Chelsea: Four ways Sarri could go too far in copying Mourinho vs. Liverpool

The Independent published the definitive chronicle of Jose Mourinho’s genius machinations before Chelsea’s fixture at Liverpool in 2014. If Maurizio Sarri read it, he may come away with the right ideas but apply them in his usual too-literal way.

We like to joke about how Maurizio Sarri often applies the advice of his more decorated peers (such as Pep Guardiola) with a self-defeating level of literal detail. For example, Guardiola supposedly told Sarri he would only be able to develop 12-14 players in his first season at Chelsea. Sarri proceeded to choose 14 players who received the lion’s share of his attention and playing minutes for the first three-quarters of the season, completely ignoring the existence of the rest.

With The Independent providing an in-depth look at Jose Mourinho’s meticulous preparations for and execution of Chelsea’s title-denying fixture against Liverpool in April 2014, here are a few ways Sarri could recreate the Special One’s brilliant gameplan in all the wrong ways.*

1. First-team starting XI debut for a youth player

John Terry and Petr Cech were unavailable for the match, so Jose Mourinho needed a rock-solid solution at centre-back. At the pre-game meeting, he asked every player to say where he made his senior debut. Mourinho then looked at Tomas Kalas and said “Tomas, you’re making your debut at Anfield.”

Before that game, Kalas had two 1-minute appearances for the Blues’ senior team: against Galatasaray in the Champions League Round of 16 and against Arsenal in the League Cup. Kalas would start one more game for Chelsea two weeks later against Cardiff, and would never play for Chelsea or in the Premier League again (at least not so far in his career, five years on).

Ethan Ampadu is far outside of Maurizio Sarri’s favour, not even travelling with the team to Prague for the Europa League midweek. He also has too many minutes to be this season’s Kalas.

Sarri could turn to Kyle Scott to solve the endless problem of the left central midfielder. Scott has done nothing for no one since returning in December from a loan to Telstar SC in Belgium’s second division. He has 28 first team minutes from an FA Cup tie last season.

Or Sarri could aim to one-up Mourinho by giving a player not only his first Premier League start, but his first senior-team appearance altogether. Tariq Lamptey, get your boots on!

2. Balance youth with experience (or the elderly)

With Cech out, Mourinho had to start 41-year old Mark Schwarzer between the sticks to face Luis Suarez and the rest of Liverpool’s league-leading offence. The game was Schwarzer’s second in a four-game run in the Premier League, his only league appearances for Chelsea.

Two years later, though, Schwarzer would win the Premier League with Leicester City, with no league appearances for the Foxes in that historic season. Four Premier League games with Chelsea or no games but a title with Leicester… which would you rather have in your early 40s?

Let’s ask Rob Green after he consigns Kepa Arrizabalaga to the bench on Sunday. Maurizio Sarri excluding Arrizabalaga for only one game was hardly the discipline that insubordinate young man needed. Surely Sarri did not think that was the end of it. Sarri has been biding his time, waiting for the proper moment to teach the churlish Spaniard what happens to players who do not understand what to do when their number appears in red on the fourth official’s board.

Rob Green’s vast experience would balance out Kyle Scott’s youth and naivete, along with sending a stern message about Sarri’s leadership: when Mourinho plays an old backup keeper, you find one either older or further back in line.

3. Demand bookings and time-wasting

Jose Mourinho, in one of the most Mourinho episodes ever, rehearsed time-wasting routines with the players in practice. Within the first few minutes of the game, Branislav Ivanovic and Schwarzer were bumbling around with a goal kick to shed a few seconds off the clock.

Mourinho told his players he wanted two yellow cards in the first half alone for time-wasting. On this specific measure, the players failed. But they wasted enough time for Martin Atkinson to add enough time in the first half for Steven Gerrard to slip his way into history.

How will Maurizio Sarri go above and beyond? Well, Ross Barkley and Antonio Rudiger have flirted with bookings for the last few games. Sarri will tell them they must take their coy courtships to the next level and make a strong move to get in the referee’s little black book. Repeatedly. In fact, if they stay on the pitch they might as well not bother reporting to work next week.

If time-wasting won’t bring out the card, then, by god, they better start leaving their feet to make tackles, horse-collaring Liverpool players to the ground and – in honour of Liverpool’s hungriest son – biting Reds right in front of the referee. When Mourinho says gets yellow cards for time-wasting, Sarri demands blood.

Meanwhile, Sarri will do his part whenever the ball goes out of bounds near his technical area. Jose Mourinho put the ball behind his back when Liverpool players came to take a throw-in. Sarri will go one better by putting a cigarette out on the ball, forcing the players to wait for a new ball that does not have an ash stain and burn mark on it.

Sarri may also puff a few Pall Mall’s right next to the fourth official, who will become so disgusted with the second-hand smoke that he will only signal one minute of added time for each half.

4. Dress down for the occasion

Jose Mourinho stopped shaving a few days before the match, claimed to be sick and wore a track suit and training vest instead of his usual dapper duds. He came to the marquee game of the Premier League season looking like a hungover Sunday pub league player. It was another stroke of genius from Mourinho, putting a damper on the occasion and not showing Liverpool’s expected coronation a shred of respect.

Maurizio Sarri can very easily do the same by, well, dressing and grooming the way he always does. Oversized, ill-fitting track suit? Check. Slightly unkempt appearance? Check. Nicotine-stained teeth and hands? Those aren’t going anywhere.

Well, look at that. He’s been outdoing Mourinho this entire season. Maybe we have been underestimating him.

*Before you leave any hate mail below, seriously, you do realize this is all a f**king joke, right?