Jose Mourinho’s return to English football in the summer of 2013 was greeted with anticipation and excitement as his reputation was dented by a turbulent spell at Real Madrid. He inherited a Chelsea side which has seen many managers come and go since Mourinho left back in 2007. Only Carlo Ancelotti has had real success at Stamford Bridge, but was still sacked after his second season despite an FA Cup and second place finish. Jose said when he returned he planned to win the league in his second season, he proved to be spot on. The transformation of Chelsea since his return has been startling. Due to FFP restrictions, Chelsea have had to sell much more, David Luiz, Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Juan Mata all departing. The signings of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic and Thibuat Courtois’ emergence have not just replaced them but vastly improved Chelsea. The Chelsea side that Mourinho has assembled has to be put up with some of the best sides in Premier League history. The dominance with which they swept aside the opposition this season has been staggering. A comeback victory at Leicester last week meant on Sunday, this side got over the line and could celebrate a fourth Premier League title for Chelsea.
CHELSEA CHAMPIONS
A 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday clinched Mourinho’s third league title in English football. Newly crowned Player of the Year Eden Hazard suitably got the title securing goal as the celebrations began in West London. A soft penalty albeit that led to the goal, Hazard even missed it but scored the rebound, but nobody can argue that Chelsea were a mile ahead of the rest this year.
A moment on Sunday typified the run Chelsea have been on since their 5-0 win at Swansea. Mourinho’s side have only won a by a single goal in all their wins since that victory in January, proving Chelsea’s resoluteness to get the job done and steely defence. A cross from Wilfried Zaha ended up at the feet of Jason Puncheon who looked set to score until a sliding block from skipper supreme John Terry. Terry has been one of the outstanding players in the league this season and a true leader of a title winning side. Rafa Benitez claimed Terry wasn’t able to play more twice a week anymore back in 2012 in his interim spell at Chelsea. Now, Terry has played three times in the space of a week, performing superbly in all three. Playing in every minute of all 35 league games, having Mourinho back guiding him, Terry is playing better than ever. Mourinho’s winning mentality has revived the force that he led to back-to-back title in 2005 & 2006.
Comparing the spines of the title winning sides only promotes the pedigree of players Mourinho attracts with his track record. Since his appointment at Porto in 2002 he’s won eight league titles in 12 seasons, two Champions Leagues and a hatful of domestic titles. Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry, Claude Makelele, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba compared with Courtois, Gary Cahill and Terry, Matic, Fabregas and Costa is quality in abundance. This Chelsea side is comfortably better than the chasing pack in the Premier League, so if they add a couple more players as well as bring through the striving youth team which has won four out of the last six youth cups could see Chelsea become the dominant force in English football. Are they still boring?
The Rest
The relegation battle in the Premier League is the tightest in years as week after week, sides deemed doomed wrestle back hope of escape. Leicester’s incredible run of four straight wins has shaken up the battle and pulling sides like Sunderland and Newcastle right in the thick of danger. Leicester bounced back from a disappointing defeat to Chelsea with an emphatic 3-0 win over Newcastle, maybe the Geordies had their heads in the sand, right Mr.Pearson? As Leicester go from strength to strength, the eighth defeat in a row for Newcastle adds to the catastrophe and sheer mess of the North East club. A club prided on tradition, home-grown sons and fight, something they are now desperately lacking. John Carver resembles the captain of the Titanic, helpless. Carver is well out of his depth after being forced to step up from a coaching role. He’s lost the dressing room and they may have lost faith in him, the players aren’t playing for Carver and the manager is not afraid to expose his underperforming players, claiming Mike Williamson deliberately got himself sent off. A brilliant article in the Daily Mirror really encapsulated the farce at the club from Mike Ashley’s dictator like ownership to the player’s lacklustre showings. Andy Dunn refers to them as ‘comedy black and white’.
What would’ve hurt more is seeing Sunderland earn a monumental win over Southampton. Luck certainly went there way as Jordi Gomez converted two penalties and James Ward-Prowse was sent off. A Costel Pantillimon save right at the end from Filip Duricic may prove a crucial point in their fight for survival. This meant Aston Villa had to win to stay ahead of the rest and the reloaded Christian Benteke led them to a 3-2 over Everton. All these wins coupled with the defeats for QPR and Burnley meant the two were all but doomed. Defeat for both next weekend will send them straight back down.
This left Hull in a position they could enhance. Back-to-back wins last week, including a huge 1-0 win over Liverpool, put them into a clash with Arsenal on good momentum. Arsenal though were 9 unbeaten with eight wins and were a class apart on Monday night. A double for Alexis Sanchez and a goal for Aaron Ramsey sealed a masterful performance from the Gunners which leaves Hull in a must win situation against Burnley on Saturday with Manchester United and Spurs to play after. United and Spurs were both beaten this weekend in a twist for the top four race. United were beaten for the third straight week at home to West Brom in a game which saw Robin Van Persie play central midfield with Marouane Fellaini up front, confusing right? Spurs were not good enough to topple Manchester City, who in David Silva and Sergio Aguero possessed the two best players on the pitch, Aguero scoring a quality winner. United are now just four points ahead of Liverpool with three to play, the chase may still be on.
Sam Tonks
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