Where Do Chelsea Go From Here?

After Monday night's loss to Leicester City, Chelsea's flirtation with relegation and the troubles of Jose Mourinho in the Premier League has been given a lot of media attention. 

What is wrong with Chelsea? This is a question many have grappled with. But the answer to this question is not as straight forward as Chelsea supporters would like.

Many pundits in the British media have had their say as to what needs to be done for things to improve at Stamford Bridge. Some are of the opinion that certain players need to be shown the exit door while others like Jamie Carragher feel Mourinho's time is up.

Others such as Frank Lampard feel that Mourinho, although, needs time to turn things around, appears not to know what to do since this is the first time in his career he has had to deal with what seems to be a relegation dogfight.

In his post match interview after the defeat to Leicester, Mourinho appealed  to the Chelsea board and Roman Abramovich to stand by him because he intends to remain as manager and fix the problems with the squad's performances.

But how long Abramovich will heed this call is anybody's guess. He is not one to be too patient with failure as Roberto Di Matteo and Luis Felipe Scolari can attest. They were kicked out in situations that would be considered bliss now. Apparently, Mourinho's popularity, track record and reputation is what's keeping the "Special One" in a job.

With Chelsea lying 16th on the league table after 9 defeats, should Chelsea allow Mourinho to remain as manager so that he can oversee a change in the club's fortunes? Does he deserve it? If Roman Abramovich decides to pull the trigger on Mourinho's time at the club, who is out there that could galvanise the team? Is  Chelsea's predicament solely down to the actions or lack thereof  of Mourinho?

Some analysts are of the opinion that Chelsea's problems is more than just Mourinho not doing his job properly and the players under performing. It stretches up to the very top as far as Technical Director, Michael Emenalo. 

Looking at Chelsea's transfer policy since Mourinho's second coming, it is clear that there is some sort of disconnect between Mourinho and Emenalo. Players like Felipe Luis, Mohammed Salah, Juan Cuadrado, Papy, and others seem not to be the type of players Mourinho likes to deploy. And as a consequence, Mourinho hardly gives them much playing time.

This has led to the sales of the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku to other clubs. Then the policy of loaning out bit part players have also played a role in Chelsea's struggles as there seems to be no back up for injured and fatigued players. Players like Victor Moses who are in good form would have offered an alternative to Mourinho as Hazard struggles to reenact last season's form. Chelsea surely, could do with the attacking threat of the likes of Moses.

And speaking of players, Chelsea have serious issues with their current playing staff. Whether it is a coincidence that all Mourinho's trusted 'Generals' in the likes of John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill,Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are out of form at the same time will only be confirmed in the coming weeks if their form improves dramatically or Mourinho is fired (it is inconceivable to think that Roman Abramovich will not act decisively if the current meltdown continues).

But many critics are of the opinion that the under performing stars plight might be a combination of age catching up with  some of them like John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic and/or a mutiny is well and truly in progress in the dressing room. This is not out of the realms of possibility but what could cause a team to turn against their manager? 

Some have spuriously suggested that Mourinho lost the players support the moment he fell out with Dr Eva Carneiro. But this seems a bit too simplistic. Yes, some players might have been upset at how Dr Eva was treated but this happened in August. Come on, who holds a grudge that long because of a third party who was being made a scapegoat?

A more credible explanation for the poor form of key Chelsea players is that which has been alluded to Mourinho's methods which is physically draining to the players. The problems of Chelsea can be traced to last season when they managed to crawl over the line to win the league as they laboured to win games or held on for draws in their last 8 or 9 matches.

The warning signs were there, nobody heeded them. Now, it has led to a crisis and a fall that is more than anyone anywhere could have envisaged. Perhaps this is the reason why Mourinho after the Leicester City game made a damning statement that his players betrayed him because he brought them to the level  where they could compete and win trophies but were unable to repeat same this season.

How would Mourinho's men react to his criticism? Would they continue to struggle for form or will they raise their game to the levels we know they can? Whatever it is their response turns out to be, Mourinho has to act fast and tweak his squad so that they can claim maximum points in their next two home games against Sunderland and Watford.

But where does he need to make changes? John Terry may have to accept the fact that he is past his sell by date. He can't play games anymore at the level we know he used to. He needs to be dropped. Matic has to be motivated to regain his form of last season or anything close to it. John Obi Mikel does not look like a solution. Fabregas is no longer assisting unlike last season that he racked up assists such that he threatened to set a record. He has since faded as usual but has failed to come back this season. Mourinho may need to look at options on the bench to bring energy and creativity in midfield.

Diego Costa and Eden Hazard between them last season contributed 40 goals as Chelsea marched all the way to the title. But this season, only 4 goals have been scored between both forwards. A stat which shows the extent at which Chelsea has fallen this season. Diego needs competition which he at the moment isn't getting because Falcao and Remy have been out of their 

depth. Costa has been all aggression this season but no substance and has even drawn criticism from Mourinho himself. Had his form been okay, things might have been better. 

Eden Hazard on the other hand needs to rediscover his form quickly or Mourinho may need to give Kennedy a run in the team. But with reports suggesting Hazard and Mourinho already have a fractious relationship then someone has to eat humble pie for the benefit of the team.

The verdict though is that Chelsea's fortunes can be turned around by Jose himself if given time. Any other manager can as well because the Chelsea squad is a good one. This is based on the premise that the players are under performing not out of a desire to frustrate the manager but because of other variables already discussed. But will things get worse before they get better? Time will tell.

Does Mourinho Actually Suffer From The 'Third Season Syndrome'?

With results in the Premier League going south, Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho has been under pressure to turn results around quickly and arrest the slump that is Chelsea's worst since 1986. 

The hitherto rock solid defence of Chelsea is leaking goals like a fishing net. Thibaut Courtois could be out for a few months with a knee injury and Cesc Fabregas seems to have continued from where he left off last season with his poor form. This is not forgetting that Diego Costa has not been able to hit a barn door of late with just 1 goal all season.

Even Chelsea's transfer dealings this season have been suspect as unheralded players who are a gamble at best have been signed up to strengthen the squad. Falcao, Rahman, Begovic, Pedro and Papy were signed at the last transfer window but only Pedro and Begovic seem to be quality signings on paper. 

And as Chelsea languishes at the 17th position on the league table, many fans and the media are beginning to speculate whether this is not another case of a 'third season syndrome' that Mourinho is prone to with the teams he has managed in the past.

A journalist with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was bold enough to suggest to Mourinho if the third season syndrome was the reason for Chelsea's uncharacteristic poor performance this season. The journalist got an angry response but  he also got an answer which for me settles this third season syndrome  argument.

According to Jose, there was no third season at FC Porto and Inter Milan as he didn't stay that long. In his first spell as Chelsea manager, he won the League Cup, the FA Cup and also led Chelsea to 2nd place in the league. At Real Madrid, he won the Spanish Super Cup, lost the Copa Del Rey final and also led Real Madrid to the runners up position.

These achievements are great by any standard. Teams like Man Utd, Liverpool or even Arsenal on current form will consider their season as very successful if they could achieve what Mourinho's teams have achieved in his problematic third seasons.

This is not to say that there are no merits in the argument for the third season syndrome. Mourinho's first spell with Chelsea was not turmoil free in his third season as his falling out with Roman Abramovich led to speculation whether he would remain the manager at the end of that season. 

He did remain the manager though but the seeds had already been sown. It was only a matter of time before Chelsea and Mourinho ended their relationship and after an indifferent start to the following season, Mourinho and Chelsea parted ways by mutual consent.

The Real Madrid experience was even more dramatic. In Mourinho's 3rd and last season at Real Madrid, he demoted Iker Casillas, lost control of the dressing room as a result of it as Madrid players sided with Casillas, and he then became a pariah with sections of Madrid fans for the toxic relationship he was having with iconic players of the club. 

Based on these two case studies, it is clear for even a blind man to see that Mourinho has had stormy third seasons and there is a precedent for what he is experiencing now. He has already fallen out with first team doctor Eva Carneiro after she and the physio ran into the pitch to treat Eden Hazard in Chelsea's opening league fixture with Swansea in the dying moments when Chelsea were hanging on. He publicly accused Dr Eva of not understanding the game.

There have been speculations in the British media that Chelsea players are getting disillusioned with Jose and the handling of the Carneiro saga. Substituting John Terry at half time in the Man City league fixture has also been pointed out as a sign of the cracks already in the squad. So, going by Mourinho's record of having fractious relationships in his third season, this is obviously a good pointer to the existence  of a third season syndrome.

However, when people make references to the third season syndrome, most people look at it from the perspective of Mourinho's results on the pitch and not his problems off it. With this in mind, it is safe to say, based on results which is what really counts, that the third season syndrome is a myth. Therefore, there needs to be an accurate definition of what this third season syndrome is when referring to Mourinho. I believe the answer is apparent.

Has Mourinho Gone Too Far?

There seems to be more trouble for Chelsea first team doctor, Eva Caneiro, as Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, has elected to limit Eva Caneiro's influence on the squad after Mourinho publicly criticised her for rushing into the pitch to treat Eden Hazard who went down seemingly injured while Chelsea were hanging on in their premier league game opener against Swansea.

According to reports, Dr Eva's job description will be modified. She will no longer attend training sessions, be in the team's hotel nor be on the bench on match day. She however, will retain her post as first team doctor.

Mourinho was visibly upset with Dr Eva as her treatment of Hazard on the pitch caused Chelsea to be temporarily left with only 8 outfield players as Thibaut Courtois had been sent off earlier for a professional foul on Bafetimbi Gomis. And as the rules state, a player who has to be treated by his team's medical staff has to be taken off the pitch in order to curtail deliberate time wasting by players.

After the game, Mourinho criticised his medical staff for their failure to understand the game and categorically stated that Hazard was not injured but merely exhausted and should have not been treated.

If the reports of the Daily Telegraph, who broke the story about the shake up in the Chelsea medical department, are to be believed then it is a shake up gone too far. Dr Eva's rescue mission firstly, was not the reason Chelsea failed to beat Swansea and her intervention did not lead to Chelsea conceding a third goal.

One can only imagine Mourinho's reaction had Chelsea fallen behind because of the incident. And even if she had not intruded, there is no guarantee  that Hazard in his tired state would have changed the outcome of the match had he remained on the pitch.

Is Mourinho's reform in the Chelsea medical department a coincidence? It has to be said that last season, Mourinho clamoured for improvement from his medical team. But it appears the Swansea fiasco has become the catalyst Mourinho needed to speed up the improvement he wants.

But is Mourinho's handling of the situation okay? Will there be repercussions that could affect the team?  Are Dr Eva Caneiro's days with Chelsea numbered?

The handling of the situation has been far from okay even though Jose Mourinho could be forgiven for losing his cool and showing his frustrations at the manner in which the game was panning out and thus, take his frustrations out on his medical staff. He however, regained his composure quickly and deflected attention from Chelsea's poor showing to Dr Eva's 'mistake'.

It is unclear for now how Mourinho will structure the match day medical staff but it has to be said that his medical staff have been excellent in keeping a large number of his players fit, most especially the key members of the squad. And axing Dr Eva for an action which wasn't totally her fault (Hazard should share some of the blame too for acting like he needed medical attention) is tantamount to looking for a scape goat. 

Dr Eva's primary responsibility is to provide medical attention to the players and that is exactly what she did. The Daily Telegraph also reported that Hazard actually signalled the medical staff to come to his aid. Therefore, Mourinho should have reserved his criticism for Hazard whose attempt at creating an injury break backfired.

Mourinho wants his staff to understand the gamesmanship that go on in a football match but this re-organisation of his medical staff looks more punitive rather than educational.

With Dr Eva's role change taking effect immediately, will she leave the club? Mourinho most likely must have tendered an apology to Dr Eva privately for the public dressing down but will Dr Eva not feel undermined by her boss and as a result leave if not now but in the future? Only time will tell.

Will This Be Arsenal's Year?

After 11 years and 14 attempts, it's 14th time lucky for Arsene Wenger as his Arsenal side on Sunday defeated arch rivals, Chelsea 1-0 in the Community Shield at Wembley with the solitary goal coming from the boots of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain.

The no love lost relationship between Wenger and his opposite number Jose Mourinho which had been on display between both parties in the build up to the game continued after the final whistle when Wenger failed to acknowledge Mourinho by avoiding the traditional handshake between managers.

It was hardly a stroll in the park for Arsenal as they were made to work hard for their victory with a dogged and resilient defensive performance especially in the second half when Chelsea were desperate for an equaliser.

One thing is certain, a psychological barrier has been crossed by Arsenal and their fans can look forward to the new season with genuine belief that they can challenge for the title.

But can they?

Arsenal easily defeated Manchester City 3-0 last season in the Community Shield but they still ultimately came up short in the title race. Is there any reason for Arsenal fans to believe that this could be their year?

One thing is certainly different, they have a genuine world class keeper in Petr Cech. His efforts in the game against Chelsea showed what Arsenal have been missing since David Seaman and Jens Lehmann quit the Gunners. Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho must now be wondering why they let Cech join a direct rival, sentiment or not.

It is already clear that at key moments during the premier league season, Cech is going to come to Arsenal's rescue just like David De Gea did for Manchester United last season and salvage a victory or two which could be pivotal to their title hopes.

If pre-season form is anything to go by, Chelsea looks like the only stumbling block to Arsenal's title ambitions. Manchester City does not look like a team that will stop Arsene Wenger's side with the quality of their transfer business so far while Liverpool and Manchester United have invested heavily again this season. An air of unpredictability of what to expect from both teams exists. Quite difficult to judge whether the new signings will pay off or back fire spectacularly.

On the other hand, if we look at what history has taught us, it is too soon to judge if Arsenal based on this performance, will actually become serious title challengers come start of the season. Arsenal claimed a few scalps last season when they faced the big boys but were undone by embarrassing losses to the likes of Stoke, Southampton and Swansea.

Wenger and every Arsenal supporter out there knows that their rivals have strengthened and will still strengthen. They need to find an excellent partner for Laurent Koscielny and a decent back up for Francis Coquelin because like it or not, Mourinho's team and other members of the big 6 will improve as the season progresses.

The challenge for Arsenal undoubtedly is to replicate Wembley's performance for 38 league matches and also in Europe. It is appears that Wenger after going trophy less for 9 years has learned some tough lessons and one of them is, there is no shame in playing dirty or rugged when you play an equally strong or stubborn opponent when necessary. At the end of the day, it is the result that really matters. 

Is the Ballon D'or award really bad for the game?

Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho are hardly the best of friends but they both agree on one issue. And the issue is, they both feel the award for the best player in the world, the Ballon D'or, is dentrimental to the game. 

Wenger earlier this year in an interview published in the Guardian, stated that he was against the tradition of awarding or voting an individual the best player in the world. Wenger added that although he is not opportuned to vote since club managers are not eligible to vote, he would refuse to get involved if the reverse was the case. According to Wenger, football is a team sport and not about the individuals.

Jose Mourinho also agrees with Arsene Wenger's views on the the Ballon D'or award. He believes that even though teams can have an exceptional player, it is unfair for a player to take praise for what was a collective effort. Mourinho's comments were published in an interview with UK based newspaper, The Telegraph. 

Mourinho said: "For me, football is collective. The individual is welcome if you want to make our group better. But you have to work for us, not we have to work for you."

"When the top player arrives, the team is already there. It's not him who comes to discover the team, like Columbus discovering America. No,no, you are coming now to help us be better."

The current player of the year is Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo who won the Ballon D'or award ahead of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich's goal keeper, Manuel Neuer.

Both managers seem to have valid arguments against the award for the best player of the year but in reality, does it really affect the team as a whole? Messi and Ronaldo for the last 7 years have won this award between each other but have their dominance truly affected their respective team mates? Or even affected football as a whole? Is it possible that the award for the best player of the year affects players or teams in the Nigerian premier league?

If we take a look at Real Madrid this season especially after the winter break, you would notice the petulant reactions of Cristiano Ronaldo whenever team mates especially Gareth Bale fail to pass the ball to him or even score goals he failed to score. The only logical reason for such reactions by Ronaldo is that Ronaldo's personal duel with Messi has made him put his personal interests above his team mates and as a result, if he is not taking the plaudits for the goals scored he begins to throw a tantrum.

Lionel Messi on the other hand, is not exhibiting the same petulant reactions as Ronaldo on the pitch. And it appears Barcelona still plays to his strengths and so there is unlikely to be any tantrums coming from Messi if there was any in him.

It is pertinent to note however, that there have been reports of bust ups between Messi and Luis Enrique at the training ground possibly over tactics and training methods. Only the 'star power' held by Messi could make that happen and still make him get away with it. 

All in all, is there sufficient evidence to suggest that these reactions have affected Real Madrid or Barcelona as a team and their performances?  I think the effects have been exaggerated by Arsene and Jose. One thing, Barcelona or Madrid would probably be affected long term if they had to do without their star men for a prolonged period of time. The team would get a lift and inspiration on the other hand, if they were present cause their team mates are professional enough to know that the star players are key to the team's success.

Overall, every team has a star or top player that gives the team confidence on the pitch. That the star player gets recognised for individual performances should not cause much disaffection in a team especially if the star player is humble enough to recognise the contribution of his team mates when receiving his personal accolades. 

Besides, only one player wins Ballon D'or award on the entire planet.