Newcastle vs Chelsea: The One Where Chelsea Lost

A picture just for Drogba doubters

It's the morning after the night before -- or the lunchtime kick-off before. Either way Chelsea have lost their first game after an impressive run of 23 matches without a defeat. A stat that most of you have been beaten on the head with week after week, game after game. The overwrougt touting of the invincibility tag at this premature stage in the season could do nothing but set Chelsea up for inevitable failure. The growing obsession with an unbeaten record (amidst the papers -- not the supporters) assured that this loss would seem like so much more than what it was. A loss at a ground that Chelsea have often struggled at a third of the way through the season. With another 23 games remaining in the season, although disappointing, it's not as catastrophic as headlines will want most to believe. Hello perspespective - I've not been expecting you.

The invincible notion was a romantic proposition - for getting one over on Arsenal more than  anything else. Arsenal supporters cling to that like Kate clung to that piece of wood when she let Leo sink. But it was only 12 months later that their unbeaten achievement was overshadowed by a plucky little side that saw a record points haul in the Premier League - a season that included *gasp* a loss. That same team with the record points and fewest goals conceded went on just a few years later to win the league again with a record number of goals. This double winning season also included a loss.

Losing continued for Chelsea as they got trounced by Napoli 3-1 - seemingly sealing their fate for yet another year in big cup competition. Somehow they got past the loss and eventually returned to London with that shiny trophy. Something an invincible team never managed to do. They were still busy reliving those glorious season ending draws to ensure their 'unbeaten trophy'* was theirs and theirs alone.

So precious is that record from a decade ago, that celebrations were held across North London upon Newcastle's victory on Saturday. Of course with Crouch opening the scoring against Arsenal less than 30 seconds into their match it was short lived to say the least.

An unbeaten season would have been fun but it's ultimately meaningless. The team that won the league with the most points, the team that won the league with the fewest goals conceded, the team that won the league scoring the most goals ALL lost matches. And not one of their supporters cared.

Let's not even get into how silly it was for anyone to be writing about an unbeaten season barely a third of the way into season. Such declarations were premature at best, but are a testament not of Chelsea's results but of their performances. Hopefully the Chelsea that played against West Brom, Tottenham and Schalke is the one that cracks on over the holiday period rather than the team that travels to the North East.

All good runs come to an end - but a loss in the season hasn't stopped Chelsea from winning trophies before. With the invincible monkey off their back, Chelsea can focus on playing the football that has got them so many plaudits already this season.

jb xx

* other and better trophies are available

ps ... this was initially a love letter which turned into a disertation about how wonderful Nemanja Matic is -- but I'm just going to assume each and everyone of you know that