Chelsea FC’s Stars Threatened With Sack
Complacency is one of the worst things that can happen to a team and it appears to have taken root in the Chelsea FC squad. Manager Jose Mourinho has sensed it among his senior players and dropped a hint of what may come if the players do not improve or show more urgency and effort.
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Mourinho told the media after the defeat to Crystal Palace, as quoted by Sky Sports, “If a player is not performing, there are two ways to look at it. The first one is that I trust the player so much that I will wait for the improvement. You wait, wait, and wait and maybe it comes or it doesn’t come.”
So what happens if that player that Mourinho trusts so much does not improve? Well according to the manager, “even when you are trusting the player, (there) arrives a moment when you think, ‘I have to change’. And I can go both ways”.
In no uncertain terms, Mourinho has divided his underperforming players in to two categories, ones that he will wait to improve and others that he will have to replace. As for those who he will wait on, the obvious candidates are players like Eden Hazard, Nemanja Matic, and Cesc Fabregas. Hazard is the star of the show and as he goes as does the rest of the squad.
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His struggles are directly related to what ails the squad but his effort has also not been there. On Palace’s second goal of the day when it was still 1-1, Hazard allowed his man to run unmarked to the far post. Hazard’s man Sako sent the initial cross back across the face of the goal and it was headed home. If the Belgian had simply followed the runner he could have blocked him off or at least sent it out for a corner. Instead Palace scored and the Chelsea players looked like fools with their hands on their hips looking for someone to blame.
It is hard to imagine Mourinho dropping a player like Hazard but if that is what must be done to light a fire under him then it will happen. The Brazilian youngster Kenedy came on and showed signs of life and could be seen as a possible alternative to the Belgian even if only to motivate him.
As for Fabregas and Matic, they have looked slow and their passes have been far below their usual standard. Neither player has recorded an assist so far this season and Fabregas has been largely ineffective offensively or defensively. The usually reliable duo has become a weak spot in the Chelsea team and they have both left the defense exposed.
Fabregas has the excuse that he is playing out of position but what has happened to Matic? Is he trying too hard to compensate for Fabregas or is he not as good as he looked last season? The only real threat to his place is Ruben Loftus-Cheek and it is even harder to imagine Mourinho trusting the center of the park to a 19 year old with a handful of first team appearances.
As for those who look primed to lose their places in the team, Branislav Ivanovic and Willian are prime candidates. Willian looks like he will be replaced by Oscar in the number 10 role when he returns from injury but at least he has shown desire. His shooting is awful but he has been aggressive which can not be said about most of his teammates.
Ivanovic should have been replaced after the opening match against Swansea City but somehow he has survived. The Blues brought in Abdul Rahman Baba to bring some competition and it is time for a change there. Azpilicueta must return to right back and Rahman should be given a chance in the team. The Spaniard is a clear upgrade over Ivanovic and it is hard to imagine Rahman playing any worse than the Serb right now.
Change is needed in this Chelsea FC side and the time is now. The international break comes at a rough time for the Blues because they will have to stew over the loss to Palace for two weeks but the agony of defeat may light a fire under them. Mourinho now has two weeks to reevaluate his team and make the changes that are so obviously needed.
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