Why Chelsea Wont Win The TitleWith the return of Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, many fans and critics are touting Chelsea as favourites to take back the Premier League crown this season. But far from inheriting a Chelsea team already poised for great things, this time around Mourinho faces a true test of his managerial prowe s.They say never go back, so has Mourinho bitten off more than he can chew?Lets go back to 2004. Mourinho first took charge of a Chelsea side who, under Claudio Raniero, had just finished 2nd in the league behind Arsenals team of unbeatables. They had also completed a succe sful Champions League campaign, only narrowly losing out to Monaco in the semi-finals. Many felt Raniero was very unfortunate to have lost his job after a very succe sful campaign and having laid the foundations of a title challenging squad. Enter Mourinho, the self proclaimed Special One. Arm him with a team already on the verge of achieving beyond the Chelsea teams of Willie Snead IV Jersey recent years and give him a wedge of Roman Abramovichs ample funds. Add to that the fact that all other title contending teams were facing a period of unrest and you serve up a fairly straightforward campaign that Chelsea seemed destined to win, with or without The Special One.Chelseas honours under Mourinho are undeniable, as are his achievements at the other already established teams he has managed. But, wouldnt any half capable manager stand a more than fair chance of some major honours at Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid?Jump forward to 2013, a reinstated Mourinho is left with a team that has improved greatly from a 6th place finish in 2011, to finishing 3rd before the Special Ones return. So, with a Chelsea team close to winning trophies again, it would be reasonable to think that under Mourinhos guidance they could be considered amongst the favourites to steal the Premiership title from their Manchester rivals, right?Well, the early signs would suggest that Chelsea may be some way from lifting the league title. So whats the biggest difference between Mourinhos title winning side of 2005 and the team he heads in 2013? Well, firstly it is the teams around him. In 2005 a big spending Chelsea were, for all intents and purposes, in a one horse race. Manchester United were in a transitional period and finished the season in 3rd place, the same position they had secured the previous season. Arsenal lost a huge amount of momentum and some key personnel, and although they lifted the FA Cup that same year it was to be there last major Shane Ray Jersey trophy for eight-years-and-counting.Liverpool finished 5th in Mourinhos first season, behind 4th placed Everton, who themselves were 16 points behind 3rd placed Manchester United. The league was far le s open compared with todays standards. Manchester City and Tottenham were both mid-table teams, neither of whom even made the Europa League places. Compare that to todays league, a far more open affair, where even the teams at the bottom of the table do not guarantee a straight forward three points. There is now, arguably, a top five to six teams, any of whom are capable of challenging for the title, a far cry from Chelseas relatively straight forward dominance in 2005.Then, lets look at the players Jose has brought in to strengthen the squad. So far, other than some fringe players to warm the bench such as Mark Schwarzer (40) and Christian Cuevas (an 18 year old left-back), the stand out signings are Willian, Marco Van Ginkel, Andre Schurrle and Samuel Etoo.Van Ginkel is a promising defensive midfielder who has impre sed at Vite se and with the Dutch national side. But, with a midfield heavy squad can he reasonably expect to be a regular feature in the current Chelsea team? In a stand out fixture early on in the season Mourinhos decision to play Schurrle as a lone striker against title rivals Manchester United proved to baffle fans and pundits alike. A strange move with Demba Ba and Romelu Lukaku eager to make an impre sion at the club. Both strong, powerful and dangerous players who could have given the ageing defensive pairing of Vidic and Ferdinand some real problems. But, instead the defensive minded Mourinho set out his stall to play for a draw and duly employed Schurrle to ineffectively take on the role. He did of course bring on the equally un-threatening Torres, who saw out a dire Maurice Canady Jersey goalle s draw at Old Trafford. At a time when Chelsea could have laid down a huge statement of intent to their Premiership rivals, instead, and due to questionable team selection, they whimpered to an instantly forgettable stalemate. Both teams set out for the draw, and though you could argue that Chelsea, as the away team, gained more from the result, the game was there to be won by either side.From Chelseas point of view, introducing a combination of Juan Mata and a forward more adhered to a lone striker role after the break, would have put them as favourites to take all three points and send a strong signal of their prowe s to the rest of the league.However, Mata easily Chelseas best player from the previous campaign does not seem to meet the approval of Special Jose. A player who has the ability and flare to unlock defences all on his own, this gifted and talented player appears not to meet with Mourinhos defensive minded approach.Mourinhos tactics have been questionable on a number of occasions, not least when defeated by Everton at Goodison Park. Playing Jon Obi Mikel as a defensive midfielder with Luiz as an attacking defender behind him was odd to say the least. With Cahill relegated to the bench after coming back from a confidence boosting International display against Ukraine, and Luizs strongest position being in midfield it seemed a misguided ploy. Add to that the fact that Oscar and Lampard were also relegated to the bench, the fact that Mikel got the nod at one of the toughest fixtures in the league was a jaw dropping blunder from a supposedly experienced and talented manager.Willian may tell a different story to that just told, an exciting and attacking left-winger surely shows that Mourinho has an eye for flair to counter-balance his defensive leanings? Perhaps, but from the cynical outsider it could be perceived as a signing that was born more from Mourinhos need to preserve his huge ego, than that to improve his already midfield heavy squad.With a team that boasts some impre sive players in the middle of the park, can Willian, Mata, Ramires, Hazard, Oscar, Luiz, Lampard, Moses and Van Ginkel all be accommodated? Or, has Mourinho left himself open to creating an unhappy dre sing room. The signing of Willian seems more likely to have been an exercise in one-upmanship over his former apprentice and current Tottenham manager Andre Villas Boas. For there is no question that were Spurs, under AVB, to upset the status-quo this season and finish above the self-titled Special One and his beloved Chelsea team, itwould be a ma sive blow to the Portugese mans pride.If Mourinho had brought in Etoo eight years ago it would have been a very exciting signing. But, at 32 and well past his prime, he no longer poses the same threat needed to carry Chelsea forward. Lukaku however, is a strong, young attacker who showed a lot of promise during his loan spell at West Brom. When you consider Demba Bas form at Newcastle, and the promise of Jaleel Scott Jersey Lukaku, Chelsea should have a front line to send shivers down the spines of defenders acro s the country. Instead they are faced with a 32 year old favoured to a Fernando Torres who, for all parties sakes, should have been released from the club at the end of last season.It is also difficult to see how Rooney would have slotted in to the Chelsea team. Would he have sat behind a striker, meaning another talent from midfield making way? Or played as the lone striker himself, a role unfamiliar and not suited to Rooneys style. A strange move to earmark him as the only target at the beginning of the transfer window. Or, was it all mind games? A failed attempt to unsettle a United team who had spurned him as Sir Alex Fergusons replacement?With an ageing defence who were split open at times last season, Mourinho would have been well advised to strengthen his defensive options. Terry is undoubtedly a great leader and is an exceptional reader of the game, but he has been found wanting on too many occasions of late. Cahill is questionable and at times, without sufficient backup around him, he is often exposed. With Ashley Cole and John Terry both in their 33rd years, Chelseas defence is sluggish and will be seen as a weakne s to be targeted by their opponents.Without a proven, consistent striker and a defence that includes a keeper who although one of, if not the best in the league just a few seasons ago, is now prone to mistakes, Chelsea find themselves over-reliant on their talented yet over-crowded midfield.With a manager prone Robert Griffin III Jersey to sulking, eye-gauging and prioritising the preservation of his ego over the good of the team, Chelsea may find they pay the price of taking back a man who believes he is bigger than the club itself. Having already showed his intentions to employ defensive tactics and settle for a point when three are available, and with little significant improvement made in the transfer market, can Mourinho really take Chelsea to the next level? I for one, believe they will have a battle on their hands to retain a top four finish, let alone retain the title.
Click here Click here Click here