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Just one more game before EPL reaches its halfway mark. Undoubtedly this season is turning out to be one of the best ever. Only 8 points separate the top 8 clubs. In case of Chelsea, the improvement has been close to close to ideal. Compared to 11 points last season, Chelsea are just 2 points off the top place this time around. One guy who can’t be credited enough for this transformation is Jose Mourinho!
The methods of Mourinho have always been questioned by rival teams. There are two matches this season where Jose went for a draw instead of a win- Vs Manchester United and in final 10 minutes of the game vs Arsenal. Looking back, these are the two matches which have made the maximum difference. Putting my decent mathematical skills in use, had Chelsea lost these two games, they would have been at least 10 points off the top place. This is after not giving Arsenal the 3 points for defeating us. Gary Neville said it perfectly post match in Arsenal vs Chelsea- ‘Mourinho knows when to go for a draw. That is what makes him a great manager’.
“We came to win, we wanted to win but it was very important not to lose, because if we did we are five points behind the leader. With a point we are two behind the two leaders and that is a completely different picture. We tried to win but we are not unhappy with the point.” - Jose Mourinhio
A successful manager has no shame in accepting the fact that his team might not win on a particular day. This damage control philosophy of Mourinho has saved Chelsea from having a season similar to last one.
Of course, the naysayers will call him boring. When it comes to Chelsea and Mourinho it is easy to throw the tag boring at them. When Manchester United went for a similar- sit back and counter attack- approach in the Champions League match vs Real Madrid last season, Alex Ferguson wasn’t given much stick. Not that it matters. Alex Ferguson was a winner. Jose Mourinho is a winner.
With two consecutive home games for Chelsea against Swansea and then Liverpool and plenty of top of the table fixtures, Chelsea have a chance to go top of the table before the new year. This is after the team is yet to hit its peak. Smart Mourinho.
The tag of boring must also be questioned. After the Arsenal game, the North Londoners were clearly unhappy with Chelsea’s approach. It was more because of frustration of not winning and decisions not going their way rather than actual tactics by Chelsea. 9 chances compared to Arsenal’s 4. 32% of action in Arsenal’s half compared to 20% in Chelsea’s half after 45 minutes. Not a single shot on target before 70minutes by Arsenal. Over the years, numerous ‘attacking’ teams have ended the game with similar stats. Chelsea against table toppers Arsenal ended the game with far superior stats, but still had to face the condemning of their style. Bringing David Luiz on for Fernando Torres, made it easy for Arsenal fans to put the blame on unsporting football instead of accepting their team’s poor performance.
You can always argue that this is Chelsea. With the plethora of attacking talent, the team must play a different and more attacking brand of football. But of what good has that been in the previous season? A team with discipline is more effective than a team which plays just to please.
As seen in past, Arsenal fans will undermine Chelsea’s success with words like class and beautiful. But, Giroud along with every Arsenal fan shouting at Ramsey for kicking ball out of play for an injured player or the poster-boy Wilshere controversy strain their credentials as a ‘class’ club. Every club is the same when it comes to on-field issues.
Once again, I must say it – Smart Mourinho. Often during mass criticism of someone, the voices of reason are lost. There are different styles. Different tactics. Playing counter-attacking football is not a crime. It is the different styles which make football amazing. Just like beauty needs a beast to be appreciated fully. Intricate football was never a part of English culture. Being an English football fan and criticising the same style of football defies logic. Again, what is beautiful football? It is not English football if Barcelona comes to your mind first.
Boring Mourinho? It is for you to judge.
But Smart Mourinho for sure! He is like the selfish topper in your school/college who is never loved but ends up getting more marks. Eventually over the years only the marks are remembered.
Mourinho admitted that in the last ten minutes he went defensive. Ironically, the only period Arsenal looked like scoring. Mourinho blatantly admitted his desire to get 1 point. He got the 1 point. He put Chelsea in a strong position.
Smart Mourinho.
