After a highly successful first season under new manager Carlo Ancelotti, in which the Blues completed their first ever Premier League winners and FA Cup winners double, there were naturally high expectations for the 2010-11 season. The Blues were many peoples favourite to win the Premier League title again.
Chelsea started the season as they had finished the last, in emphatic style, as the beat West Brom 6-0 with Didier Drogba scoring a hat-trick. The Blues looked cohesive and composed and the following week they recorded another 6-0 victory away at Wigan, winning their first five consecutive Premier League games, by the end of October Chelsea had won eight of the first ten League games, including a victory against Arsenal, and they were showing great form, even at this stage, many thought they would easily retain the Premier League title they had won the season before.
Unfortunately the Blues lost their way in the November following injuries to John Terry and Frank Lampard and the many attributed their sudden loss of form to the unexpected departure of assistant coach Ray Wilkins who left the club at the beginning of November. Achieving only two victories from their next eleven games, saw Chelsea endure their worst run of form for over ten seasons, which included a 0-3 home defeat against Sunderland.
January saw the arrival of £50 million Fernando Torres from Liverpool, which became a record transfer fee for a player between two English clubs. Unfortunately it wasn’t the dream move that everyone had hoped for as his poor form which he experienced at Liverpool continued at Chelsea. Torres only scored one goal and often seemed to struggle with the Blues formations and style of play, often cutting a lonely figure on the pitch.
By the time Chelsea faced Manchester United at the beginning of March they could have fallen 15 points behind the Reds in the race for the title, but a heroic second half performance saw the Blues secure a dramatic 2-1 victory. Seven wins from their next eight league games saw Chelsea make a late push for title glory, which would have secured one of the most dramatic Premier League titles in recent history. Defeat against United at Old Trafford brought their amazing run to an end and sealed their fate of finishing in second place in the league.
Chelsea were also beaten by Manchester United in the Champions League quarter finals, a defeat that effectively sealed the fate of manager Carlo Ancelotti, and he was sacked moments after the final game of the season against Everton
The Blues will now search for a new coach and look to rebuild their squad for next season and speculation on the future of some of the teams older players will also be in focus, as Chelsea will again strive for domestic honours and the elusive Champions league glory.