Chelsea's 'billion-pound failures' still have a long road to redemption

FROM WEMBLEY STADIUM - If Chelsea had simply been defeated by an average Liverpool team within the 90-minute regular time, the blow of their Carabao Cup final loss might have been lesser.

An injury-free Reds team, compared to their current predicament, would have likely managed to overcome the Blues without too much trouble - a typical 2-0 result perhaps.

This situation, however, presented a competitive cup final due to a long list of absences. Chelsea were not the underdogs, and for a time, even seemed to be the favorites.

A mid-match injury to Ryan Gravenberch saw the 20-year-old defender, Conor Bradley, pushed out to the wing. This created a makeshift Liverpool lineup which was perhaps more suited to an early round against lower-tier opponents, something even the most lenient of Football Manager players would resent.

Yet Chelsea still couldn't find a scoring opportunity. Despite the possession domination in the second half against such a depleted adversary, they failed to score, with the Reds ultimately being saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.

A consistent problem for Chelsea this season has been failing to convert their chances, but this wasn't their most significant issue at Wembley Stadium.

Teams under Mauricio Pochettino are expected to be fit, to run longer, and last longer. Nevertheless, his team seemed to weaken during extended play, seemingly overwhelmed by the physical drain and mental pressure.

Liverpool's makeshift heroes didn't just put up a fight against Chelsea, they outclassed them in the final 30 minutes of extra time, with Virgil van Dijk's winning goal looking like a foregone conclusion.

Chelsea had plenty to feel embarrassed about during the last two campaigns, but a biting comment from Sky Sports' Gary Neville seems to hit the hardest - 'In extra-time, it's been Klopp's kids against the blue, billion-pound bottlejobs.'

This key phrase from a commentator may forever define Chelsea until they find a way to disprove it.

The blue billion-pound bottlejobs. The blue billion-pound bottlejobs. The blue billion-pound bottlejobs. The blue billion-pound bottlejobs. The blue billion-pound bottlejobs.

But how will they disprove it? If Chelsea can't secure a victory in a cup final against a team of teenagers, who are they expected to defeat? How can they carve a successful path from a season where they are hardly able to muster two or three consecutive wins?

Pochettino, who has faced challenges winning the hearts of the Stamford Bridge crowd due to his past associations with Tottenham Hotspur, won't see his popularity rise after this chaotic defeat. His only consolation might be the gradual progress Chelsea has shown in recent weeks, and the fact that few other coaches would fare better under the same circumstances. Some might not even want this job.