Jose Mourinho and Chelsea Reportedly Angry over Manager's Latest FA Sanction

Chelsea are reportedly fuming at the sanctions imposed on manager Jose Mourinho in the wake of his rant after their 3-1 loss against Southampton.

According to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror, the Blues are “particularly angry” over the prospect Mourinho would face a stadium ban should he carry out a similar offence within the next 12 months. The manager himself is also said to be “furious” after picking up a £50,000 fine from the FA, especially after Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger recently escaped punishment after branding referee Mike Dean “naive” and “weak.”

Lewis delved deeper into why Mourinho is becoming an increasingly frustrated figure on the sidelines and in post-match briefings:

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The Special One’s private view is that the comments also indicate an unwillingness to give penalties for fear of the repercussions.

Wenger had hit out after Dean allowed Chelsea striker Diego Costa to escape unpunished for slapping Gunners defender Laurent Koscielny and a subsequent flashpoint with Gabriel that saw the latter sent off. ...

The FA responded by overturning Gabriel’s dismissal and banning Costa for three games.

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Here’s a reminder of what Mourinho had to say after his side’s loss to Saints at Stamford Bridge last time out, responding to a reporter’s question with a remarkable seven-minute tirade:

As Lewis notes, Mourinho has also openly claimed Wenger can “moan” and “cry” about decisions but “nothing happens.” It’s not the first time the Chelsea boss has taken a swipe at the Gunners boss this season, suggesting, per Sky Sports, “only one manager is not under pressure,” strongly insinuating that man is Wenger.

With Chelsea struggling for form this season, Mourinho is understandably under a lot. But as James Ducker of the Times noted after the Southampton loss, the Portuguese seems to be unwilling to blame himself when it comes to the Blues’ poor performances:

The constant comparisons and jibes toward Wenger are growing tiresome too. When things are going wrong for Chelsea, there seems to be an instinctive reaction from Mourinho to compare himself and his team to those at the Emirates Stadium. While this bravado was entertaining at first, it’s now straying toward obsession.

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As is evident by these statistics, courtesy of Squawka, the Blues boss needs to concentrate on getting his own team into shape:

After all, a starting XI is the truest reflection of a manager you can get. So if Mourinho continues to act unhinged, bemoan decisions and looks to shirk responsibility, ultimately, the players will too. Some may say the Portuguese has sought to take the pressure off his squad with some undesirable recent antics, but there comes a time when mind games must cease.

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Indeed, as football reporter Spencer Owen suggested, the Blues probably aren’t as hard done by as Mourinho may think:

Mourinho may be bewildered after Wenger escaped punishment, but his focus shouldn’t waver from Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa. Anything other than a win in that fixture would mount serious pressure on the Portuguese, who seemed to be losing a grip of things prior to the international break.

He’ll be hoping the domestic football hiatus will have given his players a chance to get their focus back and return to Stamford Bridge revitalised. But it’s vital Mourinho shows he’s ready to lead by example in the weeks to come instead of continuing to decry external factors conspiring against Chelsea.