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Mourinho’s Toughest Test
As Graziano Pellé struck for Southampton in the 72nd minute to put the Saints ahead 3-1 at Stamford Bridge the Sky Sports commentator remarked, “This is turning from a blip into a full blown crisis for Chelsea.” Southampton would win the match by that scoreline and keep Chelsea in 16th place in the table ahead…
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The Myth of Mourinho
I remember the first time I watched a José Mourinho team, and I think that’s very much telling. Usually, you don’t really focus on the manager, no matter how good he is, when watching a game. Back then, managers were a presence that, while very much respected for their importance, weren’t the focus of the…
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Offensively Blue
Arsene Wenger claimed his first win in fourteen tries against Jose Mourinho when his Arsenal squad beat Mourinho’s Chelsea in the Community Shield thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first half strike. While Mourinho will be quick to downplay the loss as one that occurred in a glorified friendly in August, there were a few issues present, especially…
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Mailbag: Spurs’ Defense, Mou’s Bus Preferences, Monaco’s Rebirth
Q: Will Tottenham ever find a back four that actually knows how to defend properly? A: Spurs have benefited a lot this season (and last and even the season before last) from Hugo Lloris’ talents. He’s has made no shortage of huge saves for Spurs this season, and averages 3.3 saves per game, the fifth most in the Premier…
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Chelsea 1 – PSG 1: Midfield Dominates, Forwards Stifled For Blanc’s Crew
PSG and Chelsea battled to a 1-1 draw at the Parc des Princes, with PSG probably ruing the fact that they couldn’t get more out of this game. Because of PSG’s injury problems (Serge Aurier, Yohan Cabaye, Lucas Moura and Marquinhos all sustained injuries against Caen, although Marquinhos was able to play), not many gave…
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Diego Costa: Obnoxiously Infuriating, Beautifully Gifted
He’s a Brazilian traitor. He’s the Spanish scapegoat. One moment he’s in a tussle with an opponent. The next he’s banging another goal in just to remind you he’s the leading scorer in the most popular league in the world. He was Atletico’s crown jewel. He’s another cog in the Chelsea machine — despite once being…
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Balance At The Bridge
Before the season began, I wrote about Jose Mourinho building a squad that would contend with the best of Europe, and perhaps pick up a few trophies along the way. I still think Chelsea are a juggernaut, probably not on par with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, but definitely not too far behind. The additions…
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EDIZD Guide to the Weekend, Vol 1
We’ve decided to start offering you a new feature to help you through the weekend, so it’s not all EPL, all the time (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Here’s your guide to the best the world of football has to offer this week. 1. Chelsea vs. City You had to know this was…