“All the senior players, we are happy and we are trying to help all of them,” says Cesar Azpilicueta. (Source: The Evening Standard)
Yesterday, at Chelsea’s training camp in Ireland Apilicueta gave an interview claiming the Chelsea senior player can help the youth players adapt to life in the first-team. After two Premier League titles in the last five seasons, you’d sit there and think: “Yes, they have the experience and ability to do so.”
However, after showcasing their poor attitude and more than a fair share of bad performances over the last few seasons, you may want to hold back on that opinion. There’s not enough on and off the pitch to suggest that Chelsea’s senior players can have a positive influence on the youngsters. And if Azpilicueta and the other senior players are serious about next season, they will have to improve in both aspects.
Over the course of the last three seasons, rumours of fallouts in the dressing room with previous managers Maurizio Sarri, Antonio Conte, and Jose Mourinho have plagued the Chelsea squad. If the Chelsea senior players are showing bad attitude during the easiest of times, after enjoying Premier League success, I’d hate to imagine how they’d act under an inexperienced manager who will most likely endure more defeats than usual.
As well as the attitude off the pitch, Chelsea’s performances last season suggest that many of the players don’t have the quality to lead by example. Chelsea’s defensive displays is one very key example, as the Blues conceded 56 goals in all competitions. Far from convincing displays against many top teams away from home, which suggests the players aren’t performing on the pitch to be able to help the youth players around them settle in the first team.
Saying something and doing something is two very different things. Chelsea’s senior players have shown over the course of the last three managers that bad attitude and poor performances can reign supreme during tough times. With the inexperienced Frank Lampard taking over, the tough times could get worse. However, the Chelsea players do have the invaluable experience of winning major honours in recent seasons to try and help the youth players settle in, however, whether they actually use that experience is another question.