Good news for the Chelsea boss.
Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich is standing by his man after yet another disappointing loss. Jose Mourinho’s future has been subject to much speculation after Liverpool handed the Blues their sixth loss in 11 Premier League games last weekend.
Saturday saw Chelsea give up a one-goal lead to crumble at the feet of a Jurgen Klopp-inspired Merseyside outfit. After starting the game brightly, Ramires gave the Blues the lead on the 4th minute mark. The Brazilian charged onto a Cesar Azpilicueta cross to power the ball past Simon Mignolet with his head.
Even Eden Hazard looked up for the game at that point, but a brief period of intent was followed by a fatal error. Mourinho allowed, or instructed, his team to sit back in a bid to protect the marginal lead.
It was then Liverpool’s to lose, and lose they did not.
More from The Pride of London
- Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea player ratings: Abysmal, reckless, wasteful
- Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea: 3 Blues talking points
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 1 Blue Mauricio Pochettino should drop
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea: 3 Blues who must start
- Predicted Chelsea lineup vs Bournemouth: Palmer starts in 4-2-3-1
Mourinho chose to attend his obligatory post-match tunnel interview, only to say absolutely nothing. He projected an image of a man on the brink of insanity, a despot clinging onto power.
Now, The Telegraph reports that he his future is not under immediate threat, with Abramovich granting the Portuguese tactician more time.
"Abramovich has attempted to back Mourinho, but is adamant that Chelsea must qualify for the Champions League, and the owner will act accordingly to try and make sure that happens."
The Blues currently sit in 15th position, four points off the relegation zone. The top four, meanwhile, seems a mile away with 11 other teams and 10 points between them and Champions League qualification.
In ominous scenes, Mourinho returned to the Stamford Bridge pitch with his coaching staff for an eerie summit after the stadium had cleared out. No-one has managed to find the solution to Chelsea’s troubles at the moment and it is possibly this unfathomable puzzle that is preventing the owner from pulling the trigger.
There are very few managers out there at the moment who will be able to come in at such a point and turn things around. The majority of fans are, manically some would say, still standing behind the boss and this news will be greeted as a departure from the revolving door era that saw eight managers come and go in the six years between Mourinho’s two stints.
However, even the most ardent of Mourinho supporters will admit that he is testing the patience of everyone associated with Chelsea FC.
The most concerning issue is an apparent lack of harmony amongst the squad members and the rumours of a dressing room revolt. Such stories come naturally at a time of crisis but with every additional loss, they seem increasingly justified.
Next: Chelsea FC: Defiant Jose Mourinho Costs The Blues
The players have been poor, but the tactics have also been questionable. Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev is yet another crucial fixture in this 2015/16 Chelsea campaign.