Season: 2015–16

Notes

The champions’ defence unravelled almost before it had begun. Chelsea’s 2015–16 season brought no trophy, a tenth-place finish and the end of José Mourinho’s second spell. The side that had controlled the previous title race suddenly looked vulnerable, with defeats arriving at home as well as away. A 2–1 loss at Leicester on 14 December was the ninth league defeat in 16 games. Mourinho departed on 17 December with Chelsea 16th, only one point above the relegation places. The fall from champions to a fight for stability was painful, and the mood at Stamford Bridge reflected it. The change of manager needs its own place in the story. Guus Hiddink was appointed interim manager on 19 December until the end of the season, but watched that day’s Sunderland match from the stands. Steve Holland took charge of team matters, assisted by Eddie Newton, as Ivanović, Pedro and Oscar’s penalty secured a 3–1 win. Hiddink’s first match in the dugout was the 2–2 draw with Watford on 26 December: Costa scored twice, while Oscar missed a late penalty. The Dutchman’s second rescue mission steadied the side, although too many draws kept a proper recovery out of reach. Chelsea finished tenth with 50 points: 12 wins, 14 draws and 12 defeats, goals 59–53 and a +6 difference. At home the record was 5–9–5, goals 32–30; away it was 7–5–7, goals 27–23. Costa led the scoring with 12 league goals and 16 overall, made up of 12 in the league, two in the FA Cup and two in the Champions League. Willian scored 11 overall and was one of the few consistent lights, winning both the supporters’ and players’ player awards. His free-kicks repeatedly offered a way back into difficult games. Pedro and Oscar finished with eight goals each; Fàbregas and Hazard with six each. Home league crowds averaged 41,500, ranging from 41,642 against Southampton to 40,945 against West Brom. There were still days to enjoy. Pedro scored on his debut in the 3–2 win at West Brom, Chelsea beat Arsenal 2–0 at the Bridge and Costa’s goal completed the league double with a 1–0 win at the Emirates on 24 January. Hiddink’s team won 3–0 at Crystal Palace, 5–1 against Newcastle and 4–0 at Aston Villa, where Loftus-Cheek scored and Pato converted a penalty. Hazard finally found his first league goals of the season with two in the 4–1 win at Bournemouth on 23 April. Then came Tottenham at the Bridge on 2 May. Spurs led 2–0 at half-time, but Cahill pulled one back and Hazard curled in a wonderful equaliser after combining with Costa. The fierce 2–2 draw ended Tottenham’s title hopes and confirmed Leicester as champions. It could not rescue Chelsea’s campaign, but it gave the supporters a moment they would never forget. The season ended with a 1–1 home draw against Leicester on 15 May. Europe had initially offered a different picture. Chelsea topped Champions League Group G with 13 points, ahead of Dynamo Kyiv, Porto and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi were beaten 4–0 in both matches; a 2–1 home win over Dynamo and a 2–0 victory over Porto on 9 December secured first place. Paris Saint-Germain stood in the way in the last 16 for the second successive season. Mikel scored in the 2–1 away defeat on 16 February, but the Bridge could not turn the tie on 9 March. Rabiot put Paris ahead, Costa equalised after a neat turn and finish, and Ibrahimović made it 2–1 to the visitors. Chelsea went out 4–2 on aggregate, with another European campaign ending against the same opponents. The FA Cup run reached the quarter-finals. Scunthorpe were beaten 2–0 at home on 10 January through Costa and Loftus-Cheek; Oscar scored a hat-trick in the 5–1 win at MK Dons on 31 January. A youthful Manchester City side then lost 5–1 at the Bridge on 21 February, with Costa, Willian, Cahill, Hazard and Traoré scoring. Everton ended the run at Goodison Park on 12 March, Lukaku scoring both goals in a 2–0 win. Costa and Gareth Barry were both sent off. The last realistic route to a trophy was gone. The League Cup defence had ended earlier, in the fourth round. A 4–1 win at Walsall led to Stoke away on 27 October, where Rémy’s stoppage-time equaliser forced extra time. The 1–1 draw went to penalties, Stoke winning 5–4 after Butland saved Hazard’s kick. The Community Shield on 2 August had also gone against Chelsea, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal giving Arsenal a 1–0 win at Wembley. There would be no European football the following season. This was a year to absorb rather than celebrate: a champion team losing its certainty, a familiar manager returning to calm the waters, and a few bright flashes that kept the connection between the stands and the shirt alive.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chelsea_F.C._seasons
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Chelsea_F.C._season
• https://www.fchd.info/CHELSEA.HTM
• https://www.bounder.friardale.co.uk/Summaries/2015.htm
• https://www.bounder.friardale.co.uk/Results/2015.htm
• https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/archive/eng/aveeng2016.htm
• https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35130191
• https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35139930
• https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/33667216
• https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/willian-s-chelsea-career-
• https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/eden-hazard-s-career-at-chelsea
• https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0253-0d80e975db49-07491884cc16-1000--peerless-paris-put-paid-to-chelsea-again/