Jose's Juggling Act

Article by e-Chelsea Correspondent Robert Wake

Before last Saturday’s shock defeat to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were facing a monumental nine days that would define their season. That defeat however, all but extinguished any smouldering embers of The Blues title bid. Attention quickly switched to engineering a result in the imposing Stadio Vicente Calderon in Madrid on Tuesday night.

Mourinho set his team up to contain and counter and the first part of the plan was carried out brilliantly, with excellent performances from John Terry, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole and Jon Mikel Obi in particular. In truth, without Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto’o Chelsea were pretty toothless on the counter, but overall the performance has given Mourinho a better than even chance of guiding The Blues to a third consecutive European final in Lisbon on 24 May.

Though the performance was admirable, it came at significant cost, with four players unavailable for the crucial second-leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Injuries to Petr Cech and John Terry, and suspensions for Frank Lampard and Jon Mikel Obi have significantly reduced Mourinho’s options for the return fixture. So, what appeared to be a title decider at Anfield on Sunday, has become at best a juggling act for Mourinho, and at worst a potentially chastening experience for some youngsters. Mourinho has suggested that due to the game being played on Sunday rather than 24 hours earlier, he may be left with little alternative than to field a predominantly second-string eleven in order to rest and protect key players for the European fixture.

While I understand Mourinho’s view point, i do not necessarily agree with it. Though our title chances are seemingly remote, a win at Anfield could not only reignite the smouldering embers, but also cast doubt into a hitherto rampant Liverpool, who could conceivably be behind Chelsea before a potentially awkward assignment at Selhurst Park on Bank Holiday Monday. Of course, it is quite possible that this is just Mourinho mind games ahead of the game at Anfield, designed to keep Brendan Rodgers guessing until an hour before kick-off. Knowing Mourinho’s spiky history with Liverpool, I find it unlikely that he is prepared to raise a metaphorical white flag at Anfield, and effectively hand the title to Liverpool in the process.

One way or another, Chelsea are once again involved in key matches at the business end of the season, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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