Why Jose Mourinho's Summer Transfer Deals Prove the Chelsea Manager's Genius
Chelsea have played 15 games in all competitions this season and still Jose Mourinho's side remain unbeaten.
Such has been their dominance this term, Chelsea have trailed opponents for just 37 of the 1,350 minutes they have played, with only Burnley and Swansea City scoring first against them.
It's an impressive stat—one that shows the control Chelsea are exerting, squeezing games like never before.
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They are unrelenting, and as those around them continue to drop points and feel the pressure, Chelsea are looking ever stronger to finish the campaign as Premier League champions, even if it is only early November.
On the back of a season where everything didn't go wrong so much for Chelsea, more that Mourinho's side lacked maturity and a killer instinct, it's a remarkable turnaround.
Mourinho famously dubbed his team a little horse in the 2013/14 title race, and much to his credit, they are now the rampaging stallion he hinted they would be.
Eden Hazard, Oscar, Andre Schurrle and others are a year older, a year better, so it makes sense this Chelsea team matures with its young talents.
It also makes sense considering the signings Mourinho made in the summer.
Mourinho has transformed Chelsea's biggest weaknesses into their strengths this season.
Last term, the way to get at Chelsea and stop them playing was simple: Get enough men behind the ball to eat up the space where Hazard and Oscar operate.
| Player | Fee |
| Nemanja Matic | £21 million |
| Mohamed Salah | £11 million |
| Kurt Zouma | £12.5 million |
| Cesc Fabregas | £30 million |
| Diego Costa | £32 million |
| Mario Pasalic | £3 million |
| Filipe Luis | £16 million |
| Didier Drogba | Free |
| Lioc Remy | £8.5 million |
| Total: | £134 million |
The duo were Chelsea's biggest threat—in fact, their only consistent threat.
From there teams needed to break quick and in numbers, exploiting Chelsea's stretched back line to take their chances.
Aston Villa did it, as did Sunderland and so, too, Crystal Palace. All three teams were battling it out to avoid relegation at the time Chelsea were attempting to win the title, yet the trio each claimed a victory.
They weren't flukes, either. They were deserved wins and came on the back of teams implementing their managers' tactics to exploit Chelsea's weakness.
Was it frustrating for Mourinho? Of course it was. The Chelsea manager watched his team's title challenge unravel before his eyes—not because of the big teams but the so-called lesser sides who on paper had no chance of toppling them.
The beauty of football.
| Player | Fee |
| Juan Mata | £37.1 million |
| Kevin De Bruyne | £18 million |
| Michael Essien | Free |
| David Luiz | £50 million |
| Ashley Cole | Free |
| Frank Lampard | Free |
| Demba Ba | £8 million |
| Patrick van Aanholt | £1.5 million |
| Romelu Lukaku | £28 million |
| Samuel Eto'o | Free |
| Total: | £142.6 |
Frustrated he may have been, Mourinho has made sure he has learned from those shortcomings.
Using his first season back in west London to create a core, he's addressed the big issues at Chelsea with the signings of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas.
Costa has nine goals already this season, and after the recent 2-1 victory over QPR, Fabregas boasts the same number of assists.
For the goals alone, the duo are making quite the impression, accelerating Chelsea's development from also-rans to the Premier League's dominant team.
In a few months Chelsea have gone from finishing four points behind champions Manchester City to sitting six points clear of them in the table.
Liverpool were the Premier League's runners-up last season, finishing two points ahead of Chelsea. In early November, they are already 12 adrift.
Point swings happen, but not as swiftly as Mourinho has engineered it this season.
It's abnormal.
Costa scores the goals Chelsea were missing last season, but perhaps more significantly, Fabregas is the man creating the chances for the front men.
Chelsea's system hasn't changed, it's still 4-2-3-1, but the parts that get the machine moving are of a much higher standard.
QPR endeavoured to sit deep and suffocate Chelsea's attacking play when they visited Stamford Bridge, although with Fabregas in the team, it was far more difficult than teams found last season.
The Spaniard is a genius, keeping the ball moving and creating pockets of space that teams can't always shut down.
It's a game of chess, and Fabregas is Mourinho's queen, the player more often than not calling checkmate.
What we're seeing on the pitch is all testament to Mourinho's doing, identifying players and getting them when needed.
When looking at the balance sheet, even the most ardent of accountants can't fault the manager's method.
There was a time when Chelsea spent lavishly and paid little attention to the bank balance. The club was being heavily funded by Roman Abramovich, and to an extent, money really was no problem.
In these days of Financial Fair Play, Chelsea need to balance the books, and it means Mourinho must be crafty with how he rotates his squad, identifying who is coming and who is going.
Chelsea signed six players this summer, including Didier Drogba on a free transfer, with Filipe Luis (£16 million), Loic Remy (£8.5 million) and youngster Mario Pasalic (£3 million) all following him to Stamford Bridge.
Combined with Costa and Fabregas, the club spent just shy of £90 million.
It's a heavy outlay and the figure alone demands success. But put into perspective with the sales of David Luiz, Demba Ba and Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea's net spend this summer sits at just £4 million.
And if we bring into effect the impact of Mourinho's transfer dealings in the January transfer window, Chelsea have actually turned an £8.6 million profit on the back of the sales of Juan Mata and Kevin De Bruyne.
From a team struggling to challenge for the title, Mourinho has returned Chelsea back to the top of the pile in English football, yet doing it with a positive financial outlook.
In contrast, Manchester United have spent the best part of £200 million in the three transfer windows since Mourinho returned to west London yet the Old Trafford club look way behind Chelsea.
Indeed, Louis van Gaal's side are not regarded as title challengers this season despite such significant investment.
Mourinho has been wise with how he has used his squad, sweating the asset, as they like to say in the business world.
If he continues like he has, the rest of the Premier League will be sweating.
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Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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