Chelsea is lacking a true leader

What is currently happening at Chelsea? A team that receives the most red cards in the Premier League and has a consistently poor defense. There is a noticeable gap at Stamford Bridge: the absence of a genuine leader.

The issue with Chelsea's disciplinary cards is no longer new. They ranked last in the Premier League's fair-play table for the 2023-24 season under Mauricio Pochettino. Last season under Maresca, Chelsea was second to last. And this season? Seven red cards are enough for the West London club to remain at the bottom, as no other team can compete for that position.

Enzo Maresca has been powerless in dealing with hot-headed players. The Italian manager himself was sent off during the win over Liverpool last October. How has Rosenior responded to this problem? He warned Chelsea players that those who are undisciplined or receive unnecessary cards would be dropped.

Will the actions of this 41-year-old manager be enough to improve Chelsea's card problem? It's not that simple. One factor often mentioned is the average age of Chelsea's squad. The West London team has the youngest average age in the Premier League this season at 23.4. Former defender Upson believes Chelsea's young players lack composure in crucial moments: "It's about control in key moments. The younger the players, the more easily they are affected in such situations." However, Chelsea's nine red cards have been spread across different positions. The two most recent red cards against Burnley and Arsenal were given to players no longer considered inexperienced in the Premier League: Wesley Fofana and Pedro Neto.

Therefore, Chelsea's problem needs to be examined more deeply: They lack a leader who can guide the players on how to keep a cool head. Chelsea's leadership group this season consists of captain Reece James and vice-captains Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. However, none of these three possess the authority or leadership qualities to provide a reliable point of reference for other Chelsea players during tense on-field situations. In fact, Caicedo is one of the nine Chelsea players to receive a red card this season, as the Ecuadorian midfielder was sent off in the match against Arsenal last November.

Chelsea fans can only reminisce about past leaders like John Terry, Gary Cahill, and Cesar Azpilicueta. The lack of a leader at Stamford Bridge is also somewhat linked to their defensive struggles in set-piece situations. Conceding 10 goals from dead-ball situations in 13 matches across all competitions is a clear warning. But Rosenior has very little time to improve the situation. The English manager has complained that the congested schedule across four competitions has eaten into the time needed for training-ground improvements.

All of this makes the trip to Villa Park a match with "more danger than safety" for Chelsea. It is essentially an early final for a Champions League spot, as Unai Emery's Aston Villa is also in a sharp decline. Chelsea fans can only pray that their team's list of red-carded players does not grow any longer. In their last two matches playing with a man down, Chelsea drew with Burnley and lost to Arsenal.