Chelsea vs. Basel: 6 Things We Learned

Jose Mourinho's Champions League hoodoo took another dramatic turn as he suffered his second defeat in the space of four days.

After the shocking 1-0 loss to Everton on Saturday, the Portuguese coach could only watch in frustration as the Blues conceded two late goals to FC Basel to suffer their first home defeat in the group stage since 2003.

Mourinho last took charge of the Blues in the Champions League six years ago, when they could only muster a 1-1 draw with Rosenberg. The failure to win eventually saw him sacked by Roman Abramovich. 

Even after Oscar's fine strike on the stroke of half-time, moments of deja vu frustrated the supporters, as some slack defending allowed Mohamed Salah to curl home to equalise with 20 minutes remaining.

Basel applied the pressure and got their reward, with Marco Streller evading his marker and heading home to hand the Swiss side a famous victory.

And after Chelsea's below-par performance raised doubts over their credentials this season, we decided to take a look at the lessons to be learned from Wednesday's defeat.

Chelsea New Boys Need Time to Jell

With three summer signings making their Champions League debuts for Chelsea on Wednesday night, it was always going to be difficult for them to settle in. 

Willian, Marco van Ginkel and Samuel Eto'o all started against Basel, and while the former seemed to adapt swiftly to Chelsea's style of play, the other two struggled to impose themselves on the game.

Mourinho's decision to play Oscar through the middle turned out to be a masterstroke, as the Brazilian was perhaps the only bright light on an otherwise poor evening for the Blues. His compatriot Willian started from the right and looked to ooze confidence with every touch.

But it soon became evident how little these Chelsea players had to get to know one another's style of play. Eto'o, in particular, appeared to be two or three weeks short of full fitness and lacked the sharpness that Chelsea required from their lone forward.

Van Ginkel was naive with his tackles, rightfully earning a yellow card after his touch let him down and he went flying into the challenge. He's only 20 and has managed just a short cameo against Hull before the Basel game, so it's expected that he may struggle to adapt at first.

But after spending over £60 million this summer, Mourinho needs his new players to jell in time to recover from their dreadful start.

Basel Is a Decent Counterattacking Side

Things could not have gone better for FC Basel and their manager Murat Yakin on Wednesday evening. They overcame Chelsea on their home turf and were fully deserving of their victory.

From the start, the Swiss side had a plan to defend deep and break quickly on the counter, using target man Marco Streller as their focal point in attack.

It worked to perfection as the home side poured bodies forward, and some slick football allowed Basel to break with pace and intensity. In addition to that, Yakin encouraged his players to give Mohamed Salah the ball when they broke, and the Egyptian used his blistering speed and agility to create problems down the right.

Even when the visitors went 1-0 down, they kept to their plan and refused to panic. However, if Oscar's wonder strike hadn't struck the underside of the bar, it could have been a different story altogether.

In truth, Basel used the ball better and found space easier when in possession. Chelsea may have had more of the ball, but they were less decisive in the key areas. Salah's excellent equaliser was a prime example of how composed the Swiss champions were.

It was a superb result for them, and nobody—not even Mourinho—can deny they earned it.

Mourinho Should Not Have Let Romelu Lukaku Leave

On transfer deadline day, many Chelsea fans had heard about Demba Ba's impending move to Arsenal and thought that would be end of the matter.

But Mourinho decided to perform a U-turn and kept the striker, instead sending out Romelu Lukaku to Everton on a season-long loan. Unsurprisingly, there were a few disgruntled voices in the distance.

To send out the exciting, 17-goal Belgian striker on loan when Chelsea had only scored five goals in their opening six matches was slightly baffling, and to keep struggling Ba as a consequence was the icing on the cake for Chelsea fans.

Eto'o was given the chance to lead the line on Wednesday but somewhat failed to get going. He perhaps lacked the motivation or sharpness that Chelsea desired against Basel. 

And when Chelsea fell behind, Mourinho threw on Ba in a desperate attempt for a goal, but much like Eto'o, the Senegalese forward barely got a touch in the second half. What difference might a fast and powerful striker like Lukaku have made in a match of such importance?

We'll never know, but there's no doubt that the West London club's supporters may be feeling that Mourinho sent the wrong man out on loan.

Oscar the Shining Light

Despite the result and the poor showing in front of the home supporters, Chelsea had at least one shining light on an evening filled with doom and gloom.

With Juan Mata struggling for fitness and form, Mourinho opted to put his faith into Brazilian playmaker Oscar. He deployed him in a more central role, allowing him to float into pockets of space.

It was hardly a surprise, given that the 22-year-old is usually played in the No. 10 role for his country, and therefore he excelled when in possession.

In fact, the former Internacional playmaker scored a goal that was the result of a wonderful build-up from Chelsea. David Luiz ran forward and found Frank Lampard in space, who looked up to find Oscar on the edge of the box. The youngster fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

He gained confidence after that, and in the second half, he almost scored a goal that would have rivaled his stunning effort against Juventus a year ago, with Yann Sommer watching Oscar's effort bounce back off the crossbar from 25 yards out.

The Brazil international gave another assured performance, and after Mata struggled when he entered the fray, it could be Oscar's position to keep in the games to come.

Putting Gary Cahill and David Luiz Together Does Not Work

It's no surprise to see Chelsea defend and play this badly without their inspirational leader, John Terry. But the rotation in the squad was necessary after three games in eight days, and the Blues paid the price for it.

Having two defenders with similar attributes is a dangerous game to play, and it proved the case on Wednesday for Chelsea. Gary Cahill and David Luiz both like to venture upfield, and when they lose the ball, a gaping hole in the defence is there to be exploited.

In all honesty, the London side were lucky that the score was only 2-1 by the final whistle, as Basel missed two golden opportunities on the counterattack when both Luiz and Cahill were caught napping.

Given that Jose Mourinho's defensive principles are based around discipline and sticking to position, it was odd to see this pairing take shape against Basel. This is why Terry always performs well: He stays deep and reads the game in front of him, while one of Cahill or Luiz chases the ball down.

But playing the two together was a mistake. There was no solidity or leadership, and Streller lost Cahill far too easily for the winner. Mourinho must take responsibility but no more than the two defenders who let him down.

Mohamed Salah: Next Star?

What a night for FC Basel, and equally, Mohamed Salah won't be in a hurry to forget the evening either.

The Egyptian starlet was on the scoresheet the last time the Swiss side visited Stamford Bridge, and after showing glimpses of his ability in the first half, he added another to his tally with an excellent curled effort.

Just 21 years of age, he looks to be another gem within the Basel ranks after signing last year from Egyptian club Al Mokawloon Al Arab. He has already scored 17 goals for his country in just 24 caps.

Primarily a winger, he possesses great pace and excellent balance, which allow him to race past defenders with ease. And he gave Ashley Cole, who is regarded as one of the best left-backs in the world, a run for his money.

The rise of the youngster continues to bear fruit, and with more man-of-the-match performances like this one against Chelsea, he could secure a big-money move in the near future.