Chelsea: Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard in poor EPL form David Weiner

JOSE Mourinho has turned on the core group of players that delivered him Premier League success in 2014-2015.

Singling out Eden Hazard, who he predicted could reach Cristiano Ronaldo’s level this season, and the rest of his senior stars, Mourinho’s patience is running out after just four rounds of the Premier League.

When asked if some of his stars might be resting on the laurels of their Premiership success, Mourinho said: “If that is the case, it is very sad. When I win, I want to win again. If you win it once and the next you are not on fire, that is sad. My medal is at home. In a drawer”.

Hazard, 24, was anonymous against Crystal Palace, and has struggled to make an impact this season.

He comes in at No.86 of Whoscored.com’s attacking index of best players – a list he topped consistently last term, based on key indicators like shots per game, key passes and dribbles. In the first four rounds, he has one assist, and no goals.

“’If you are the best in the league, I think it should be a good responsibility to have a similar season than in the previous season,” Mourinho said.

“I don’t want to analyse individual performances. In general terms, it is difficult to have a consistent performance when some of the players are not performing at a good level. When you have six or seven performing and three or four who are not at an acceptable level, it is hard for a team to be consistent in the performance.”


Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said he would be concerned if he was Mourinho.

“The players need to give themselves a slap around the face,” Neville said. “I don’t know what it is at this moment in time, but I think the international break has come at a good time for Chelsea. It’ll allow them all just to get away and reassess what’s going on.”

He added: “They look absolutely knackered – they look absolutely shot to pieces. We talked about Manchester City last season when they were champions, not being able to get themselves back up for it again.

“That’s inexcusable to me – the idea that your desire wilts and waves. It cannot happen.

“You have your summer off, you come back and you go again. You have to put in the same amount of effort. What makes you think that, just because you’ve won the championship, you can relax and do things differently?”

Mourinho said he had two or three players who he was particularly unhappy with after the Crystal Palace performance – and loyalty will not earn them a spot in his line-up for much longer.


Chelsea's head coach Jose Mourinho shouts instructions.Source: AP


“(Manchester) City reacted to the fact they had lost the title by buying fantastic players,” Mourinho said, in a not so veiled dig at his club’s summer transfer policy.

“They are buying more until the end of the market. This is their job and if they have the economic potential to do that, good.

“You see my players on the pitch and could identify two or three players that can do better. That is what we have to do. It is not the point to be loyal. It is to analyse if they are ready to give an answer and fight against that bad form.”

So, who are the players that have let Mourinho down?


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has so much to consider.Source: AP

BRANISLAV IVANOVIC

A titan of Chelsea’s defence in previous seasons, Ivanovic has simply lost his legs in the off-season, producing four disastrous displays this term. He has been torn apart down Chelsea’s right flank and been unable to exert the same influence going forward either. He’s taken the captain’s armband in John Terry’s absence, but will that be enough to keep him in the XI?

Threat: The most likely to be dropped. Chelsea have signed Baba Rahman from Augsburg, who could move to left-back, with Cesar Azpilicueta, who also hasn’t been at his best, an option on the right.

JOHN TERRY

The skipper went from not missing a minute last season to being dragged at half-time in game two, sent off after 53 minutes in game three and suspended in game four in an awful start to the campaign. With the individual pieces in Chelsea’s puzzle struggling, the 34-year-old’s lack of pace has been exposed and Mourinho made him a very public scapegoat against Manchester City.

Threat: The team selection when he returns from suspension will be very, very interesting. Kurt Zouma and Gary Cahill, Kurt Zouma and Terry or will he give the old guard one more go?

CESC FABREGAS

The Spaniard has been anonymous. His desire to get forward has been blamed for Chelsea’s lack of balance in the middle of the park, but the bigger question is – what has he actually been doing in his attacking role? He was in rich form this time last year, but is struggling to assert himself so far this season, against some very shrewd midfields’ set up to stifle Chelsea.

Threat: We haven’t seen much of Oscar, and teenage recruit Kenedy looked good off the bench on the weekend. Mourinho will be reluctant to drop Fabregas, but he’s really not getting much out of him at the moment at all. Central midfield will be a very interesting talking point on Deadline Day.


Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas has been chasing shadows.Source: AP



EDEN HAZARD

The EPL’s best player simply hasn’t been able to get into matches, isolated out on the left, and unable to sprinkle his magic in Chelsea’s attack.

Threat: Hazard is unlikely to be dropped by Mourinho, but expectations are higher than what he’s delivered.

NEMANJA MATIC

The Serbian midfield enforcer was indispensable to Chelsea last season, but he is at sea this term. He was sacrificed in a tactical change against Palace, but the shield in front of Chelsea’s back four isn’t anywhere near as reliable as he was last term.

Threat: Saved by a lack of other options, especially if Jon Obi Mikel is sold. But the fact he was replaced by teenager Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a huge warning that Mourinho could do something radical sooner rather than later.

DIEGO COSTA

Costa’s effort can’t be questioned, but the Spaniard should spend more energy focusing on scoring than picking a fight with anything that breathes – and probably, things that don’t.

Threat: Costa will remain up front and the supply to him needs to improve. Chelsea presented more of a threat with Radamel Falcao alongside him, but it’s unlikely the Colombian will surpass the Spaniard as the No.1 striker just yet.