Jose Mourinho Should Be Worried About Andre Schurrle's Chelsea Decline

STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON — When Andre Schurrle looks back on 2014, it'll be a year defined by individual moments of brilliance from him that helped bring varying levels of success for club and country.

For Chelsea, there was a hat-trick against Fulham and his vital goal against Paris Saint-Germain to claw his side back into its Champions League quarter-final.

For Germany, it was that pass to Mario Goetze to earn the assist that won the World Cup.

As Schurrle considers what 2015 might hold, the picture is looking far less bright.

Chelsea's 3-0 victory over Watford in the FA Cup proved another frustrating afternoon for the German.

Since returning from Brazil, we've seen Schurrle steadily decline. His World Cup form spilled over into the current season, and he started brightly, but gradually, he has become a peripheral figure.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

In October, he suffered the setback of picking up an injury and virus while on international duty, and we've only been treated to glimpses of his brilliance since.

Something isn't right, a fact amplified by Schurrle being hauled off at half-time by Jose Mourinho in his last two appearances.

In the recent 1-1 draw with Southampton, a poor first half saw Schurrle fail to emerge after the interval, and it was the same story against Watford.

Indeed, when Chelsea were humbled 5-3 against Tottenham Hotspur on New Year's Day, he didn't even make the bench.

"No, I'm not worried [about Schurrle's form]," Mourinho said in the aftermath of Chelsea's victory over the Hornets.

"[...] At times I just do things that the players don't like, because it's part of the job. But at half-time, I wanted to win the game. I sought to win the game, I needed to make a couple of changes, and I tried to change some players and the system and the dynamic.

"In this moment, I forget the individual, I forget the players. I just do what I think is the best for the team."

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

What's clearly best for the team right now is for Schurrle to not be a part of it.

From influencing games and being a considerable presence, Chelsea are carrying him.

It was no coincidence that when Willian replaced Schurrle at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were suddenly a threat on the break once more. They were a different team.

For the opening 45 minutes, Championship Watford had contained Chelsea. The home side was one-dimensional, and Schurrle's presence on the right was doing them no favours.

If anything, he was a hindrance, making loose passes and conceding possession in key areas.

Willian gave Chelsea the very thing Schurrle used to—zip and penetration. To rub salt in the wound of his teammate, he scored a wonder goal to break the deadlock, too.

Mourinho says he isn't worried, yet the manager came close to admitting he no longer has faith in Schurrle's ability to deliver, along with a few other stars.

"I needed to have some guarantees, so to have Willian and Diego [on the bench] was important for us," Mourinho had earlier commented.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

That it was Willian who replaced Schurrle isn't a good sign. When things were looking difficult and Chelsea needed some inspiration, Schurrle was the first to get hooked, replaced with a player Mourinho says he can trust.

"Willian always gives us a performance," he added.

It's a worrying trend developing for Schurrle, and if Mourinho has lost faith in him, where next? Usually, it's the exit door.

With speculation surrounding a move for Marco Reus hotting up, it doesn't bode well for Schurrle's future.

Chelsea have five more games this month alone, three of which will go a long way to defining their season. They play Liverpool twice in the Capital One Cup semi-final and also entertain Manchester City on Jan. 31.

At a time when they can't lose ground in the title race or elsewhere, Mourinho needs to be relying on his entire squad, not a select few players.

If Schurrle's slump continues, it's vital the manager changes his perspective.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes