LONDON // The first thing that changed was the personnel, but this time it was the system that was sacrificed.
Jose Mourinho, who had reacted to previous setbacks by leaving out established members of his first-choice XI – from John Terry and Nemanja Matic to Oscar and Eden Hazard – switched formation in an attempt to belatedly kickstart Chelsea’s season against Southampton on Saturday.
On the evidence of this sluggish showing in another disappointing defeat, it was a move that simply did not work.
Terry returned to the side for the first time in the Premier League since the defeat to Everton three weeks ago, with Matic the most notable absentee from the hosts’ starting line-up.
The Serb’s place at the base of the hosts’ midfield was taken by Ramires, who was flanked by Oscar and Cesc Fabregas in a new-look 4-3-3 setup.
It was a role that the Brazilian never looked assured in. Ramires’ best qualities are his energy and lung power. When asked to hold a disciplined position in front of the back four, he appeared shackled and uneasy.
Sadio Mane, a real livewire who caused Chelsea a multitude of problems when these two sides last met at Stamford Bridge in March, was a constant thorn in Ramires’ side.
Chelsea’s No 7 tried to stick close to him at all times, preventing the pacey Senegal international from collecting the ball between the lines and running at Terry and Gary Cahill, but he was a clear second best in the pair’s personal duel and was extremely fortunate not to concede a penalty after tripping Mane inside the box.
The 4-3-3 configuration did not seem to aid Chelsea’s attacking efforts, either. At his best, Radamel Falcao was an explosive, on-the-shoulder No 9, but a combination of knee injuries and declining confidence have seen him unable to play his former game. Today’s Falcao therefore requires runners beyond him, something Chelsea were unable to provide without a midfielder positioned closer to the forward.
With the scores level, Matic replaced Ramires at the interval, re-assuming his usual role as Chelsea’s midfield anchor. The 4-3-3 shape was retained but the same issues continued, with Southampton racing into a deserved 3-1 lead and holding on comfortably for a terrific victory.
That Chelsea’s goal came from a Willian free kick was telling: they are a side that do not seem able to create clear-cut chances anymore, with a large number of their strikes this term coming from set-pieces or individual moments of brilliance.
In their 19 home games since the start of 2015, indeed, the champions have managed to score more than once from open play on only three occasions.
Despite his deserved reputation as one of the world’s foremost tacticians, Mourinho has never been one to chop and change between different systems and styles.
That, in part, stems from the fact that he has rarely felt compelled to try different things in an attempt to combat a sustained spell of poor form. Mourinho, who has won titles in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain, has usually departed clubs before things go wrong, moving on to another challenge elsewhere after three or so seasons.
His return to Chelsea in 2013 always felt like a new chapter in his career, an attempt to undergo a longer-term endeavour in order to cement his place in the all-time pantheon and quell the lingering doubts about his ability to succeed at a club for more than just a short period of time.
Eight games into his third campaign, those question marks remain. He has tried changing both players and formations but, at the moment, Mourinho just does not seem to have the answers.
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