“The dream scenario” – Hopeful Chelsea fans hold out for this major change | OneFootball

The London is Blue Podcast had a pretty gloomy take on Chelsea’s performance at the weekend, but at least concluded that things could get better after this fortnight’s break from club football.

“The dream scenario is that after the international break we have Cole Palmer rested and healthy, and the muscle issue is not anything long term and is just a fatigue situation,” Dan Dormer said on the show, trying to look on the bright side.

“Then potentially Nico Jackson comes back and the targeting computer is fully locked in. Then Wes[ley Fofana] has come back, he’s looked a little bit better from a centre back position, maybe that then allows Reece [James] to move back [to right back], and we saw [Romeo] Lavia back against Arsenal. There are things you can hope for and view as potential signs or things that might help us across the line at the end of the season.”

You can see his more positive take in the clip embedded here:

Chelsea can only improve – but personnel may not be enough

A Chelsea generic group huddle celebration. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

It’s all true, and we can totally see a scenario where we’re effectively a fully fit, fully rested squad for that Spurs game and beyond, and we end up going on a strong run to close out the campaign.

But that’s also a very hopeful way of looking at things. In some recent games, it’s not been a lack of quality that’s hurt us. Let’s not forget that Palmer and Jackson were on a scoring drought before they got injured. Noni Madueke, who isn’t mentioned above, is hardly Erling Haaland.

Of course we’ll be better, and the break gives the whole group a chance to mentally reset too. But on the basis of what we were seeing tactically and in terms of motivation in the last few weeks, we fear that a few new faces can only do so much.