“Are we expecting too much too soon?”
We all remember Jose’s first stint as Chelsea’s manager and the levels of success we had here. We all look at the squad we have at our disposal, full of talented and technically gifted individuals and see the potential we have. We all can imagine just how good we can be when it all clicks into place but we have to consider if we are asking too much, too soon.
I think the common phrase from this weekend that described Chelsea would have been “A work in progress” and it’s exactly that.
At the end of the day (and it’s important here that we consider both sides of the argument) we have to be realistic and accept that change does not and will not happen overnight. Some people will be of the mindset -”If it isn’t broke, why try and fix it?” - based our run towards the end of last season.
Well, that’s all well and good but we have to look at the bigger picture. Chelsea have fallen away from our title rivals over recent seasons and it’s important that as a football club, we close the gap.
Chelsea have not been anywhere near good enough in the Premier League on a consistent basis. When I speak of being consistent, I am referring to the whole season. Chelsea have under performed and lost a ridiculous amount of points during that time and something had to give.
I keep hearing this saying you should never go back in football but to that I think why not? If you are given the chance to come back to the club you hold in your heart, why not?
As much as I am frustrated with Chelsea at the moment, I am taking a step back this afternoon from jumping the gun and taking a look at the bigger picture.
Jose spoke of his aim as manager of Chelsea this time around after Fulham and re-iterated what he is trying to do now to set us up long term.
Speaking of the situation with Juan Mata and his ultimate aim this term, he said:
There are some key things to take out of that interview and the first being that he believes that Chelsea over recent seasons have set themselves up to play counter attacking football, playing a low block to encourage teams onto us and then hit them on the counter attack.
I am not totally sure that this has been the case but I agree that we have played that way at times, maybe more often than I can remember, but it has been the case.
With the players and ability we have, I guess it’s the case of playing the Barcelona way again and pressing the ball higher up the pitch, winning it early as he states after. Have we been doing that so far this season? I would have to say yes at times but not as a constant.
The other key point he makes here is when I believe he is referring to the long diagonals we used to play here before. It’s obvious he is referring to Didier Drogba and the option he provided us to mix our play up from left to right, lump a long ball across to him for him to either flick on or to win, hold up and bring other players into play around him. Lukaku was an option before he was sent on loan.
I guess if you think about it, that’s part of David Luiz‘s game, the long ball over the top or on the diagonal and that’s probably why he was dropped for Fulham.
Of course any change of style will take time and asking the players to adjust to a way of playing that saw them become European Cchampions, Europa League champions and FA Cup winners, is going to be difficult. You have to get them to change their mindset first of all and then learn to play with each other in the style the manager wants.
Let’s not forget, we have to do this as the season rumbles on and the games comes thick and fast.
Now, I am the first person to hold my hands up and admit that I have been really, really frustrated this season. Am I wrong in feeling that way? I don’t think so because I know exactly what we can achieve under Mourinho this season and beyond.
Having time to think about things and reading Mourinho’s comments here, I am asking you, the reader, if I am expecting too much and as Chelsea fans if we ALL are expecting too much too soon?
Do we have to learn to walk again before we can run?
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