One of the most famous TV sitcoms in England is called Only Fools and Horses. In that long-standing show the main protagonist is named Del Boy, a South London street merchant who is a wheeler-dealer extraordinaire. No matter what lies in front of him, ‘Del’ always seems to land on his feet.
Right now in West London, Jose Mourinho is proving himself to be a modern day Del Boy.
This summer Chelsea’s manager has performed one of shrewdest overhauls in Premier League history. Veterans Ashley Cole, Samuel Eto’o and Frank Lampard are gone, plus Romelu Lukaku and David Luiz left for a massive profit. In came star striker Diego Costa, midfield sensation Cesc Fabregas, talented goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois back from a loan spell, legendary forward Didier Drogba on a free and Brazilian defender Filipe Luis.
Mourinho managed all that and made a profit Del Boy would be proud of. His squad is now truly starting to take shape.
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Since returning to Stamford Bridge last summer Mourinho has been threatening to overhaul Chelsea’s roster and finally he has done so. One of the greatest coaches in soccer history doesn’t get much wrong, but he should have wheeled and dealed last summer when he arrived. Now that he has, are Chelsea the favorites to win the Premier League? The bookies have them down to win the PL and those chaps usually aren’t too far off the mark. That, plus the optimism of fans in West London, points to the fact that this could be Chelsea’s year.
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The Blues have not won the PL title since 2009-10, when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge. Mourinho won no silverware last season and the pressure is slightly on the man they call the ‘Special One.’ Chants of “your not special anymore, your not special anyyyymore!’ rang around stadiums last season as Chelsea huffed and puffed their way to a third place finish. Mourinho waved away those shouts from the terraces whenever they arose but he is all in this season. This is his team. The 51-year-old has signed new players and has cast aside plenty of stars to mold his unit together. Last year he brought in the likes of Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah during the season and shipped out the hugely talented Juan Mata. Many questioned what he was doing.
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Mourinho knows what and who he wants and has constructed the strongest squad in the PL over the summer. Now it is all about execution and giving the right players the chance to flourish. He referred to his players as “kids” many times last year and that famous reference to the Blues being ‘a small horse that needs milk to run and jump. Next season we will be ready to race.’
Below is what I think is Chelsea’s best starting lineup, plus seven subs, as Mourinho’s horse is ready to run.
Chelsea’s best starting lineup
Cech
Azpilicueta---Cahill---Ivanovic---Luis
Matic---Ramires
Oscar---Fabregas---Hazard
Costa
Subs:
Courtois (GK)
Terry
Willian
Schurrle
Salah
Drogba
Torres
This team has the potential to obliterate the PL this season. If Diego Costa settles into life in England quickly, which his style of play and attributes suggest, Chelsea could have the final piece of the jigsaw they’ve been looking for. 25 plus goals from a striker. Fabregas is a genius in a central midfield role and his balls should supply Costa with plenty of chances to score. The problem area at left back has been plugged with Brazilian Filipe Luis and there will be a right ding-dong battle for the goalkeeping jersey between veteran Petr Cech and one of the world’s most outstanding young goalkeepers, Courtois.
When you look at the lineup above and the likes of John Obi Mikel, Marco Van Ginkel and Victor Moses aren’t even making the bench, you know Chelsea got a lot stronger over the summer. After going to the UEFA Champions League semifinal last season, they can do one step further and make the final this season, although you sense success domestically is what Mourinho is after. He wants to win it all and he has to win something during this campaign or his second stint at Chelsea could come to an abrupt end for the man who proclaimed on his return last summer that he wants to remain at Stamford Bridge for 10, 15 years or more.
Mourinho has managed Real Madrid, FC Porto and Inter Milan. He has won silverware at all three but Chelsea is where he became a household name. Just like Del Boy, Mourinho put in the man hours and is a hero because of that. Del Boy slaved away for decades selling whatever he could to get by and one day he hit the jackpot and was worth millions. All his dreams had come true... then he blew it all and he’s back to where he started. South London, hustling to make a living and always trying to reinvent himself. The TV show ended without us ever getting to see if Del Boy made it back to the riches he so craved.
Jose Mourinho is back at Chelsea searching for the silverware he won in his first spell at the club. Unlike Del Boy, we will get to see if Jose succeeds or fails this season and beyond. This season he has gone for broke in search of glory. It’s a case of all or nothing for the ‘Special One’ in the second season of his second stint in charge at Stamford Bridge.
To borrow one of Del Boy’s most famous catchphrases, as it seems rather poignant, “he who dares, wins.”