Todd Boehly's terrible year with Chelsea: from sporting failure to unlimited waste

YoIf there is a team that has had a year to forget, it is Chelsea. A club that, far from shining for its football exploits, has become famous for its failures on and off the field of play. They have achieved record spending in the transfer market, on players who have not reached the appropriate level, on long-term contracts.

Todd BoehlyThe club failed to qualify for European competitions last season and in the 2023-2024 season they are on track to repeat the feat. Mauricio Pochettino took control of Frank Lampard in the summer, with the mission of returning Chelsea to the top. The Argentine has a lot of work ahead of him, as long as he has time.

The numbers of a team in crisis

With their defeat at Molineux against Wolves (12/24), Pochettino's team has already lost 19 times in the first division in 2023. No other team in the English top flight has lost more times in these 365 days. Figures that left the 'bleus' without European football. In fact, on the old continent, only three teams in the five major leagues have accumulated worse records than Chelsea this year: Almeria with 24 (bottom of Spain); Werder Bremen with 20 (13th in Germany) and Empoli also with 20 (19th in Italy).

Chelsea in the Premier League 2022-2023

• 44 points
• 12th in the classification
• 38 goals scored
• 47 goals against
• 11 wins (29%)
• 11 ties (29%)
• 16 defeats (42%)
• Havertz (7) top scorer
• Ziyech (3) more assists

It has been a 2023 marked by instability in practically all areas, starting with the bench. Three months before the end of last year (7/9/22), Thomas Tuchel was removed from office. A place that was occupied by the then promising Graham Potter. It was an exciting appointment given Potter's results at Brighton. He played 32 games, with 12 wins, eight draws and 12 losses, in addition to two cup eliminations. The club released his services on April 2, 2023.

His place was taken by bruno jumper, on an interim basis, in a single match (0-0 vs Liverpool). In a controversial decision, Frank Lampard took charge of a team that was rudderless, at least until the end of the season. The result was a 12th place in the Premier League and a Champions League quarter-final exit (Dortmund). A total of four managers in 2023: Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino.

Chelsea in the Premier League 2023-2024

• 28 points
• 10 qualified
• 34 goals scored
• 31 goals against
• 8 wins
• 4 ties
• 8 defeats
• Palmer (8) top scorer
• Palmer (4) more assists

The defeat against Aston Villa (0-1) at the end of September certified the Blues' worst start in the Premier League era: 5 points out of a possible 18. To be exact, Chelsea's worst start in 45 years, since 1978. It's not just the numbers. , they are the sensations. Players that the London club bet heavily on have been, and are, light years away from their level.

The tastes of Sterling, Mudryk, Caicedo, Nkunku and Enzo Fernández They have not lived up to their prices. In addition, injuries have also been the dominant trend at Chelsea. Robert Sánchez, Reece James, Fofana, Chilwell, Cucurella, Chalobah, Enzo, Ugochukwu and Chukwuemeka We have all suffered misfortunes in 2023.

The 'kings' of the market

Todd Boehly is a renowned businessman, as co-owner of Los Angeles Dodgers and shareholder of the Lakers. Together with Behdad Eghbali (Clearlake Capital), Mark Walter and Hansjoerg Wyss bought Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for 5 billion in the largest acquisition of a football club in history.

In 2023 there was a clear before and after as far as the market is concerned. Todd Boehly took out his checkbook in the last winter market and spent left and right: 329 million on seven players.

• Mudryk, 22 years old, 70 million. Contract until 2031.
• Badiashile, 21 years old, 38 million. Contract until 2030.
• Madueke, 20 years old, 35 million. Contract until 2030.
• David Datro Fofana, 20 years old, 80 million. Contract until 2029.
• Andrey Santos, 18 years old, 12 million. Contract until 2030.
• Enzo Fernández, 22 years old, 121 million. Contract until 2031.
• Bad Taste, 19 years old, 30 million. Contract until 2030.

The icing on the cake

Enzo cost Chelsea a whopping €121 million. This is the most expensive signing in the history of the winter markets. But for Boehly this was not enough. He spent another €133m on Brighton's Moisés Cicedo after he turned down Liverpool to join Pochettino's team. Nothing more and nothing less than the fifth most expensive transfer in the history of sports.

As if that were not enough, the last boost from a club devoid of football knowledge was about to arrive: Cole Palmer. A 21-year-old attacking midfielder from until recently a direct rival, city ​​of manchester. Another 50 million euros to complete a record 2023.

A summer market with an approximate figure of 500 million euros of spending. Added to the 329 from the winter market, it gives a total of 829 million euros in 365 days (2023). That is, Chelsea has spent 2.27 million every day for 12 months.

The Chelsea project is now in the hands of Mauricio Pochettino and his players, who have the opportunity to turn it around and become a top team again. There appears to be a clear philosophy emerging and a team committed to doing their best, but whether that will create the desired super team remains to be seen.