By Henry Vinter | 14 May 2056
The Premier League season is over, and the history books will record that Calin Dimario’s Chelsea won it with a record-breaking 104 points and a 24-point margin over Liverpool. But the history books don’t record the mood, and right now, the mood at Stamford Bridge is unexpectedly tense.
For the second time in four days, the champions have been beaten.
After the dressing-room lockdown at Newcastle, a reaction was expected. Instead, Chelsea traveled to Craven Cottage and sleepwalked into a 2-0 defeat against Fulham, raising serious questions just six days before the FA Cup Final.
The Craven Cottage Ambush
Fulham, finishing a respectable 11th, treated this like a cup final. Chelsea treated it like a testimonial.
The hosts took the lead in the 11th minute when Rodrigo Diaz drilled a “low drive” past Mohamed Risvi to ignite the home crowd. It was a warning shot that Chelsea failed to heed.
Seventeen minutes later, the damage was doubled. Winger Serginho rose to meet a cross, planting a header from inside the six-yard box to make it 2-0. The goal came from a “glaring error” by left-back Luther Banton, whose return to the side was nothing short of a nightmare.
Maguila The Architect
While Chelsea’s stars looked leggy, Fulham’s Maguila was electric. The Brazilian playmaker registered 2 assists, created havoc, and rightfully earned the Player of the Match award with a stunning 8.8 rating.
Chelsea, in contrast, were toothless. Despite dominating the shot count (16 to 4) and xG (1.26 to 0.90), only 4 shots hit the target. Nacho Valera, usually so lethal, was hauled off after 63 minutes with a disappointing 6.3 rating.
A Season of Two Halves (The End)
It feels ungrateful to critique a team that has won 34 of 38 games. The final table is a monument to their dominance: 104 points, 112 goals scored, +77 goal difference (wait, +77 is Liverpool’s points… Chelsea’s GD is +112).
But form is a fragile thing. Chelsea have now lost consecutive league games for the first time in memory. They have conceded 5 goals in two games. The aura of invincibility has slipped just as they prepare to face Manchester City at Wembley and Hertha Berlin in Istanbul.
Dimario’s Dilemma
Calin Dimario now faces a massive psychological challenge. Does he unleash the “hairdryer” again, risking morale before a final? Or does he write this off as “end of season” fatigue?
With Júnior and Elias Jimenez out injured, and replacements like Banton and Risvi struggling, the “Sextuple” suddenly looks a lot harder than it did a week ago.