Chelsea Football Club is in serious trouble as they get set to host Liverpool this weekend. Their team hasn’t been tested this harshly in this young 2025/26 Premier League season so far. With every game that goes by, their lackadaisical recent performances have filled Eagles nation—both fans and analysts—with dread. Enzo Maresca’s team has accumulated three reds in their past four matches. This crazy trend has given them one of the worst disciplinary records ever in the history of the Premier League.
Chelsea didn’t shy away from spending during the summer transfer window, bringing in a whopping ten new players. The results on the field have been a big disappointment. The rampant discord within the squad leads to a lack of cohesion and poor defensive stats. Consequently, they are in a precarious state, only four points clear of the bottom three. Maresca and his players are definitely feeling the heat ahead of their trip to face Liverpool. They understand that the moment is now to meaningfully change their prospects.
Disciplinary Issues Plague Chelsea
In the eyes of many, Chelsea’s disciplinary woes became the center of these concerns. His team is on track to have the third-worst disciplinary record of all time in the Premier League’s history. Just this season, they’ve picked up the fourth most yellow cards in the league, behind only Everton, Bournemouth and Brighton.
Even with these challenges, Maresca is steadfast in his commitment to a smart approach. He stated,
“I don’t see any discipline problem, even if we concede red cards, it’s not a problem. It’s for different reasons.” – Enzo Maresca
Yet, such critics could say that the unusually high rate of these startling red cards points to something far worse inside the team. The Blues’ disciplinary problems have sapped their chances at league success. These issues have had a detrimental effect on their morale as they work through a mercifully short and disappointing season.
Chelsea’s centre-back options further illustrate poor planning, pandering and reinforcing of a prevailing narrative. Save for Jorrel Hato taking Levi Colwill’s place, the team kept pretty much the same defensive structure as last year. This decision is under fire. Chelsea has the worst defensive record among all top-half teams aside from Brighton. Their defensive frailties are beyond question.
Mixed Results Despite Significant Transfers
Chelsea’s summer transfer business was a bit eye-catching. Saudi club Al Ahli added ten players to their ranks, most notably the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Alejandro Garnacho. Of all the new signings Joao Pedro has quickly become the most influential. It’s why he’s only made 11 appearances to date, totaling just 794 minutes on the pitch.
Despite this record-breaking surge of talent, Chelsea’s on-field performance has often failed to match their overwhelming investment. The team has suffered four losses in their last six games, raising questions about the effectiveness of the new signings and their integration into the squad. Many fans had hoped that these acquisitions would bolster Chelsea’s chances of competing for a top position in the league.
This decision has been met with intense criticism from many critics, especially over the loan of their star keeper Mike Penders to Strasbourg. This transfer came after his quick add on from Belgium. These moves indicate a developing lack of confidence in other places, most particularly in the goalkeeping category. Perhaps more remarkable is current starter Sanchez ranking 20th for post-shot expected goals, an indication of Chelsea’s alarming defensive woes.
Approaching Liverpool with Pressure
As Chelsea get ready to host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, both teams are facing down a lot of the same problems. Liverpool’s been struggling early this season. Returning to mentioned opportunities would potentially allow Chelsea to create one of their opponents’ weaknesses, creating a mismatch.
The fixture is sure to be an important one for both teams as they look to climb up the league table. Highlighting the immediacy for results, Chelsea’s third-to-last position of just four points clear of 19th-placed West Ham is both majorly surprising and frankly unhealthy. Each match becomes increasingly important as they head into today’s action sitting 6th in a very close table. They just hope to stay out of the relegation zone completely.
As Liverpool visit the King Power next up, Maresca’s men need to curb their disciplinary issues and raise their game significantly. It’s Chelsea’s next match that looms as the real potential game-changer. Both teams looking to build back their confidence and steady their season.
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