In his most recent column, former England midfielder Paul Merson offers a candid assessment of Chelsea’s current malaise, highlighting the mounting pressure on manager Liam Rosenior. The Blues have endured a dismal spell, losing six of their last eight fixtures across all competitions, a run that was capped by a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. That loss has left the club teetering on the brink of missing out on a Champions League berth for the first time in many years. At present Chelsea sit seven points adrift of Liverpool, who occupy the fifth spot, with only five games remaining in the Premier League season.
The weekend’s results all went against the Blues, and a further loss to Brighton on Tuesday could see them tumble as low as eleventh place by the end of the week. Such a slide would be unthinkable for a club that has been accustomed to competing for top‑four positions for over a decade. Merson does not mince words when he says that a Champions League place looks increasingly unlikely. "I just don’t see how they get in; I’d be shocked if they did," he writes.
Yet he acknowledges that the fight for any form of European football is still alive. With 33 matches already played, Chelsea are level on points with Brentford and Bournemouth.
A win for Sunderland at Aston Villa would push the Blues down another notch, illustrating how fragile their position has become. The upcoming clash with Brighton is pivotal.
"If Chelsea don’t beat Brighton on Tuesday, they could be 11th by the end of the week," Merson predicts, and he openly doubts they will secure the victory. The only silver lining, he suggests, would be a win that sets up a must‑win encounter with Liverpool later in the campaign. However, Chelsea’s schedule offers no other fixtures against top‑five opposition, meaning they have limited opportunities to close the gap.
A failure to qualify for the Champions League would be a severe blow, not just financially but also in terms of prestige. Merson questions whether rising star Cole Palmer will remain at the club if they drop into the Europa Conference League, noting that a move to Manchester United, who are likely to be in the Champions League, could be more attractive for the young talent.
Regarding the squad, Merson points out that Chelsea lack a genuine centre‑forward and a reliable goalkeeper. While they possess promising defensive midfielders such as Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Andrey Santos, the team still needs a player with greater creativity and vision to unlock stubborn defenses.
He also dismisses any imminent departure of Enzo Fernández, stating that no club is willing to meet a £100 million price tag and Chelsea are unlikely to accept a loss on the midfielder. The manager’s future is equally uncertain. Rosenior arrived from Strasbourg and has been thrust into a high‑profile role, yet he has managed only two wins in his first eight games – victories that came against lower‑league sides Wrexham and Port Vale. Overall, Chelsea have secured just five wins in 15 matches under his tenure, a record that has not inspired confidence among supporters.
Merson reflects on the broader project at Chelsea, emphasizing that the club’s model now revolves around buying young talent, developing them, and selling for profit. This commercial approach contrasts sharply with the era of José Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel, when the primary aim was to win trophies. He notes that many younger fans, especially those in their mid‑twenties, have only ever known success at Chelsea, making the current downturn even more jarring. Speculation about a possible appointment of Andoni Iraola is also addressed.
Merson muses that Iraola, currently at Bournemouth, could be a candidate, but doubts he would remain unemployed for long if he left a Premier League club. Moreover, he argues that top‑level managers may be reluctant to join a system that prioritises player resale over immediate silverware, stating that the expectation would be simply to reach the Champions League, not to dominate domestically. In summary, Merson paints a picture of a club at a crossroads: a manager under siege, a squad lacking key positions, and a strategic shift away from pure trophy hunting toward financial sustainability.
The upcoming Brighton game, televised live on Sky Sports, could be a decisive moment. A win might keep European hopes alive, while a loss could cement a season of disappointment and trigger further upheaval at Stamford Bridge.