Why Eden Hazard and Chelsea's Flair Men Have Point to Prove at Crystal Palace
Disappointing isn't one of the adjectives that best describe Chelsea's season so far.
It's more exhilarating, sublime, superb, perfect—well, almost—these days.
Traveling to Selhurst Park on Saturday to face Crystal Palace is a reminder that, not so long ago, it was the former being used.
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Back in March, Mourinho's side were looking a good bet for the Premier League title, while Palace themselves were fighting to stay in the division.
Looking at the scoreline and performance of both teams, you wouldn't have known it.
Palace won 1-0—their first league victory against Chelsea in 24 years.
The victory transformed their season. From no wins in five Premier League outings, defeating Chelsea saw them win five on the bounce and pull clear of the relegation zone.
It wasn't a backs-to-the-wall, smash and grab, either. Palace deserved their three points that day.
Tony Pulis' side rode their luck at times, but then so did Chelsea, who had Petr Cech to thank for a string of fine saves to keep the scoreline respectable late on.
A fortnight earlier, a similarly shock result away to Aston Villa—again a 1-0 defeat—showed the signs not all was right in the Chelsea camp.
They had bounced back with the 6-0 thrashing of Arsenal, but the Palace defeat confirmed Mourinho's "little horse" notion was right all along.
The Chelsea manager's theory was that his team was not yet ready to contend for the biggest honours, that the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool were better positioned.
"There are two big horses and a little horse, a horse that next season can race," he said in February, per Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail.
Defeats to Palace and others were proof of that, and this season has reinforced Mourinho's wisdom all the more. Chelsea aren't just running the race this year, they're setting the pace and threatening to break free of everyone.
When coming face-to-face with Palace on Saturday, the likes of Oscar, Andre Schurrle and Eden Hazard have a point to prove.
It's not just about winning matches and maintaining the form that has seen Chelsea drop just two points this season—it's about showing they're capable of overcoming the situations that proved the death knell to their 2013/14 campaign.
Palace at Selhurst Park was one such occasion.
Hazard and Schurrle started that afternoon, and with a £50 million striker leading the line in Fernando Torres, Chelsea still couldn't penetrate Palace's humble defence.
The home side were organised, rigid and clearly more up for the battle than Mourinho's men.
Whereas Chelsea were a shadow of the team we know now, Palace's gutsy display earned them the right to benefit from the fortune of John Terry's own goal.
They grafted just like their manager asked of them and got their reward.
Chelsea, on the other hand, didn't. They weren't clever enough to negotiate their way past a hostile home support who were willing their team on to an upset.
It was more in hope than expectation, but it got the desired outcome.
That afternoon, whether it was complacency or other factors, Chelsea's match winners didn't turn up. Hazard was poor and Schurrle didn't look the same player who a week earlier had terrorised Arsenal's back four.
Even when Oscar was brought from the bench at half-time—a telltale sign that Mourinho was less than satisfied with his team—Chelsea remained limp.
It can't happen again.
This time in south London, Chelsea must show they have learned their lesson.
Against their rivals, the Blues have their number. They are yet to lose a Premier League game against any of Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool since February 2013.
When facing the so-called smaller clubs, their record is far less impressive.
If Chelsea are to win the league this term, it's the games against Palace that are going to do it.
Pulis is long gone from Selhurst, replaced by Neil Warnock. And much like his predecessor, Mourinho will know what faces his team come Saturday.
Warnock's teams might not be easy on the eye, but they leave opponents all too aware they've been in a game come 90 minutes.
Hazard and Co. have to show they're capable of turning up when it matters, as Saturday could be another defining moment in the title race.
Vote for Garry Hayes as the best established football writer in the 2014 Football Blogging Awards: http://bit.ly/VoteGDH
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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