Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher tore into Chelsea and claimed the Blues "can't pretend" that the Todd Boehly era has been a success after they spent £2bn to win only the Conference League and the Club World Cup. Since Boehly’s consortium took control at Stamford Bridge, the Blues have been trying to rebuild a squad that was once one of Europe's finest. However, after an eye-watering spend, Chelsea find themselves on the outside looking in at the Premier League’s top dogs.
The fall from Champions League glory
Carragher didn’t mince his words when comparing Chelsea’s current predicament to where the club stood just three years ago. When Boehly took over, the Blues had recently conquered Europe, and now, even after spending significantly, they have simply returned to Europe's top flight this season after a brief hiatus.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportCarragher dismisses Chelsea success
Speaking on Carragher said: "There's no right or wrong way going about running a football club and trying to be successful; it doesn't matter about the system. The point I'm trying to make is we can't pretend that this has been a success so far after three-and-a-half years.
"They came into a club and the manager was Thomas Tuchel, he'd won the Champions League at that club, at that stage under Thomas Tuchel, Manchester City and Liverpool were possibly the best two teams in world football, alongside Real Madrid, so it was very difficult for anybody to win the Premier League, but Chelsea were the third best team. It wasn't Manchester United, it wasn't Arsenal, it was Chelsea.
"They then change that manager, they then take a team who were very close to competing and winning trophies like they did the Champions League, and they go and spend £2 billion. They are no closer, they are further away than what that manager was doing three-and-a-half years ago in terms of competing with the top teams in the Premier League, they are further away having spent two billion pounds."
Micah Richards pushes back
Carragher’s comments didn’t sit well with his pundit colleague, Micah Richards, who pointed out the "progress" Chelsea have made.
"But there's been progress, hasn't there? If you finish in the league in his first season, 12th, and then you finish sixth, and then you finish fourth, and then you win the Club World Cup," he argued.
"We're talking about where they are now, yes, he has spent a lot of money, but there has been progress. They beat the best team in Europe in PSG. They did ever so well, I'm not saying Chelsea are going to win the Premier League, but you can see progress."
Carragher hit back: "Let's not forget where Chelsea have come from, Chelsea are a winning machine."
A trophy or a 'Micky Mouse' trophy?
Richards, though, refused to concede the point. He reminded Carragher that other clubs, like Manchester United, have spent vast sums of money but still fallen short of success.
"Man United have been a winning machine, Man United in this period of the last six or seven years have spent an awful lot of money. Man United have finished 15th, 16th, 17th last year, no where near the Champions League, so if you go back and say 12th, progress…" he said.
"You mention a way of doing it, at this moment in time Man City and Arsenal and Liverpool have got a better squad than Chelsea. You talk about doing something, you're insinuating that they're doing something wrong. I think it's very clever the way that Chelsea have done their business.
"I don't think there squad is as good I'm talking about in the Premier League, I think they could buy more quality rather than quantity. But Joao Pedro has been a good signing, Gittens did well at Dortmund. And if you're looking at what they're trying to do, they're trying to buy young players. Man City have waited too long before they can sell anyone, Chelsea are very good at selling on an asset, because they buy them young, they've still got value and look at the fees, Madueke, $66.6 million (£48.8m). I just think Chelsea are going about it in a different way, whether we agree with it or not."
As the argument intensified, the two pundits clashed over Chelsea’s triumphs. Richards defended their victories in the Club World Cup, pointing out their win against PSG, while Carragher dismissed the Club World Cup as a "Micky Mouse trophy."
Carragher asked, "Are Chelsea here to transfer players or to win trophies?"
Richards replied, "But they won two trophies last year."
Carragher snapped back, "A Micky Mouse trophy."
A stunned Richards asked, "The Club World Cup? They've just beaten PSG, European Champions."
Carragher still remained adamant and said, "You've just said they haven't got a squad better than the other teams in the Premier League. How is that possible when you've spent £2 billion on a squad?"