If anyone was remotely surprised by Chelsea's results in the previous two games, then they clearly haven't been watching the club for the past four years.
Thomas Tuchel's squad had, and still have, their Champions League qualification fate in their hands after beating West Ham with a dramatic Christian Pulisic winner last Sunday. Chelsea then knew that six points in their next two against out of form opposition would all but secure that spot, needing only one point from their remaining four games.
But the almost comical levels of profligacy at Old Trafford, followed by an immature and mistake-ridden trip to Goodison Park, has placed more pressure onto a squad who, to be blunt, already looks like they are on the beach.
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Old Trafford and Goodison represented two opportunities to end recent hoodoos at awkward grounds. Chelsea had not won at United since 2013 and Goodison since 2017. Some of the Blues' worst displays have come at those venues, signals of the team's most significant issues. The collapse on the opening day of the 2019/20 season to United, the 1-0 loss to Everton in December 2020, triggered the beginning of the end of Frank Lampard's reign.
This, for Tuchel, could have showcased a different edge to his Chelsea team, that the failings of the past were just going to be that, the past. But instead, as Todd Boehly waits in the wings to take over the club, we got two perfect blueprints as to where and how the club has fallen so far from the summit of the league.
For all Chelsea's plaudits for doing well in cup competitions, it is their league form which is a more telling factor for how good a squad is. It's become a tired cliche to spout "winning mentality", but the almost casual churn of wins both Manchester City and Liverpool continue to rack up shows the level. For context, the last time Chelsea passed ten league wins in a row, it was under Antonio Conte in the 13-game winning run in 2016/17.
Many might have praised the United performance, but it fundamentally exposed a consistent flaw since the 2017 sale of Diego Costa. The profligacy of the Blues is not a new point, and it is a worn-out line on its own now. But in the two games this season against one of the worst and most unprofessional United teams we've seen, Chelsea's almost amateurish lack of composure in front of goal was tiresome to witness.
At Everton, it was more a case of Chelsea being bullied out of a game, not having the intangibles to want it more than an opponent of lesser quality. We can talk about xG, tactics, false nines and automatisms all day, but Frank Lampard had seen where his Chelsea team had struggled in recent years and targeted that. Tuchel's players didn't look up for it, and the overwhelming nature of Everton's attacks in the second half when Chelsea was supposed to be chasing a goal said as much.
Much of the blame has been thrown Romelu Lukaku's way this season, but against his previous two English clubs, the Belgian only played 20 minutes against United and was an unused sub on Merseyside as Chelsea lacked presence up top. Kai Havertz, guilty of wasting golden opportunities in Manchester, appeared more interested in acting like a toddler with Yerry Mina on Sunday.
The last two results now mean the maximum amount of points Chelsea can obtain this season is 78, which would still be nine better than last season and the highest since the last title win.
But the past four days have again placed into question the squad's mentality when approaching games as overwhelming favourites. Something that Chelsea have found a persistent Achilles heel in league competition and will continue to undermine any future title aspirations.
