It’s rare that Chelsea are described as a dark horse in any competition, but this season is a rare season for the Blues. The campaign has been a complete disaster so far and rumors of Jose Mourinho losing his job have been circulating at times.

Two back-to-back wins and a stint out of the headlines seem to be doing Chelsea good, and now the second half of the season could well prove a different story altogether.

Despite their struggles in the Premier League, Chelsea are on the brink of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League. The knockout stages do not begin until February next year and that is going to play right into Chelsea’s hands perfectly. By then, the Blues could be up near the top six in the EPL and Mourinho’s team could be a completely different outfit at that stage.

Confidence has been an issue for the Chelsea players but confidence seems like it’s starting to grow now and will only improve with more wins. Even with an upturn in form, Chelsea will still fly under the radar because of the turmoil that has been going on at the club in recent months. No pressure, in a sense.

On form, Chelsea will still be a very dangerous matchup for anybody over two legs in a knockout-style tournament. The defense that was so recognizable last season will can be a major force once again, given time. Even if the Chelsea attack does not click, you always know that the defense can be stubborn at least. Tie with Chelsea 0-0 and let things go to penalty kicks, and you’re in the land of the lottery at that point.

Mourinho will not have the Capital One Cup to worry about, either, with Chelsea already eliminated. Come the new year, Chelsea could be re-focused, re-energized and ready to cause some chaos in the Champions League knockout rounds. They won’t be amongst the favorites, but they are the outstanding dark horse.