Chelsea season ´unacceptable´ admits Cahill

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill admits the club’s Premier League title defence in 2015-16 was completely “unacceptable”.

A 1-1 draw against newly-crowned champions Leicester City on the final day of the season saw Chelsea condemned to a 10th place finish - their worst record in two decades.

The side won just four out of their first 16 matches, culminating in manager Jose Mourinho being sacked from Stamford Bridge just six months after winning his third title with the club.

Guus Hiddink was brought in on an interim basis but he could not help as the club were also eliminated from the Champions League round of 16 and FA Cup sixth round.

Cahill acknowledged Chelsea’s below-par season was unacceptable but insists the side are determined to turn things around under the incoming Antonio Conte.

“The season was not good at all, it was obviously disappointing and it didn’t go to plan for us,” Cahill told the official Chelsea website. “But all we can do now is go again next season.

“We know it is unacceptable for a club like Chelsea to have a season like we have had this year. We take this bad taste in the mouth into next year because we don’t want to have it again.

“We don’t want to have a period of playing football matches for nothing. It is the worst feeling ever so we need to remember this time.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and we need to be stronger for this.”