Does Jose Mourinho Run His Chelsea Players Too Hard?
Speaking on Jose Mourinho, former AC Milan, Real Madrid and England manager Fabio Capello, via Sky Sports, suggested Chelsea's sluggish 2015/16 start was predictable.
On Fox Sports, the Italian said: "Mourinho burns out his players after a year and a half, at most two years. I had already heard it when he was in Madrid and now we have confirmation in London."
Chelsea's manager responded in the La Gazetta dello Sport, via Dominic Fifield of the Guardian:
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"I think a coach with his story in the game is better talking about football without commenting on the work of his colleagues.
I could have commented on his job as coach of England, or of his work with Russia, but I never did. Because I prefer to respect the negative moments of my colleagues. I prefer to talk more of Fabio Capello in the many beautiful moments of his career, those that were full of extraordinary success.
"
Many sagacious minds have attempted to solve the mystery behind the Blues' woeful start this season. Eight points from eight matches, and 10 points adrift from league-leading Manchester City, is an utter embarrassment for the defending champions—so theories are rightly being made.
Mourinho, in customary fashion, has taken the brunt of whatever blows.
Capello provides an interesting perspective to the west London debacle. A veteran manager with spells in various, prestigious arenas, the 69-year-old's hypothesis does carry weight. Is his suggestion the complete solution, no, but the notion of "burning out" was posited during last season's second half.
Playing beautiful football to open the 2014/15 season, Chelsea changed their strategy when the calendar flipped.
Mourinho used a more defensive, counter-attacking approach with his side, and they won the Premier League with an eight-point gap—a League Cup lodged in-between.
One could brand the Portuguese's deviance from attacking football as conservatism. Possibly accusing the Chelsea manager of being too careful and overprotective, but the answer could be more natural in its explanation: He hardly rotated his squad.
The same rotation of 14 to 15 players were used in the undertaking—regardless of competition or outside influence. It paid with trophies, but could 2015/16 be the backend consequence.
Branislav Ivanovic, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard, Nemanja Matic and others have looked shells of their former selves, and while some are surmising, "Mourinho has lost the dressing room" after a domestic double less than five months ago, the solution to the Blues' woes appears more attritional than first expected.
Games in 2014/15 where Mourinho had chances to rest starting options (the sixth game of the Champions League group stage vs. Sporting Lisbon or the auxiliary games left once the Premier League was clinched), the same veteran names filled Chelsea's team sheet.
Combine this with an interesting post-season tour, a late pre-season, injuries and the pressure of repeating—a malevolent concoction is made.
Mourinho can dismiss Capello's unneeded comments, as they only serve as additional punishment, but he might find some validity to them. He has a bench of more-than-capable senior players and chomping-at-the-bit youngsters—there seems no viable reason to ignore their presence.
Chelsea have sold the likes of Juan Mata, Kevin De Bruyne and Filipe Luis due to their lack of participation; having favourites as a manager is understandable, but with the Premier League's intensity and volume of matches Chelsea play, the 52-year-old must consider using the strength in depth he still possesses.
Mourinho has time to adjust his methods and find a working formula, but he cannot keep trying the same things and expecting different outcomes.
If the team looks sluggish, try something new; what is the worst that could happen?
Seventeenth?
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase where not noted.
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