Chelsea's first-team stars have suffered further ignominy after they drew to a developmental squad in a practice match at their training ground.
The youth team equalised with the last kick of the game in a 3-3 draw on a shortened pitch, in a match played over four quarters.
It comes in the aftermath of a clear-the-air meeting at Cobham on Monday just 24 hours after the chastening 6-0 loss to Manchester City.
Substitutes and other unused squad players, believed to include Willian and Olivier Giroud, were involved in the clash with academy players.
Maurizio Sarri watched most of the match while those who played at the Etihad Stadium completed a warm-down session.
The Blues' defeat on Sunday was their worst ever in the Premier League and caused further questions to be raised regarding the future of manager Sarri.
The Italian is facing a fight to convince the club hierarchy that his long-term future belongs at Stamford Bridge.
There was another team gathering on Tuesday as they prepare for Thursday's Europa League trip to Malmo.
Despite concerns from within the squad about Sarri’s tactics, the players used the opportunity to help kickstart the club’s season and issued a rallying cry during a heart-to-heart.
oluwaseunayomide
571
The problem is bigger than Sarri. We have no vision, no plan, no way forward. We have a board who make up shit as they go along. On Sunday, it was not only City 6-0 Chelsea. It was also the difference between a well-run club with a vision and a club that's forgotten what it's all about. City have a clear plan. They built Pep a platform a year before he even arrived. When it didn't work the first year, they stuck to the plan and built an even better team. They are a team that knows what to do 5 years from now. Chelsea don't know what to do 5 weeks from now. This summer was a huge one for the club. It was a period where the club transitioned from Mourinho/Conte's more defensive style to Sarri's more expansive one. This squad was always a weird stylistic fit for Sarri and we needed an overhaul + investment but what did we do? 70m on a goalkeeper to replace Courtois, Kovacic on loan, 50 million on Jorginho. David Luiz has literally never performed consistently in a 4 man backline yet we didn't move for a CB. Marcos Alonso has never performed in a 4 man backline and played as a specialist LWB throughout his career yet we didn't move for another LB. 62 goals in 38 matches last season yet the board thought we didn't need attacking reinforcements. If you are undertaking such a huge transformation then you need to go all in. You need to invest. You need to give your manager time. But what did we do? We didn't invest and we hired our manager with 3 WEEKS to go until the season started. Emenalo gone 16 months ago and still no replacement. Buying pure dross like Barkley, Drinkwater, Zappacosta, Morata etc. More than half the signings we've made over the past few windows don't even have a future at this club. What's the point? What's the fucking plan? Is there even a vision? Criticise Sarri all you want and you'd be right to. But we have reached 16 finals in 15 years. We have won 5 Premier Leagues in 15 years. We are the most successful club in England over the last 10 years. And yet, here we are, behaving like a perennial Europa League team.
Zotmpstz
202
SupersStar111
142
let them swap team and see what happens
Temdknuy
103
Top words bro. Couldn't have summarised it better.
Nesaiknruy_Legend
98
Perhaps the message here is to put trust in the YOUTH. At this stage it doesnt really matter who we play win or lose cos the first time dont have the ambition anymore. Why hold back young players with a future for players who are unmotivated. This week Sarri should play some youth against Malmo. Maybe put some first team players on the bench in case. Younger players deserve a chance, we cant just raise them and abandon them. It is the right time since we cant bring in anyone new right now , promote a few youth till summer and see how it pans out. I'd rather we play a youth squad player than Barkley and Alonso....