The Worst Champions in Premier League History?

Criticism of Chelsea has been embarrassing, and simply only highlights the lack of quality in the Premier League right now

As Chelsea look set to wrap up the Premier League a wave of negativity and criticism has been directed at the team and their coach Jose Mourinho. The ‘worst team in Premier League history’ label has been thrown at Chelsea, however as The Whitehouse Address discusses, this Chelsea side and their coach has taught others what it takes to win this season, instead of criticising, perhaps coaches and fans need to take notes.

People have very short term memories. It’s not easy of course to cast your mind back to August and remember the quality of particular games, the goals scored and style of play on show. It is easier to think of what has happened recently and formulate your opinion on a sides worth and quality. The truth is, the insults aimed at Chelsea are not only unfair and unwarranted, but actually naïve and plain wrong. Let me explain.

At the start of the season Chelsea looked so good that talk of them being undefeated throughout the whole season seemed a genuine possibility. 14 games undefeated, 11 wins and 3 draws pointed towards a team who had a drive to win the league. Not only were they racking up points but they were playing splendid football. It wasn’t just that this side were winning games, they were playing with a fluency and quality which we did not expect from a Mourinho side. 

With Hazard and Fabregas in particular bringing possession and skill to the fore of the teams style, we were witnessing one of the most exciting teams in the league for a while. In the 15^th game they travelled to St James’ Park without their key midfield general Nemanja Matic and it would show, with the team putting in their worst performance of the season, so far. They suffered their first defeat and the “Invincibles” potential was gone. 

However, it would be their next (and as of yet their final) defeat against Spurs on New Years Day which not only signified some potential problems for Chelsea, but perhaps altered Mourinho’s approach. Earlier in the season away at Everton Chelsea won 6-3 in a game which was so un-Mourinho it was laughable. There was a lack of defensive cover and balance. For the control he wishes on games, he can't have been happy. 

For me however the season can be split between 2014 and 2015. 2014 was a period of wonderful football, it was exciting, entertaining and successful. The attacking talents of Hazard, Fabregas and Costa were lighting the league up. Chelsea were scoring a lot of goals, they netted 15 goals in their first four games. And before the Arsenal game this past weekend Chelsea had only failed to score in one game previously, a 0-0 draw at Sunderland in November. 

The most important game of the season came against Spurs on New Years Day. This was very significant for Mourinho, the teams style and how the season would finish. Ultimately Chelsea played with an arrogance which hadn’t been seen in the ‘bigger’ games that season. Against United and City, both ending in 1-1 draws Mourinho had played his ‘classic’ big game style, defend relatively deep, close spaces and look for counter attacks. In both games Chelsea conceded late goals to deny them wins, bringing criticism as to their wish to close games out at 1-0. However they did not lose. This is Mourinho’s strategy, the 4 point strategy I like to call it. An intention to make sure you don’t lose to your top rivals, to take the draw away from home and to win at home. Just look at his record and you see how often this 4 point strategy occurs. He doesn’t lose to the top sides and often gets four points minimum from them each season. It’s remarkable really. 

But against Spurs he approached it very differently, he went at them, when 1-0 up he continued to go at them. It was almost an all out attack type of approach, a sense of making a point, proving how destructive Chelsea could be away from home in a big game. But it backfired. Chelsea were exposed by the speed and skill of Chadli, Eriksen and that man Harry Kane. It ended 5-3 to Spurs and Mourinho was left shamed by a performance which not only seemed to betray his approach and philosophy but which actually exposed the weaknesses in Chelsea’s armour. Cahill and Ivanovic looked all over the place and were exposed several times. Speed seemed to be their weakness. 

Well, we know Mourinho learns from every game and experience and it would appear that following that game Mourinho changed how his team would play. Granted they scored 5 past a very weak Swansea, but as the season has gone on, Chelsea have become a strong fortress which seems almost impenetrable. They have defended their way to the title. The Spurs game played a part I’m sure, that sense of fallibility in their play certainly was communicated to the players with their goal to win the league. “Forget about entertaining, we are here to win the league and we will do it no matter how we play.”

Building his team

It was clear that Mourinho had prepared for this season, had taken his time last season to embed his ideas and to build the team he wished to push forward with. Out went Mata, Lukaku and David Luiz, (three players who pre-Mourinho appeared to be Chelsea’s ‘future’) however under Jose players he deemed not suited to his philosophy. Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Demba Ba, Bertrand and later Schurrle in January would all depart. It was a massive clear out. Mourinho was building ‘his’ team, not just for now, but for the future. 

In the previous season Mourinho had started his building job, in came Matic, Zouma and Mo Salah however this wasn’t enough to win anything, but that wasn't important, focus was on this season. Matic in particular looked to be the perfect piece of what Mourinho was seeking, and as we would see this season, Matic has become one of Chelsea’s most important players. Mourinho knew what and who he wanted, before the season had seemingly finished it looked as though he had his business tied up. Confirmation of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis along with the return of Thibault Courtois meant Chelsea’s spine was now bolstered. While Chelsea in 2013/14 looked a workman like side, they now looked like a world class side. 

And perhaps the most impressive aspect of this building job was how it was done almost with a net spend of zero. To get £37m for Mata, £28 for Lukaku and a staggering £50m for David Luiz highlighted Chelsea’s impressive business model and allowed them to be well within the FFP rules. This was a club managed very well, with a coach who has a clear plan of what he wanted to achieve and build. 

Mourinho has gone about dismantling much of the squad, opting for quality over quantity. However with this type of approach we see the issue of fatigue and tiredness creep in. The demands of the league as well as domestic cup ties and Champions League puts severe strain on the squad. By not rotating sufficiently Chelsea became evidently tired; Fabregas the clear example of this, and injuries increased; Diego Costa the main culprit. 

The lack of options, or options which Mourinho could trust, were shown to be limited and restricted Mourinho’s choices. His decision to allow Andre Schurrle to leave in January was a strange choice for me personally, granted he wasn’t playing as much as he liked but he had proved to be an important asset who could come on and score goals. To replace him with Juan Cuadrado seemed a poor decision at the time, and so it has proven. The lack of activity in January, particularly seeking a viable partner or back-up to Matic in midfield, as well as another forward seemed the wrong choice and so the games vs PSG showed. Chelsea lacked energy and their Champions League dream died with two set piece goals. There is still work to do.

A lack of a viable competitor makes the league 'boring'

While it may seem that Chelsea are lumbering towards the title the truth is that they haven’t had to do anymore. Chelsea have lost just two games this season, complacency which seemed their problem last season, is not evident this time. The team is focused on their objectives and are capable of playing anyway necessary to win games and get points. Recent games may have seen them win fortuitously yet they have punished teams errors, a sign of a great winning side. Chelsea’s ability to play differently is an asset, not a problem. 

Now we hear how this is the best league in the world, why? Because of how average the majority of the teams are? That's how it looks. Chelsea are the only genuine consistent quality side in the league. The onus has been on sides like United and Arsenal in recent weeks to defeat them, not the other way round, and on both occasions they have proven incapable of finding holes or flaws in this Chelsea side. 

The criticism aimed at them has been an insult to be honest. Chelsea are not paid to entertain but to win the league. That is what they will do. However they have entertained, no other team has been able to match them, not even in style if you ask me. They have the second best goal scored record with 65 goals, and joint best defensive record. Their goal difference of +39 is the best in the league. They are 10 points ahead of Man City as it stands. This is a team who deserve the league, who have been focused throughout, who haven’t allowed complacency to affect them. 

Compare this to other sides and you see the gulf between Chelsea and the rest. The league as a contest has been uninspiring yet the blame should not be pointed at Mourinho, as he has achieved what he set out to do. His side has entertained along the way, in Hazard we see the most entertaining player in the league. The team has scored goals and has importantly defended with excellence for the most part. Chelsea and Mourinho appear to be getting criticised for being good?! Incredible!

And yet Man City, whose recent form has been an embarrassment, or Liverpool, who have been a shadow of the team last season, United who look to have a lot of work to do still and Arsenal, who once again have a late surge yet never seem capable of maintaining a run over a whole season. Chelsea have done what they needed to do, others simply haven’t been able to compete.

Media, fans and other coaches appear to find Chelsea’s approach negative, well it is up to other teams to counter this style, to find holes and defeat them. This season, and last to be honest, has shown how easy Chelsea find these ‘big’ games. Mourinho is streets ahead of the other coaches tactically and has a squad built to succeed in the Premier League. 

Some coaches still seem to mis-understand what this league requires; a strong spine is essential, strength and physicality a key aspect. Mourinho knew what his side required last summer and got his business sorted early and efficiently. Chelsea aren’t boring, they are efficient, tactically excellent and perfectly strategic in their approach. It looks like men vs boys in the league right now. 

And the worry is that Chelsea will only get stronger in the coming years, Mourinho will keep adding more quality to the team, enhancing the depth and quality. There is a genuine chance that Chelsea under Mourinho can dominate the Premier League for the next several years. This could be the beginning of a dynasty!

The only issues I foresee is that next season he will be even more focused on Champions League glory which may affect domestic success or his players may find his intensity and demands too much and they either switch off or become complacent (the previous Chelsea experience and Real Madrid highlighted this problem). Perhaps even Mourinho will become bored as is his style it seems, perhaps three seasons is about his limit personally. 

However, if he, his squad and the club as a whole continue on the path they are on, there is a genuine feeling that this team can become of the Premier League’s best ever. Accusations of boring, of being the worst team to win the league, these are just bitter comments from fans and media who are jealous of what Mourinho has achieved. How Liverpool or Arsenal would wish for a Mourinho to bring a league title to them. Had he joined City I feel they could have won the Champions League as well as dominate the Premier League. 

The truth is that Jose Mourinho is by far the best coach in the league, instead of criticising him we should be commending and praising him. I guess this just sums up the British culture. Mourinho won’t care however, he will accept the critics because his goal is not to entertain but to win. A league cup and Premier League title signifies a successful season, the critics need to appreciate and take notes from a master.

The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address