Futbol: 5 Jose Mourinho Miss-Steps
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It seems like just a few weeks ago where we were all comparing the coaching styles of Arsene Wenger and the infamous Jose Mourinho after the community shield loss to Arsenal prior to this season. I remember hearing phrases like "well Arsenal guaranteed at least one win over the defending League Champions."
However, since that game, Chelsea has only managed three league wins in 11 fixtures. But more worrisome is the six losses for Blues, as it already ties the squad's total for all of last season's league winning campaign.
The other thing that has remained consistent apart from their atrocious on-field performance is the unrest and tomfoolery that has surrounded the pitch.
Mourinho is rapidly shifting from a timeless hero at Stanford Bridge to an unemployed one.
It was not long into Blues unimpressive 2015-2016 campaign that Mourinho started making headlines as he fired team doctor, Eva Carneiro immediately following their first Premier League matchup, which ended in a 2-2 draw with Swansea.
The season then continued to see suspensions, like those to Diego Costa following the 2-0 win against Arsenal, and heavy fines like those to Mourinho himself – well pretty much all season.
All miss-steps and wrong decisions, however, all seems to have come to a head this past weekend as the conversation and support are starting to drift.
It isn't enough for the Chelsea skipper that his players are starting to speak out against him, but also his behavior in the 3-1 loss to Liverpool this weekend has left him with a £40,000 fine and a one game stadium ban. Falcao, Ivanovic, and Pedro are all dealing with nagging injuries, and for the cherry on top, Eva Carneiro, their former team doctor, is not only suing the club, but also Mourinho himself for wrongful dismissal.
With Mourinho getting on the television and making a fool out of himself on a weekly basis, he has blamed everyone from referees to the media and even concocted a conspiracy theory about the FA forcing him to leave by publicly disgracing him.
Liverpool has faced their own struggles this season as well as they sit at eighth on the table, but have new energy under Jurgen Klopp, which they showed in excess on Saturday. And while we know that Klopp's first league win was going to come sometime, I'm sure there was some inside reason why it just had to happen to Mourinho---or at least he would think.
The biggest worry for those hopeless Blues supporters at this point is not the lack of form as much as the resistance to do anything about it. With the dressing room already reportedly turning on him, Mourinho's team shows absolutely no resiliency as the third goal on Saturday came easier than the second, which was even easier than the first. Chelsea offers little come-from-behind power which is specifically bad for them as they – well often are playing from behind.
And what more does that scream about a club more than apprehension to play?
Whether it is the lack of success or, more commonly, the off field or sideline antics of their fearless leader, Chelsea remains atop the headlines while sitting comfortably three quarters down the table. In fact, that one impressive 2-0 home-win against league leading Arsenal was even tainted by the never-ending antics of Diego Costa, and, well you guessed it, Jose Mourinho and their resulting fines and suspensions.
5 Mourinho Miss-steps of the 2015-2016 Season so far:
5. Firing Eva Carneiro
Following the 2-2 draw with Swansea in their first premier league match of the season, Mourinho called the actions of Carneiro "naïve" as she ran onto the pitch to tend to a fallen Eden Hazard during the last part of the match. Chelsea were already down to 10 men after their keeper was sent off, so when Hazard had to leave due to injury time, Chelsea were temporarily down to 9 men for a crucial part of the game.
4. The whole 'who blanked who' debate after Community Shield.
Following the 1-0 loss against London rivals, Arsenal in the Community Shield, Mourinho was criticized for refusing to shake opposing manager, Arsene Wenger's hand. Choice words directed at Wenger following this match cleared up anyone's doubt about who really blanked who. Arsenal is currently tied at the top spot in the table with Manchester City.
3. Diego Costa vs. Arsenal
Following an incident on the pitch between infamous trouble maker, Diego Costa and Arsenal's Hector Bellerin, in which Referee Mike Dean admitted missing completely, both Blues midfielder and manager were handed a suspension and fines for Failure to control the players.
2. "Referees are 'afraid' to give Chelsea decisions."
Following the embarrassing 3-1 loss to Southampton at home, Mourinho goes on a seven-minute rant, while he seemed to create an intricate "conspiracy" suggesting that it was the league that wanted to see Blues lose. He received a £50,000 fine and a one match stadium ban for the harsh accusations, to which he has not served yet due to a pending appeal.
1. Whatever happened this Weekend!
Once Philippe Coutinho scored the equalizer for Liverpool in what Mourinho thought was an extended first half injury time, Chelsea did not have a chance. Mourinho was then given another one-match stadium ban after he tried to have words with Referee Jonathan Ross at halftime. Ross immediately sent him to the stands after he would not start the second half in his team's dugout. The ban coincides with a £40,000 fine as well. Let's also remember, all this after a 3-1 loss to the very average Liverpool Club.
Tim Donnellon is a graduate of Rutgers University and works for SportsRadio 94WIP. Donnellon, an avid soccer, has traveled and studied the game abroad.
