Whilst the loss at Everton over the weekend was far from a disaster, Jose Mourinho’s comments after the game sought to put some perspective on the expectation surrounding the club.
This is not yet a team in his image.
There is much about this Chelsea squad to admire given the size, depth and the youthful appearance that it now has. It is, however, at odds with Mourinho’s style to a large degree.
During his first time, Mourinho played a 4-3-3 compromising of a solid midfield three of the likes of Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack, speedy wingers and a powerful centre forward.
In Madrid where he had far more attacking expectations, Mourinho’s tactics morphed more in to a 4-2-3-1, given that he had two exceptional deep-lying midfielders in Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso, which afforded the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil the freedom they craved. He could also play Pepe in a destructive deep-lying midfield role.
Mourinho has adopted a similar style at Chelsea, but the problem is he does not really possess the players required in the deeper roles. John Obi Mikel is lacking at the very top and while an ageing Lampard and the tireless Ramires are both excellent players, neither is a natural holding player and their talents are stifled in such a system. Both are far more suited to playing in a 4-3-3.
To switch to a 4-3-3, however, would be to give less credence to Chelsea’s obvious strength of the ‘three’ in the 4-2-3-1. Of the players that operate in those positions, only Oscar could reasonably be expected to play in a deeper role given his (largely unnoticed) tackling and tracking back ability.
Leaving the likes of Eden Hazard and Juan Mata purely on the wings would be a waste; the interchanging in the current system suits them wonderfully. He also has to find game time for Andre Schurrle, Kevin de Bruyne and Willian.
Time and time again in his previous Chelsea guise, Mourinho waxed lyrical of the benefits of having an extra man in midfield, namely Makelele. To facilitate that you need to play 4-3-3.
The 4-2-3-1 feels in a way like a compromise that Mourinho has made to satisfy the attacking cravings of his paymasters at Madrid and Chelsea. Neither also are necessarily teams where he had complete charge of the transfer policy. Adding Schurrle, Willian and Marco van Ginkel this summer gives him little option in terms of the system he can employ.
The Chelsea boss did, however, manage to snap up Samuel Eto’o on a free. Given this array of attacking options, Mourinho will be forced to be bold, but he clearly needs to marry this to the pragmatism he always feels is required and which has made his teams so successful.
Whilst Madrid performed on the whole very well under him, it never really appeared as if it was his team in the same way it did at Chelsea first time around or at Internazionale where his identity, tactics and character were stamped all over the park.
If Mourinho is to repeat his previous glories at Chelsea and turn them into Champions League contenders again, then the balance of the squad needs to be addressed, and Roman Abramovich must indulge some of Mourinho’s caution to proceedings.
It may well be that it is next season before we see a Chelsea team truly again in Mourinho’s image, if indeed that is what the Russian owner is prepared to sanction.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
The real concern comes down to football's growing trend of big corporations taking up slices of the world game at the expense of smaller teams.
Kai Havertz has scored twice against his former team and Ben White also got a brace as Arsenal brushed aside a dismal Chelsea side…
Frankly, it was a bad look for Hayes. She appears like a grumpy and frustrated manager as her tenure at Chelsea is coming to an end.
Earlier in the season, Liverpool winning this fixture would be close to a foregone conclusion - but Chelsea have players who can win trophies.
Sam Kerr is reported to have agreed to a new deal to extend her medal-strewn stay at English champions Chelsea on the day her…
Nathan Ake's 88th-minute tap-in has helped Manchester City end their Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hoodoo and progress into the FA Cup fifth round after a…
