Chelsea FC: A Half-Term Report on Jose Mourinho's Side
The World Cup threatens to kill many transfer windows. Inflating prices, decreasing others, while making the process of corralling players one wants difficult—the transfer market essentially becomes a mystery every four years.
Chelsea, though, were the kings of 2014's summer window.
Acquisitions of Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, Didier Drogba and Loic Remy have assisted Chelsea to their current position atop the Barclays Premier League, the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League and the League Cup semi-final. An FA Cup run could also commence on Sunday.
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Jose Mourinho, as a consequence of the transfer window, changed his squad's profile. The bus-parking team of 2013/14 has vanished. This Chelsea outfit play football to outscore and were top scorers in the Champions League group stage and joint top of the Premier League's goal charts at its halfway point.
Like most things, however, football is about balance.
Having a more offensive team has created vulnerabilities defensively. Conceding just 27 Premier League goals last season, the Blues have allowed 19 goals past their posts this term. Already playing both sides of 6-3 and 5-3 results—vs. Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively—there seems very little to resemble the stalwart, defensive performances of a season prior.
The major change in defence from last year is the arrival of Thibaut Courtois from Atletico Madrid. On loan at the Vicente Calderon for three seasons, the Belgian has confidently taken his place between the sticks—replacing veteran Petr Cech as Mourinho's first-choice No. 1.
Though having their off-days, the centre-back partnership of John Terry and Gary Cahill have normally played up to their lofty standards, Cesar Azpilicueta has been at his diligent best and Branislav Ivanovic must consider himself an auxiliary right winger, providing both depth and width.
Chelsea's largest strength comes in holding midfield. The combined talents of Nemanja Matic and Fabregas in the 4-2-3-1's double pivot are simply extraordinary.
Able to attack, defend, pick passes, break play, control tempo or destroy it, when the Spanish and Serbian midfielders are on their game, the Blues being beaten has not been witnessed; their only defeat during the first half of the season came against Newcastle United when Matic was suspended.
Buoyed by the advanced Ivanovic and their quarterback Fabregas, Chelsea's attacking midfield options have thrived. Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian and Andre Schurrle combined for 13 goals and 10 assists over the Premier League's first 19-game stint; considering Fabregas is on pace to break the EPL's assist record, the numbers from attacking midfield are gold dust.
Mourinho softening his stringent defensive policy from 2013/14 can likely be attributed to the arrival of potent strikers—namely Costa.
Like Courtois and Luis, the Brazilian-born Spaniard came from Atletico Madrid. With a reputation for scoring goals, Costa has not disappointed. Scoring 13 goals in his first 16 Premier League appearances—including a hat-trick vs. Swansea City—Chelsea's £32 million hitman ran the league ragged.
In his absence, whether by injury or suspension, Costa has been supported up front with the return of arguably Stamford Bridge's greatest hero, Drogba.
The Ivorian legend, returning on a free transfer, was thought to bring experience rather than actual production—that was shortsighted: From six starts the 36-year-old warhorse has five goals in all competitions.
Remy has also contributed with three goals. Behind an in-form Costa and trusted Drogba in Mourinho's pecking order, the France international has been largely underused—yet as cup matches and league games multiply in the second half, the £8.5 million striker should find himself minutes.
Academy products Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek received their first-team debuts, while other emerging talents—specifically Kurt Zouma and Nathan Ake—have given positive accounts of themselves in limited opportunities.
Storming out of their blocks in the Premier League to four consecutive wins, the Blues have yet to string more than a quartet of league victories together, yet find themselves challenging to win the title and are battling on every other front for trophies: The first half of Chelsea's 2014/15 campaign has been a relative success.
Matic, Fabregas, Costa and Hazard look candidates for player-of-the-year honours and Mourinho's record when leading a domestic competition into a new year is impeccable—there appears every reason for Chelsea supporters to be optimistic as the season approaches its climax.
That said—despite the lofty praise Chelsea have received for their impressive first-half performance—halfway jobs are hardly remembered in the annals of everything great.
Imagine the Ancient Egyptians stopping halfway up the great pyramid of Giza, or Michelangelo painting just the left side of the Sistine Chapel, or Ferdinand Magellan sailing halfway around the globe: Would these achievements of human endeavour carry as much historical weight?
Of course not.
The Blues have little use for being "1 January champions." All that matters come season's end is Terry elevating whichever trophy above his head—on a platform accompanied by his team-mates—as blue-and-white confetti dances all around.
Anything short of that scene should be considered an abject failure; as the trophy requirement cannot be determined by a "half-term review," one must wait until June to know whether ultimate—not relative—success has been achieved.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.
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