Surprise Teams Could Knock Chelsea Out of UCL Spot
Chelsea’s in the top four right now, but Premier League legend Ian Wright doesn’t think they’ll stay there. They’re fourth with 49 points, just one ahead of Manchester City and two ahead of Newcastle and Brighton. The thing is, Chelsea hasn’t been playing well lately. Since December, they’ve only won four of their last 13 league games. They went from maybe winning the whole thing to just trying to get into the Champions League. Surprise Teams Threaten Chelsea’s UCL Spot.
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They lost to Arsenal 1-0 recently, but they were lucky it wasn’t worse. Chelsea had trouble getting chances, only getting two shots on target. Their defense has been leaky too—they’ve let in more goals than any other team in the top four right now.
Ian Wright Thinks Chelsea’s Champions League Dreams Are a Longshot
On The Kelly and Wrighty Show on Optus Sport, Wright really went in on Chelsea’s recent games. He said they’re weak everywhere on the field and don’t have what it takes to keep the other teams away. Surprise Teams Threaten Chelsea’s UCL Spot.
I thought they were really bad at everything, Wright said. They don’t have Nicolas Jackson and [Noni] Madueke, and Cole Palmer didn’t play. They have no one to stretch the team out or take charge of the game.
Wright also doesn’t think Chelsea’s defense is good enough, especially their goalkeeper situation, which has been a problem all season. He said the way Chelsea is playing now, he doesn’t see them staying in the top four.
If I was Newcastle, Bournemouth, or Brighton, I’d think this is my best shot at getting into the Champions League because I don’t think Chelsea will do it, he said.
Manchester City Might Miss the Top Four Too
Believe it or not, Wright isn’t sure Manchester City will get a Champions League spot either. Pep Guardiola’s team has let in 40 goals in all competitions this season—the most any of his teams ever have. Plus, they’ve let the other team score first in 20 matches, which is weird for the champs. Surprise Teams Threaten Chelsea’s UCL Spot.
Teams playing against City now think they actually have a chance, not just to tie, but to win, Wright said.
He said City is having a hard time, but it’s not as bad because the Champions League will have five spots this season. But if they keep playing poorly, another team could pass them.
Experts See a Big Change Coming in the Top Four
English football expert Darren Lewis thinks this season is the perfect chance for a team no one expects to get into the Champions League. Chelsea and City are looking shaky, so teams like Newcastle, Bournemouth, and Brighton could take advantage. Surprise Teams Threaten Chelsea’s UCL Spot.
Chelsea can’t keep the other team from scoring, and they have problems with their goalkeeper. City is still figuring things out and getting a new team to work together, Lewis said. This is the best chance I can remember for two regular teams to get into Europe’s big competition.
Only five points separate third-place Chelsea from 10th-place Bournemouth, so anything could happen. Lewis thinks Bournemouth has a good shot, since they’ve scored more goals than the other teams and defender Illya Zabarnyi is back from suspension.
Bournemouth has scored the most goals of the teams not in the top four, and with Zabarnyi back, they have a real shot, he said.
Nottingham Forest Making a Champions League Run?
Another surprise team is Nottingham Forest. Everyone wrote them off earlier in the season, but they’re now third, six points ahead of the teams trying to catch them. Lewis is pretty sure they’ll finish in the top five. Surprise Teams Threaten Chelsea’s UCL Spot.
Nottingham Forest looks like they’re in. They have 54 points, and only four times in Premier League history has a team with that many points not finished in the top five, he said.
He said their defense is strong, especially Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo in front of goalkeeper Matz Sels. Plus, their offense is doing well, with Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga, and Morgan Gibbs-White all scoring important goals.
They have things balanced—strong defense and good offense. That’s why they look like they’ll be in the top five, Lewis added.
Can Chelsea Hang On?
With so many teams trying to get into the Champions League, Chelsea’s spot in the top four is definitely not safe. Their bad defense, inconsistent play, and problems on offense make them easy to beat. Meanwhile, teams like Newcastle, Brighton, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest really want to make it to the top four for the first time ever.
With just a few months left in the season, the fight for the Champions League spots is going to be close. Will Chelsea and Manchester City stay on top, or will we see some big surprises in the Premier League?
