7 Truths: Jose Mourinho is on the brink, Sergio Aguero is irreplaceable, Lionel Messi is
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 03/10/2015 at 20:12 GMT
Jose Mourinho may be poised to leave Chelsea after his astonishing rant; Sergio Aguero has again showed why he cannot be sold; and Lionel Messi was missed badly.
Jose Mourinho shouts at his players as Chelsea lose again
Image credit: AFP
1. Mourinho is on the brink
Astonishing. Shocking. Alarming. Jaw-dropping. It was very difficult to know quite how to react to Jose Mourinho's explosive post-match interview following Chelsea's dire 3-1 defeat to Southampton at Stamford Bridge.
From appearing to invite the sack to slamming the referee, Mourinho left virtually nothing unsaid in a remarkable seven-minute rant on Sky Sports which included him saying, "if they sack me, they sack the best manager they have had".
For fans of press conferences, this had absolutely everything; for fans of Chelsea, this was very worrying indeed.
Courageous and honest or foolish and irresponsible? At times it was very hard to tell. But what was abundantly clear to everyone seeing Mourinho in full flow was one thing: he is surely now on the brink of leaving Stamford Bridge.
- - -
2. Chelsea's stars are seriously struggling
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/10/03/1704324-36084883-2560-1440.jpg)
Chelsea's Gary Cahill (L) and John Terry look dejected at the end of the match
Image credit: Reuters
With their second goal against Newcastle last weekend, Chelsea managed to salvage a point away from home. The celebrations looked positive, indicating that the players felt their comeback really meant something.
Throughout the defeat against Southampton, even when in the lead in the opening stages, the morale of the players did not seem to be at all positive. It's easy to read into body language things that aren't actually there, but it certainly didn't look like the Chelsea everyone had got used to seeing under Mourinho.
When apparent morale is met by a terrible performance - indeed, a season of terrible performances - it is worth questioning if Mourinho will be able to haul his players back from the position that they are in. Do they have the hunger to regain their title? It's very hard to say they do with any certainty right now.
- - -
3. Barcelona will never be the same without Messi
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/10/03/1704236-36083123-2560-1440.jpg)
Barcelona's Neymar (R) and Luis Suarez (L) reacts after Sevilla's Michael Krohn-Dehli scores during their La Liga match against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium
Image credit: Reuters
Playing their first La Liga match without the injured Lionel Messi, Luis Enrique’s side suffered their second league defeat of the season as they lost 2-1 to Sevilla. Luis Suarez helped to rescue Barcelona in mid-week in their lacklustre 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. However, they were found wanting on this occasion.
Barcelona were far from convincing before Messi suffered his injury. Now, they’re just simply unconvincing. Suarez cannot be expected to do it all on his own and needs the likes of Neymar to step up and share the load.
Barcelona haven't scored in the first half of six of their seven league games so far this season and are really struggling for fluency in the final third of the field - something which no one thought would be said after their dominance last season. They've also conceded nine goals in seven games, which is troubling beyond the lack of their attacking superstar.
- - -
4. Aguero is simply irreplaceable
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/10/03/1704158-36081583-2560-1440.jpg)
Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring his fifth goal against Newcastle United
Image credit: Reuters
Sergio Aguero re-wrote the Premier League history books in quite astonishing style by bludgeoning poor Newcastle with five quickfire goals in a 6-1 annihilation that sent Manchester City back to the top of the table, and it underlined again just how valuable he is for Manuel Pellegrini's side.
Aguero's goals were wonderfully backed up by the pace and movement of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, but without the Argentine's cutting edge in front of goal, City really are not even a shadow of the team they are with him scoring freely.
With his regular injury lay-offs it is easy to underestimate just how important Aguero is for City, but he remains the one player they simply cannot afford to let go - at any price.
- - -
5. McClaren isn't cutting it at Newcastle
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/09/24/1697705-35952561-2560-1440.jpg)
Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren looks dejected
Image credit: Reuters
Goodness knows how Newcastle manager Steve McClaren restores morale after his side’s 6-1 beating by Manchester City. While City were exceptional at times, Newcastle did not exactly weather the storm well. They crumbled like a team on the slide.
There must be doubts over McClaren’s ability to fulfil his remit at St James’ Park which was to challenge for a top four place. There is no case for the defence as the former England coach conceded later. “It’s bound to be an issue, you concede five goals in 13 minutes, so you have an issue there. We have shown what we aren’t capable of doing."
This can’t and won’t wash under Mike Ashley the longer the threat of Championship football looms large on the horizon. McClaren needs to find a quick remedy after the international break.
- - -
6. Sunderland are their own worst enemies
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/09/24/1697704-35952541-2560-1440.jpg)
Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat
Image credit: Reuters
Sunderland have a poor squad, but they have enough in it to make a success of things with the right approach. Jeremain Lens scored a delightful goal against West Ham, and Sunderland's first came from a well executed set piece.
In the Premier League, organisation and discipline is often enough to secure safety, as Tony Pulis, Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew have often demonstrated. Instead, Sunderland have a team seemingly unwilling to demonstrate the qualities necessary to survive.
Lens' red card brought on a quick collapse, and despite taking a draw, they will know that it was another wasted afternoon. Not because they don't have the players, but because the players haven't been made to raise their standards sufficiently.
- - -
7. Sunday represents a veritable feast of football
If you’ve got any plans for Sunday, cancel them. Draw the curtains, stock up on snacks and sit down for what could be the greatest day of club football ever. There are seven huge games happening all over Europe
Everton v Liverpool, Ajax v PSV Eindhoven, Arsenal v Manchester United, Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid, AC Milan v Napoli, PSG v Marseille - what more could you possibly want from your Sunday in terms of footballing entertainment?
It really could be one for the ages and you can take in all of the action with us here on Eurosport.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement