As the Barclay’s Premier League adjourns for its second international break of the season, Chelsea has clearly emerged as the front-runners for this season’s title. It may be early days but fans of other teams have already started to wonder if anyone will be able to pick up three points against them this year, with Chelsea avoiding defeat away at their closest rivals, Manchester City. Competitors have simply been left floundering in their wake, with only one other team in history bettering Chelsea’s points total at this stage of the season.
As the Barclay’s Premier League adjourns for its second international break of the season, Chelsea has clearly emerged as the front-runners for this season’s title.
It may be early days but fans of other teams have already started to wonder if anyone will be able to pick up three points against them this year, with Chelsea avoiding defeat away at their closest rivals, Manchester City. Competitors have simply been left floundering in their wake, with only one other team in history bettering Chelsea’s points total at this stage of the season.
Led by their iconic manager José ‘ The Special One’ Mourinho, Chelsea has won 6 of their opening 7 league games, and currently look unstoppable at every area of the pitch. Combative striker Diego Costa has hit the form of his life, scoring goals after goals, whilst the midfield duo of Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas provide the perfect blend of physicality and class on the ball. The instinctive understanding that Fabregas and Costa seem to has provided some fabulous moments, such as the terrific pass from Fabregas that set up Costa’s finish against Arsenal. Chelsea’s comeback victory against Swansea at home is a testament to their mental strength, which is another quality of champions.
Many observers felt that the team fell short last year as they could not score enough goals to complement their characteristic defensive organisation yet their new found attacking verve ominously indicates that they have rectified this flaw. This defensive solidarity is a trademark of Mourinho’s teams, yet Chelsea’s attacking depth with superb players such as Eden Hazard, Oscar and Andre Schurrle indicates that the supply of goals at the other end will be constant. The sheer volume of potential match winners within the side is unmatched.
Chelsea’s rivals all currently seem to be in states of rebuilding or disarray- Liverpool still appears to be recovering from the dual blow of losing out on last year’s championship and their best player in Luis Suarez, Manchester United appear to have lost all concept of defending and Arsenal perennially struggle against the so-called big teams. Only Manchester City appears to be close to them, yet even they looked distinctly unconvincing in recent performances against Stoke City and Aston Villa.
The omens are in their favour as well- Mourinho traditionally achieves his greatest feats in his second season with a club, which Chelsea has now entered. Indeed, if Chelsea continues playing in this dominating fashion, perhaps they can match their manager’s Inter Milan team of 2009 that won the ‘treble’ of the domestic league, domestic cup and the European Cup. Only time will tell, but it is interesting to note that only once has the team leading after 7 matches gone on to win the league.
