Ex-Chelsea
striker Andriy Shevchenko is confident the team will hit back and rediscover
their form to challenge on all fronts this season.
Following an indifferent start to the campaign, Jose Mourinho's side
appeared to be back on track with comfortable victories over Maccabi Tel
Aviv, Arsenal and Walsall.
But a sluggish display in a 2-2 draw at Newcastle at the weekend and a 2-1
Champions League defeat by Porto has drawn criticism of the team again, much
of it from Mourinho.
Shevchenko reckons the current Premier League champions are suffering a mere
blip, and points to Manchester City as another example of a top team
struggling to find consistency in the top flight.
"I'm very surprised of course because after last season at Chelsea," said
Shevchenko, who played at Stamford Bridge between 2006 and 2009.
"But we see what can happen in the Premier League. City lost a few games
too, and I think Chelsea always have a chance to get back. The team play the
last few games very well, and even on Tuesday night, I watched the second
half and they had a few chances.
"This is football. One day it can be like this and another day everything
changes, but Chelsea is a great team, they have a great manager, great
players, I think everything changes."
German Michael Ballack is another former Chelsea star who has been taken
aback by the team's inconsistency this season.
"I'm surprised of course, especially with the possibilities they have
financial wise, and they spent a lot of money and now they get judged by
certain decisions," said Ballack who was at Chelsea between 2006 - 2010.
"Europe and the whole world is looking at what's going on in the Premier
League because it's still the most famous league in the world, and if a
club's not performing well a decision starts."
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