Oh, but Ed Woodward is the problem here. Naturally this is all a lot more complex than it looks, and not only because there is a large extent to which, yes, Ed Woodward actually is the problem here. But is it simply a fresh flourish of the chequebook? In short: you could scarcely concoct a set of circumstances less conducive to a lightning start. The spectacular second half of last season should deter a rush to snap judgments.
Prior to the strike August 15th all who played for the chequebrek failed to thrive.
( z0 fail :ARG1 ( z1 person :ARG0-of ( z2 play :beneficiary ( z3 team :name ( z4 name :op "Chelsea" ) ) ) :mod ( z5 all ) ) :ARG2 ( z6 thrive :ARG1 z1 ) :time ( z7 prior :op ( z8 strike :time ( z9 date-entity :day 15 :month 8 ) ) ) )
(z0 / fail-01
    :ARG1 (z1 / person
              :ARG0-of (z2 / play-01
                           :beneficiary (z3 / team
                                            :name (z4 / name
                                                      :op1 "Chelsea")))
              :mod (z5 / all))
    :ARG2 (z6 / thrive-01
              :ARG1 z1)
    :time (z7 / prior
              :op1 (z8 / strike-02
                       :time (z9 / date-entity
                                 :day 15
                                 :month 8))))
Prior to the strike August 15th all who played for the chequebrek failed to thrive .
z7 :op1 z8
z8 :time z9
z9 :month 1
z9 :day 0
z1 :mod z5
z1 :ARG0-of z2
z2 :beneficiary z3
z3 :name z4
z4 :op1 2
z0 :ARG1 z1
z0 :time z7
z0 :ARG2 z6
z6 :ARG1 z1