JOSE Mourinho’s Chelsea dropped title marker last week when they followed a narrow 1-0 win at Sporting Lisbon in the UCL with an almost routine 2-0 success over tepid Arsenal who were fortunate to leave Stamford Bridge with a modest defeat on the evidence of their insipid display in yet another big match.
The victory means the Blues are the only unbeaten side in the BPL and also restores their five-point lead at the summit ahead of reigning champs Manchester City who have 14 from seven matches. Perhaps the only sore spot in the Blues sweet victory over a supposed title rival was the injury to new first choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. But the good news is the young tender now has two weeks of international break to recover in time for next league action.
The result was routine in every sense: Diego Costa scored, of course, from a sumptuous Cesc Fabregas assist, of course. Edin Hazard waltzed his way to win a penalty off Laurent Koscielny who was fortunate to remain on the pitch. And he rose to dispatch it, sending keeper the wrong way.
Ominously, Chelsea are yet to hit top gear. They have won three games on the trot in all competitions and didn’t concede a goal in those matches. They haven’t been shy in front of goal too, plundering six goals in the matches in question. Fact is these Blues now look typically Mourinho: great all-round discipline, good team ethics, and cold-blooded ruthlessness in front of goal.
My only concern is what happens should Costa eventually bow to his reported niggling ham string. Mou pled hopelessly for Spain to omit the in-form poacher from their Euro qualifiers. But the question is would Jose have acquiesced to such plea from a club coach were he to be a national team boss?
Costa and Fabregas are central to whatever this Chelsea do. The duo works in tandem such that you wonder how effective each would be without the other. Also one may well ask what happens to the Blues when somebody works out how to break that crucial telepathic link as it is bound to happen sooner rather than later.
Another hero of the latest Blues success was Oscar. The Brazilian playmaker has added impressive strength and defensive solidity to his game since Mourinho’s second coming. And the player is by far the better for it.
The victory also means Arsene Wenger remains unable to beat Mourinho after 12 confrontations. Alright it wasn’t a 6-0 drubbing of last season in the corresponding fixture. But it was still a defeat to continue rankling Monsieur Wenger’s head. Arsenal’s mental block in big matches, personified by hugely vilified Mesut Ozil, needs serious addressing now.
Germany World Cup winner Ozil disappeared without a trace at the Bridge while the man he supposedly succeeded at the Emirates dictated proceedings like a generalissimo. His painful no-show in big games continues to irk his club faithful. But I’m neither surprised nor disappointed with him, having concluded long time ago that he is one of world’s most overrated players of his generation.
Last season Arsenal won 10 of 12 London derbies. The two they didn’t win were against the Blues. This and many other questions will occupy Gunners faithful as we go into the international break. Meanwhile, Mou and Blues faithful go into another international break confidently dreaming of another title in trophy-laden Roman Abramovich era.
Mou warned his team would be ready to win the title this season. At the rate they are going, only a foolhardy pundit will sniff at their chances, even at this very early stage of the season.
Note: This article was written on Sunday 5th October 2014
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