Chelsea’s return to the UEFA Champions League after a two-year absence seemed well-timed, as they spent their break rebuilding and meeting key objectives to become title contenders. With a youth-focused squad led by star Cole Palmer, they aimed for notable achievements, including victories in the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup. However, their plans faced a setback with a disappointing 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich.

The team, under Enzo Maresca, failed to make a strong impression in the Champions League. Upcoming matches against teams like Benfica and Ajax might not give insights into their weaknesses as stark as they experienced against Bayern, a team known for its power. The early season suggests Chelsea isn’t yet equipped to compete for both Premier League and Champions League titles, revealed by their shaky performances thus far.

In a post-match interview with TNT, Palmer stated, “We’re not coming here for it to be a learning curve,” but they might have to adjust expectations accordingly. Nevertheless, Chelsea’s past successes, such as their recent victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup, suggest potential for recovery.

This campaign, along with performances under Maresca, reveals inconsistency in a young team. While defensive lapses against Bayern hurt them, their attacking struggles are of greater concern. Despite a talented front line featuring Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto, and Joao Pedro, their offensive output has faltered. In key matches, their expected goals rarely surpassed two, even during comfortable wins, highlighting their struggle to create quality scoring opportunities.

There is also concern about Palmer’s performance streakiness, having scored only two goals lately, which contrasts sharply with his earlier struggles. Chelsea’s transfer strategy since the new ownership has felt hasty, marked by a focus on quantity rather than finding ideal complements for key players like Palmer. This has resulted in a squad capable of winning lesser competitions but potentially lacking the cohesion to finish high in the Premier League ranks.

Unless this inconsistency is addressed and a coherent transfer strategy is established, Chelsea could continue facing challenges in maintaining strong performances.