Chelsea: Potential Stumbling Blocks for Jose Mourinho During His Second Coming

It is an exciting time to be a Premier League fan. The three top title-chasing sides are under new management, and one of the most exciting characters in English football has returned to the club where he was idolized. That man, of course, is Jose Mourinho. 

Chelsea are currently joint favourites to win the league, with Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City posing the biggest threat to The Special One's eighth domestic title. 

However, Mou discovered last season that a first-rate squad and bottomless pockets do not always make for a harmonious campaign. Here are five stumbling blocks that may keep Chelsea from their fifth league title. 

 

Mou's Mellowing

The Jose Mourinho we all know and love is a fiery character. He gauges eyes, he goads referees, he leaves players out of squads to prove a point, he makes inflammatory remarks and he is partial to a suit-ruining knee-slide.

Since his second coming, Mou seems to have mellowed to the point that he is unrecognisable.

He is a man with a delicate ego, who clearly didn't enjoy playing the pantomime villain at Real Madrid. Perhaps in reaction to this, we are being treated to a unusual facade of pleasantness and professionalism. "I'm the Happy One," he told journalists at his unveiling in June.

The Portuguese manager once called Arsene Wenger a "voyeur" because he claimed the Frenchman was obsessed with his Blues side. This week, he had nothing but praise for the Arsenal coach, telling The Sun, "He’s a nice guy. I respect him a lot and I will show him my respect always."

In every recent interview, Mourinho seems to be expressing a veneer of niceties. When pressed about a potential swoop for Wayne Rooney by Sky Sports, the 50-year-old offered a John Lennon-esque sentiment of peace and love:

"

Be happy. Where is he happy? Where will he find more happiness to have ambition and drive him? I like him as a boy. I wish him well and hope he is happy.

"

Mourinho is known as a man driven by a relentless desire for success. He does not make life easy for his players. Could his new tranquil approach affect the intensity on the field?

It's possible, but it's also quite possible that he will be back to his old volatile ways by November. 

The Fernando Torres Conundrum

Fernando Torres' form may have shown signs of recovery last season—he scored 27 times for club and country—but he is still unquestionably performing below par for a £50 million striker. 

Yet, after a summer of being linked to high-profile forwards, Mourinho recently told Sky Sports that he wants the misfiring Spaniard to stay at the Bridge, and that he wants to "help him and try and get the best out of him."

This vote of confidence is exactly what Torres needs to rediscover his former self. Rafa Benitez did an excellent job of rebuilding his confidence last term, and a man-motivator like Mourinho could be the elixir he needs to start scoring 20+ league goals a season again. 

Mourinho believes Torres will benefit from extra competition in the squad this season (via Goal.com), but if the Blues' pursuit of Wayne Rooney continues—and ESPN believes it will next week—then El Nino may not even get the chance to prove himself.  

Dealing with Roman Abramovich

Mourinho's impromptu exit from Madrid seemed to be accelerated by friction between himself and captain Iker Casillas. The five-time FIFA World XI keeper and local hero was mysteriously dropped in December for Antonio Adan, with The Special One dubiously claiming the understudy was in better form. 

The decision, however, seemed less about Casillas and more about Mourinho showing the upper echelons of the club exactly who was in charge. Florentino Perez clearly didn't like being undermined, hailing "the legendary captain of Real Madrid," a few days before he was dropped (via Sports Illustrated).

Mourinho's penchant for control, combined with the fact that he endured a highly fractured relationship with Roman Abramovich when he left the club in 2007, could create another stumbling block for Chelsea's progress. 

According to The Independent, The Russian owner and Mou were not on speaking terms at the end of his second season in charge, with both parties apparently feeling undermined by one another.

Former assistant manager Ray Wilkins recently told ESPN that the combustible pair have patched up their differences, but a poor run of winter form or a tense 'squeaky bum time' could easily tear the relationship apart. And if Mourinho feels he has a point to prove to his owner, team selection could suffer. 

Selling or Falling out with a Fan Favorite

Through his tactical selections and destructive man management, we know that Mourinho fell out with Iker Casillas, Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo at various points during his Real Madrid reign. Equally, we know he lost interest in the likes of Andrei Shevchenko, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack while in South West London.

If Mou takes an arbitrary dislike to a popular face at Chelsea this season, he risks creating the disharmony for which he has previously formed. 

The manager has already admitted that John Terry must earn his place in the squad (via The BBC) and that fan favorite Frank Lampard will be used sparingly (via The Guardian).

The diminishing roles of these two loyal servants will not be too surprising, but the club's rumored willingness to offload some of its best talent will be cause for concern. Earlier this month, Chelsea reportedly bid £10 million plus either Juan Mata or David Luiz for the services of Wayne Rooney. 

The club denied offering the Spaniard or Brazilian in the deal, but the future of both remains unclear. Luiz is the subject of bids from Bayern Munich (via The Daily Mail) and Barcelona (via Goal.com), while the Spanish giants also seem to have an interest in Mata. 

Mata is coming off the back of an exceptional season, and losing him may seriously impact the Blues' title hopes. Mourinho provided some assurance by telling The Express that the Spaniard is in his first-team plans. But both players have trained with Mourinho for the first time this week, and their futures are by no means set in stone. 

Managing the Midfield

While Chelsea have an embarrassment of riches on the flanks—particularly the left flank—many fans cite a lack of depth and creativity in midfield as an issue. 

With Frank Lampard no longer able to play 60 games a season, someone else needs to partner up with Ramires in the centre of the park. John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien are options, but fans may be looking for something more dynamic if he is to play the 4-2-3-1 that Rafa Benitez utilized last season (and he probably will, having used the same formation at Madrid last season). As a midfield creator, new boy Marco van Ginkel also remains relatively untested. 

Also, Chelsea's lack of physical presence across the field may prove to be an issue. The Premier League-winning squad of 2004-05 had much more muscle to cope with one-on-one battles, particularly up front in the form of Didier Drogba. The Blues may have that kind of presence this season if they choose to keep Romelu Lukaku, but there is a good chance he will be sent out on loan once more.