Very few, if anyone at all, could have predicted that Chelsea would make such a faltering start to the 2015/2016 season and look a shadow of the team that threatened to dominate the Premier League.
Jose Mourinho has cut a forlorn and disconsolate figure on the sidelines all too often as he has seen his team look extremely vulnerable in defence, lack any real attacking potency, and are showing nowhere near the same intensity levels that enable them to win possession back quickly and launch a quick counter attack.
Although there have been positive signs that Chelsea are recovering some sort of form in recent weeks, Mourinho’s feathers have clearly been ruffled by his team’s poor performance and pressure on his shoulders to turn their fortunes around.
The ‘Special One’ has always been perceived as a spiky personality who does not entirely hold back on his opinions, particularly on Arsene Wenger who he has engaged in a long-running feud with that does not entirely reflect well on either manager.
Fallen foul of the football authorities
Mourinho has already fell foul of the football authorities this season after remarking that “referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea” following their home defeat to Southampton – comments that resulted in a £50,000 fine and suspended one match stadium ban for improper conduct. It is the latest in a growing number of misdemeanours that Mourinho has made during his two spells at Stamford Bridge, and although he may be heralded as one of the best managers in football, his persona is starting to ware thin on those who consider his constant complaining to be the hallmark of someone not getting their own way.
Managers do have the freedom to express their feelings about how their team have performed and how the game panned out, but most would expect a top drawer manager to knuckle down and work on getting their team firing on all cylinders again. However, Mourinho has opted to continue banging on the anti-Chelsea agenda drum with some ferocity; something that may have seen him lose sight of his main objective – addressing Chelsea’s alarming start to the campaign and assessing where it has gone wrong to ensure he quickly gets it right again.
His growing anger will not be improved by the tough upcoming trip to West Ham, a game which will undoubtedly split opinions on Bookies.com as to who are the favourites to come out with all three points. Losing at the Boleyn Ground would not exactly be a disaster for Chelsea given the impressive start Slaven Bilic’s men have made, but it would only further increase the pressure on Mourinho who may claim that he is allowed a poor season after last year, but Roman Abramovich may not see it that way.
Moaning — a second nature for Mourinho
If anyone was in doubt as to Mourinho’s current mood, then making yet another dig at Wenger and accusing the referee after their Champions League draw in Dynamo Kiev of being “weak and naïve” was timed to perfection. The level of complaining and moaning has reached a point where it has almost become second nature for Mourinho to blame anyone but himself and his players, yet pinpoints particularly moments where he feels his team have been hard done by.
Some may call it being protective and taking the flak away from players, such as Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic who look nothing like the star men they were last season, but his continuous ranting has become infuriating to listen to.
Excuses have also managed to creep into his interviews and press conferences; claiming that Diego Costa is being wrongly targeted by referees, the FA and the media for his overly-aggressive nature which often crosses the line, particularly when he received a retrospective three-match ban after elbowing Laurent Koscielny in the face and getting Gabriel sent off in their heated clash with Arsenal, is the sort of comments that only gets people’s backs up even more.
Ego and controversial persona could harm Chelsea further
Mourinho may honestly believe his own words and football is, after all, all about opinions, but letting his own ego and controversial persona cloud his managerial judgements could arguably be the greatest problem for Chelsea at this present time.
Like O-Posts on Facebook
You can also follow O-Posts on Twitter @OPosts
Mourino is fast becoming a known as farcical figure with his ‘spewing’ of vile garbage on others instead of doing his actual job!