Apathetic players draw poor results
A do-or-die win against Aston Villa last weekend provided a tiny window of breathability for Chelsea during the week, yet it is one which has been shut with little mercy following the calamity at Upton Park and the dour 0-0 draw against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League midweek. But how much blame can fairly be put upon the shoulders of the manager? Agree or disagree with him, it is impossible to doubt Mourinho’s passion for both the team and the sport as a whole – yet amid tough results, this same dedication seems to have been lost in his players.
Nemanja Matic typified this point with his immeasurably-foolish sending-off, earning a second yellow card within the opening 45 minutes when he wrestled Diafra Sakho to the ground on the wing. Despite John Terry’s best efforts to shield his teammate from any repercussion, the marching orders were inevitable. Having been dropped from the starting lineup for numerous games in recent weeks, the Serbian decided not to try and prove his worth to Mourinho and instead crippled the squad’s efforts – the look on his face when leaving the pitch giving a glimpse into the player’s current mindset.
Losing confidence is one thing, but names such as Matic, Eden Hazard and Fabregas seem to hardly even care that Chelsea are on a harsh downward spiral.
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Hammers showing true capability
The headlines post-match might have been stolen by the visiting manager, but the performance put in by Slaven Bilic’s evolved West Ham side cannot be fully-overshadowed. With victories under Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool also under their belts, the team are confirmed giant-killers this season and on the back of Payet’s on-field genius look every bit capable of finishing inside the top six. When Carroll is even getting in on the action, one knows things are going well at Upton Park, but undoubtedly everybody will want to see if the Hammers can keep this form up until May.
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