On Wednesday, Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher acknowledged that morale within the team has been subdued following their loss in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.
This admission will likely please the owners of Liverpool, who were discontented with their team’s inability to secure signings such as Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia ahead of Chelsea during the summer transfer window.
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Chelsea secured the services of Moises Caicedo for a remarkable £115 million early last season, after a deal that initially appeared to be heading to Liverpool fell through due to the Ecuadorian’s change of heart.
Additionally, Chelsea acquired Romeo Lavia, who was intended to be Liverpool’s alternative to Caicedo, for a further £58 million.
In the recent 1-0 defeat suffered by Chelsea against Liverpool, Caicedo struggled notably against 30-year-old Wataru Endo, who was signed as a last-minute option for £15 million after Chelsea outbid Liverpool.
Lavia, on the other hand, has been sidelined for the majority of the season due to injury.
Speaking after Chelsea’s win over Leeds in the FA Cup, Gallagher said of Liverpool defeat: “It was a big disappointment and we wanted to bounce back and give the fans something to celebrate and we managed to do that.
“It has been a really tough few days and everyone has been down but it was such an important game and the boys dug deep to get the win.
“It was a really tough game, Leeds are a good side and doing well this season. We knew it would be a tough game but to win in that way was fantastic.”
Liverpool owner John Henry will undoubtedly find solace in these developments. He had accompanied FSG board members to the season-opening match against Chelsea in the Premier League back in August.
According to The Mirror, the ownership expressed frustration and dissatisfaction with the club’s inability to secure the signing of Caicedo during that period.
The manner of Chelsea’s defeat to Liverpool in the cup final prompted strong reactions, including Gary Neville’s scathing remark dubbing them “blue billion-pound bottle jobs.”
This label was a direct response to their loss against an incredibly young final 11 from Liverpool, particularly as it occurred in extra time.
Mauricio Pochettino said of the comments: “I have a good relationship with Gary and I don’t know if that’s how I can take this opinion.”
Chelsea find themselves occupying the 11th position in the Premier League standings, trailing a significant 25 points behind the league leaders Liverpool. Their current position suggests they are unlikely to secure European football for yet another season.
