Chelsea return to action after the international break with a game at home to Norwich, as Jose Mourinho comes back to the touchline. The manager served his one-match stadium ban in the defeat to Stoke, and now he needs to get his team back to winning ways to start easing the pressure on his job. But can Chelsea see off the Canaries and get three huge points after such wretched form so far this season?
The fact that’s even a question goes to show just how far the team have fallen. Few would dare place money on a home win here against a newly promoted side. With Chelsea coming in on the back of four defeats in five games and 13 points shy of the top four, it’s easy to see why they look decidedly dodgy. Norwich come into this game a place and a point above the Blues, with both sitting dangerously close to the bottom three.
The good news for Mourinho is that his international stars came through the break with few problems. On top of that his injury list is down to just two players, with Thibaut Courtois and Radamel Falcao still side-lined. But the rest of the squad is fit and available, which should help the manager to find a winning formula. With nearly all his key players ready, he’s bound to get a performance here.
One key to getting the team back to where they were last season is to restore the fear factor they had. Teams like Norwich will now come to the Bridge knowing a result is possible. There won’t be any fear from the players, when really there should be. The Blues when firing on all cylinders should terrify the visiting teams, but right now they’re far from that.
If Mourinho can get his team winning again, then that aura will soon be restored. There’s a lot for the manager to do before his side are well and truly back, but even a couple of wins to paper the cracks would work wonders in the eyes of the fans.
Just how the supporters approach this one will be interesting, as a nervy Stamford Bridge won’t help anyone. At the same time, it’s hard to blame the fans being on edge, seeing as they’re probably witnessing the biggest collapse in the history of the Premier League. No side has ever dropped quite this far so fast, which puts fans in a negative mind set. Will the team be able to give those fans a boost this weekend?
While it’s not exactly one to go betting on, we do see a home win here. Anything less than that and Mourinho’s job would be under serious threat. After a two week break, the boss should be a little more relaxed, and he should have worked out a few little improvements. We think that’ll be enough to secure a much needed victory.
LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0