Chelsea’s start to the season has been so good that plenty of fans, pundits and the latest football betting odds are suggesting that the rest of the English Premier League teams are already playing for second place. Jose Mourinho’s searing pace-setters have been brilliant so far – and here are five reasons why the Blues will not be caught.
1. Goal-machine Diego Costa
Mourino made it clear almost at every given opportunity during the run-in last season – Chelsea were lacking a “killer” instinct (he actually used that word several times) up front and a proven goalscorer to edge tight games and convert their numerous chances. Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o did their best but they weren’t up to it. But Costa has come in and made a blinding start. His nine goals in the first seven matches is more prolific than even the most biased fan and Jose could have hoped for. The former Atletico Madrid star only needs one chance and, more often than not, the ball is in the back of the net. His confidence is infectious and he’s clearly the real deal. Expensive he was, but already it looks like the signing of the summer.
2. Cesc Fabregas pulling the strings
But following closely behind is Fabregas. The former Arsenal man has returned to the Premier League from Barca and it looks like he has never been away. He’s one of those players who does the simple thing but, in the process, makes the art of world-class box-to-box midfield play look a doddle. Seven assists already tells you all you need to know about his influence. He’s slotted back into life in England so seamlessly that he’s making Arsene Wenger’s decision to pass up the chance to re-sign him look more and more foolish by the day.
3. A settled defense
Mourinho appears to have settled on a regular back four of Cesar Azpilicueta, Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry and Gary Cahill in front of new No.1 goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and they look rock-solid. All great teams are built from the back first and this defence already looks the strongest in the league.
4. A superb supporting cast
Competing on four fronts requires a big squad – everyone knows that. But competing and having a chance of winning everything you enter are two very different things and Chelsea have top quality, in depth, everywhere you look. With the likes of John Terry, Eden Hazard, Fabregas and Costa among the regular first-choice starters, dip into the so-called ‘back-up’ players and there are huge talents desperate to feature. Brazilian duo Willian and Oscar are not always in the first XI, Andre Schurrle is not guaranteed a game every week even though he’s just helped Germany win the World Cup, while Mohamed Salah, Filipe Luis and Loic Remy can barely get a look-in at the moment. Mourinho’s squad is now that good he could field two sides that aren’t too dissimilar in quality and the rest of the Premier League is right to be scared.
5. Jose Mourinho
Mourinho has, of course, been there and done it. The man who has won all the top prizes pretty much everywhere he’s been knows what it takes to come out on top in a gruelling Premier League campaign. The Portuguese has a point to prove after last season’s disappointing third-place finish and, now he has the squad to do it, he is going all out for glory. It may not always be pretty, free-flowing attacking football from the Chelsea boss, but he’s a winner and unrivalled at being able to dig out results when it really matters.
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