There is no shame in losing to Liverpool, but Chelsea know they blew a major chance on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final.
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali will have watched on increasingly expectant as a tired-looking Liverpool looked there for the taking.
But the Blues left Wembley Stadium empty-handed after a hugely frustrating 1-0 loss.
Virgil van Dijk thumped home the winner after 118 minutes of gruelling football as a dead-on-their-feet Liverpool got over the line for Jurgen Klopp, who leaves the club at the end of the season.
The Reds were missing 10 players ahead of kick-off, including Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Alisson Becker and Trent Alexander-Arnold, with Ryan Gravenberch then stretchered off in the first half. Moises Caicedo avoided a red card after planting his studs into Gravenberch’s ankle, prompting a furious, and extended, reaction from Klopp.
But that anger turned to joy as Van Dijk marshalled his team and then delivered the match-winning moment with Jayden Danns, Jarell Quansah, James McConnell and Conor Bradley on the pitch at full-time.
The Blues had already been given a lifeline after a similar Van Dijk header was controversially ruled out in the second half, but failed to make the most of another break of good fortune.
They wasted a host of chances. Conor Gallagher swept a close-range effort onto the post, missed a one-on-one and curled an effort just wide at the end of the second half.
Cole Palmer also had two shots brilliantly saved by inspired Liverpool no2 Caomhin Kelleher.
As Liverpool threw on academy stars, Chelsea brought on flagship talents of the new Boehly-Clearlake regime; Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke. But all three were anonymous.
Chelsea battled well and were part of a great overall spectacle but the inability to punish a Reds side clearly on the backfoot will prompt serious questions.
Mauricio Pochettino also fails to shake off criticism that he could only win trophies at Paris Saint-Germain, who are financially dominant in France, having failed to win silverware in five-and-a-half years at Tottenham.
The owners will also be vulnerable to criticism after losing to a team half-full of academy players, with questions about why a striker capable of taking these chances wasn’t signed, despite £1billion spent to assemble this squad.
And bastions of ‘trust the process’ at Chelsea will find it harder to have their voices heard.
Chelsea have shown progress in recent weeks, but have little to show for it and qualification for Europe is now in serious doubt after falling short yet again.
As a club, the Blues are in danger of becoming English football’s nearly men, having lost a record sixth domestic cup final in a row.
It leaves little hiding place for Pochettino, the owners or certain players, with time running out in the season.
