.
The days of success under Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and Thomas Tuchel are behind Chelsea, and the club's approach has changed. Unless they can attract a top manager like Andoni Iraola, who might be hesitant to join due to the pressure and expectations, Chelsea's prospects for the future remain uncertain.