The party is over for Big Phil's fallen idols

[bjd]

Worth a read. Ignoring the Mourinho stuff which is predictable and a little worn now I doubt many of you will disagree with what he says.

The party is over for Big Phil's fallen idols

By MARTIN SAMUEL

It was not just the result. It was not the performance. It was not even the decline that began towards the end of last year and has continued into 2009. It is what Sunday’s match said about the future of Chelsea, long and short term, that should worry those charged with the stewardship of the club.

Where do Chelsea go from here? Indeed, where are they now going, this season or next, under Luiz Felipe Scolari?

It is not just that Chelsea would appear to possess no equivalent of Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo, young players whose greatness has been established even before their athletic peak.

It is not that Ryan Giggs would appear to be growing old more gracefully than Michael Ballack.

The problems are more basic than that.

Where are the players that are coming through, where are the thrusting rivals for Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba or Deco, men whose days in the sun are surely numbered?

Manchester United have players whose value would be measured in tens of millions in the current market; not so Chelsea.

This is a team coming to the end and not enough thought has been given to the transition.

The league table has these rivals neck and neck, but they looked a world apart on Sunday.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, invariably finds a way of keeping his playing squad fresh, but at Chelsea a series of managerial changes mean not enough thought has been given to renewal.

United have players of quality on the pitch and in reserve; Chelsea have a void.

They do not look good enough to compete this season and the next generation will not be ready by the 2009-10 season.

If Chelsea are to challenge in Scolari’s time — he only signed a two-year contract — it will need another vast investment from Roman Abramovich in the summer.

The owner was not at Old Trafford on Sunday — he was taking advantage of the traditional Russian holiday period with Daria Zhukova, his girlfriend — so he missed the opportunity for a reunion with a man whose presence in the directors’ box only served to highlight the blue malaise.

Jose Mourinho, now manager of Inter Milan, was here ostensibly to spy on Manchester United ahead of their meeting in the Champions League second round but unlike most scouts, including Fabio Capello, the England manager, he stayed to the bitter end, studying Chelsea’s disintegration without outward emotion.

Inside , who knows what Mourinho was feeling?

That he watched to the final whistle was seen by some as a Machiavellian desire to let those responsible for his departure twist in the wind for his amusement, unable to leave the scene of their greatest humiliation in a Premier League game since February 2006.

More probably, Mourinho had a late flight to Milan so had no pressing reason to exit.

Either way, few could escape the thought that this defeat, this insipid response to Manchester United’s late first-half lead, would not have happened had he been in charge.

Mourinho did not know the meaning of defeat in the Premier League against the Champions League elite; by contrast, Scolari does not know the meaning of victory.

He has taken one point from a possible 12 against Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal this season: a draw and three defeats. With this reversal, he has now lost to them all.

With each passing month, Scolari’s rivals are downgraded. Before Christmas, he was looking over his shoulder for Liverpool. Then Liverpool passed him and he began looking for Manchester United. Now United are on Chelsea’s heels with games in hand. Who next? Aston Villa? Arsenal? On this form, it is no longer unthinkable.

Wednesday brings an FA Cup replay at Southend United and what was once considered a momentary lapse in the conventional state of things is now an altogether treacherous affair.

Chelsea are potential giant-killing fodder, something that would never have happened under Mourinho.

Maybe his expressionless face was registering inner disgust.

This is to take nothing away from the performance of Manchester United.

Certainly, that which took place in the second half.

Until half-time, Chelsea gave as good as they got, albeit without a cutting edge.

Their passing was neat and inventive, little triangles all over the pitch, even if it did not take them in behind a resilient back four.

Yet it was their reaction to United’s first goal, from Nemanja Vidic, that exposed the difference in the teams.

United grew in confidence, created better chances, looked utterly assured at the back.

Chelsea lost air like a deflated balloon.

Nicolas Anelka arrived to little effect and at the moment Scolari was poised to introduce Juliano Belletti in place of Jose Bosingwa at full back, United scored a second through Rooney and the contest ended.

Apparently, the day after Steven Ger 'National Traitor' rard was arrested over the fracas in the Southport bar, Ferguson arrived at the Manchester United training ground in a state of high excitement.

Seeing his players poring over the news in the papers he seized his moment.

‘See?’ he snarled.

‘That Liverpool lot are celebrating already. They think they have won it.’

All nonsense, of course, the sort of mind games Rafael Benitez clearly thought were being played in public, rather than private; but it did the trick.

Manchester United played on Sunday like a team that had a point to prove, that wanted to knock the League leaders off their perch, in true Ferguson style.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have long ceased celebrating those autumn days when they played in the style of potential champions.

At Old Trafford, that particular party was well and truly over.

[bosnian_chels_support]

I think this article is crap, i can tell you that the media is to blame aswell, and for me, its not the age of the players its was just the wrong taktics and wrong players for the game, scolari is playing the same like JM, but he hasn t got the player for 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 so why not 4-4-2 there were so many things wrong but it s not the age of the players!

Edited January 12, 2009 by bosnian_chels_support

[blizeH]

How depressingly true.

[bjd]

I think this article is crap, i can tell you that the media is to blame aswell, and for me, its not the age of the players its was just the wrong taktics and wrong players for the game, scolari is playing the same like JM, but he hasn t got the player for 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 so why not 4-4-2 there were so many things wrong but it s not the age of the players!

Not quite sure what you mean about the media. Anyway its not so much about the age of the players, more the hunger.

[SiameseJesus]

I think this article is crap, i can tell you that the media is to blame aswell, and for me, its not the age of the players its was just the wrong taktics and wrong players for the game, scolari is playing the same like JM, but he hasn t got the player for 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 so why not 4-4-2 there were so many things wrong but it s not the age of the players!

Lol, what rubbish.

For once the media are spot on, we are in trouble. We need a young manager who has time to build a team and we need to sell a lot of out 1st team players.

[bosnian_chels_support]

Lol, what rubbish.

For once the media are spot on, we are in trouble. We need a young manager who has time to build a team and we need to sell a lot of out 1st team players.

No it s not rubbish!

Mate it´s not like that the media is to blame for our sh*ti games, but they have their part in the game, how is it possible that there are always roumers about manager and players have troubbels or there is no respect etc etc.

They put presure on the club, and players, how is it possible that there were never such articels about ManU or Arsenal or Liverpool.

Ronaldo has got an car crash, but the media is writing more about Cole has got a problem with Scolari, and Ronaldos crash is forgotten!

And the same sh*t was with Awram Grant, its always the same! f**k em all!

And we cant change managers evera half year, i mean we can but there is no guarantee for succes!

[bjd]

No it s not rubbish!

Mate it´s not like that the media is to blame for our sh*ti games, but they have their part in the game, how is it possible that there are always roumers about manager and players have troubbels or there is no respect etc etc.

They put presure on the club, and players, how is it possible that there were never such articels about ManU or Arsenal or Liverpool.

Ronaldo has got an car crash, but the media is writing more about Cole has got a problem with Scolari, and Ronaldos crash is forgotten!

And the same sh*t was with Awram Grant, its always the same! f**k em all!

And we cant change managers evera half year, i mean we can but there is no guarantee for succes!

Give up, you dont know what you are talking about.

[bosnian_chels_support]

Give up, you dont know what you are talking about.

I am sorry , my english is not that good! but at least i tried to explain! :D

[evissy]

I think the article was, if not spot on, very good view on our current situation. Good although painful to read.

I think we can change the course of our season to lot better but something drastic needs to happen. Was this loss big enough impact, who knows..

The older players need to be pushed. Now many of them always play no matter how cr*p they were in the last game.

Players like Ballack, Drogba, Malouda, Deco are all expensible IMO. We need to take that risk to play with younger guys. We need to have the balls to play one season with more inexperienced players and don't be afraid of losing the title.

[bjd]

I am sorry , my english is not that good! but at least i tried to explain! :D

Fair enough, sorry , it was very harsh of me.

[BLUENUT]

I think the article was, if not spot on, very good view on our current situation. Good although painful to read.

I think we can change the course of our season to lot better but something drastic needs to happen. Was this loss big enough impact, who knows..

The older players need to be pushed. Now many of them always play no matter how cr*p they were in the last game.

Players like Ballack, Drogba, Malouda, Deco are all expensible IMO. We need to take that risk to play with younger guys. We need to have the balls to play one season with more inexperienced players and don't be afraid of losing the title.

Our squad currently lacks confidence and belief, something Jose installed in abundance

[ethicalstrategy]

Worth a read. Ignoring the Mourinho stuff which is predictable and a little worn now I doubt many of you will disagree with what he says.

Why ignore the Mourinho stuff? Predictable and a little worn? Maybe, but 100% true and relevant.

[bonetti]

This is the key bit for me:

"Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, invariably finds a way of keeping his playing squad fresh, but at Chelsea a series of managerial changes mean not enough thought has been given to renewal.

United have players of quality on the pitch and in reserve; Chelsea have a void.

They do not look good enough to compete this season and the next generation will not be ready by the 2009-10 season.

If Chelsea are to challenge in Scolari’s time — he only signed a two-year contract — it will need another vast investment from Roman Abramovich in the summer."

The result on Sunday was a true reflection of our ability - Man U were good but not outstanding.

We need to look long term at everything

I dont see RA bunging in loads more dosh in the summer (we know you cant buy titles) and if he did I dont see it being effective without a management structure that is sustainable in all aspects of football at CFC including youth development. The emphasis must be on the football not the 'brand'

If we want to stay in the top four and regularly take a share of the major trophies we need to build a dynasty and Scolari on a 2 year contract is not the way to achieve it.

I will support Chelsea whatever happens but plenty of people including all the JCLs will not - the atmosphere at the Bridge is already sanitised - think about when all the tourists and corps have gone and wont come back if we are not in the top 4 - most of the real fans have gone for good - so who would fill the seats at the bridge. This wont happen overnight but is a real threat.

The big question is, can RA see the light and has he got the stomach for the long haul?

[BLUENUT]

Good Post there Bonetti - seeing as RA was of pummelling a Russian model rather than be at old trafford maybe your answer. His interest in all things Chelsea seems to have reduced since his divorce and he started thinking with his old chap.

[Tea Bar Boy]

This is the key bit for me:

"Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, invariably finds a way of keeping his playing squad fresh, but at Chelsea a series of managerial changes mean not enough thought has been given to renewal.

United have players of quality on the pitch and in reserve; Chelsea have a void.

They do not look good enough to compete this season and the next generation will not be ready by the 2009-10 season.

If Chelsea are to challenge in Scolari’s time — he only signed a two-year contract — it will need another vast investment from Roman Abramovich in the summer."

The result on Sunday was a true reflection of our ability - Man U were good but not outstanding.

We need to look long term at everything

I dont see RA bunging in loads more dosh in the summer (we know you cant buy titles) and if he did I dont see it being effective without a management structure that is sustainable in all aspects of football at CFC including youth development. The emphasis must be on the football not the 'brand'

If we want to stay in the top four and regularly take a share of the major trophies we need to build a dynasty and Scolari on a 2 year contract is not the way to achieve it.

I will support Chelsea whatever happens but plenty of people including all the JCLs will not - the atmosphere at the Bridge is already sanitised - think about when all the tourists and corps have gone and wont come back if we are not in the top 4 - most of the real fans have gone for good - so who would fill the seats at the bridge. This wont happen overnight but is a real threat.

The big question is, can RA see the light and has he got the stomach for the long haul?

Good post .

We were well beaten by a very average Man Utd team . They had a kid in the back I doubt will have an easier game .

The last time I have seen us look so toothless is liverscum away when we got beat 2-0 . The team lost there way completely we had no idea how we would get ourselves back into the game .

I do think we have major problems in the dressing room

I do think we have lost confidence as a unit

The question now is if Big Phil is man enough to take it all on and sort it out .

Will he say to the powers that be lets forget this season and build for next season and start playing the kids from the start . 10 minutes here and there is good for f*ck all . Give Mancienne a start , give Dos Santos a start , bring Sinclair back and give him a start . Give Stoch a run of a couple of games

Might make a few players look over there shoulders a bit

[bjd]

Good Post there Bonetti - seeing as RA was of pummelling a Russian model rather than be at old trafford maybe your answer. His interest in all things Chelsea seems to have reduced since his divorce and he started thinking with his old chap.

Yeah, but have you seen her ?

I know what id rather have been doing at 4pm yesterday. Especially bearing in mind the sh*te we have been serving up for best part of 3 months now

[Chippy]

This is the key bit for me:

"Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, invariably finds a way of keeping his playing squad fresh, but at Chelsea a series of managerial changes mean not enough thought has been given to renewal.

United have players of quality on the pitch and in reserve; Chelsea have a void.

They do not look good enough to compete this season and the next generation will not be ready by the 2009-10 season.

If Chelsea are to challenge in Scolari’s time — he only signed a two-year contract — it will need another vast investment from Roman Abramovich in the summer."

The result on Sunday was a true reflection of our ability - Man U were good but not outstanding.

We need to look long term at everything

I dont see RA bunging in loads more dosh in the summer (we know you cant buy titles) and if he did I dont see it being effective without a management structure that is sustainable in all aspects of football at CFC including youth development. The emphasis must be on the football not the 'brand'

If we want to stay in the top four and regularly take a share of the major trophies we need to build a dynasty and Scolari on a 2 year contract is not the way to achieve it.

I will support Chelsea whatever happens but plenty of people including all the JCLs will not - the atmosphere at the Bridge is already sanitised - think about when all the tourists and corps have gone and wont come back if we are not in the top 4 - most of the real fans have gone for good - so who would fill the seats at the bridge. This wont happen overnight but is a real threat.

The big question is, can RA see the light and has he got the stomach for the long haul?

Agree with all of this,

I looked at the two teams yesterday and the two benchs and thought we would be in trouble if some of our players were

not up for it.

Playing against a quality team highlights the problems we have with players like Drogba, I wouldn't think the rest of the team felt working hard to supply him was likely to pay off with him looking to be in the state of mind he appears to be,

It must have some affect on players when they go behind espessially to have a player so woefully out of form as the main hope of getting back into a game,

I realise it's unfair and a bit unrealistic to lay so much blame on one player but the mood of one player can have an affect on a team and moreso if the player is the one who you are mainly trying to set up chances for..if he is not looking too interested in converting the chances and it's a hard game anyway I would think its a bit of a task to play to your best standard.

I do feel the squad needs new blood and although I will support Scolari and would not like to see him go anywhere mid season I can't understand the club appointing a man with such a short time scale in mind.

A man who has the long term future of the club as a priority should have been put in but again as in the case of Grant, the man has been given the Job and it's unfair to sack him after six months baring in mind he was told he had money to spend to add to the signing of Deco and he hasn't been given it.

I really hoped Drogba would get his head right and give us his best once he got some fitness back but he is just giving us the finger wagging rolling around that helps nobody, I think Anelka has earned more than to play second fiddle to that to be honest.

[BLUENUT]

Good post .

We were well beaten by a very average Man Utd team . They had a kid in the back I doubt will have an easier game .

The last time I have seen us look so toothless is liverscum away when we got beat 2-0 . The team lost there way completely we had no idea how we would get ourselves back into the game .

I do think we have major problems in the dressing room

I do think we have lost confidence as a unit

The question now is if Big Phil is man enough to take it all on and sort it out .

Will he say to the powers that be lets forget this season and build for next season and start playing the kids from the start . 10 minutes here and there is good for f*ck all . Give Mancienne a start , give Dos Santos a start , bring Sinclair back and give him a start . Give Stoch a run of a couple of games

Might make a few players look over there shoulders a bit

Certainly the way forward TBB. I'd play the same side against Southend as punishment, then drop a few of them for the game against Stoke, and tell a couple fo the kids they will be in the squad to face Stoke this morning. See how the 'big-boys' like it!

[BLUENUT]

Another article in the same vein:

JOSE MOURINHO had the stone-faced look of a man attending the funeral of an old friend.

And, to all intents and purposes, he was.

For this was the day when the all-powerful Chelsea side he painstakingly built and took to two Premier League titles was finally laid to rest.

A black tie occasion, the day a team died.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...icle2119928.ece

[Nibs]

I think the article was, if not spot on, very good view on our current situation. Good although painful to read.

I think we can change the course of our season to lot better but something drastic needs to happen. Was this loss big enough impact, who knows..

The older players need to be pushed. Now many of them always play no matter how cr*p they were in the last game.

Players like Ballack, Drogba, Malouda, Deco are all expensible IMO. We need to take that risk to play with younger guys. We need to have the balls to play one season with more inexperienced players and don't be afraid of losing the title.

The Wenger Way?

Why not. I really can't see us winning any trophies with the side that has been playing of late. If we're gonna end up with nothing this season, I would rather we at least do it by blooding some youngsters and giving them valuable experience, rather than letting the likes of Ballack, Deco and Drogba stroll about, which is not doing any of us any good.

Edited January 12, 2009 by Nibs

[TheWestwayWonder]

You know, it's not often I find myself liking an article on the media, but if I didnt know any better, I would say Martin Samuel is a poster here.

He has hit the nail squarely on the head. I love this guy.

yes, it was painful to read, but all very very true. He recognizes the problems run deeper than selling a few trouble makers or sacking the manager. This is a squad, as that f**king scot bar steward said, that is too old and too thin.

I dont see RA bunging in loads more dosh in the summer (we know you cant buy titles) and if he did I dont see it being effective without a management structure that is sustainable in all aspects of football at CFC including youth development. The emphasis must be on the football not the 'brand'

If we want to stay in the top four and regularly take a share of the major trophies we need to build a dynasty and Scolari on a 2 year contract is not the way to achieve it.

I will support Chelsea whatever happens but plenty of people including all the JCLs will not - the atmosphere at the Bridge is already sanitised - think about when all the tourists and corps have gone and wont come back if we are not in the top 4 - most of the real fans have gone for good - so who would fill the seats at the bridge. This wont happen overnight but is a real threat.

The big question is, can RA see the light and has he got the stomach for the long haul?

That is a great response, bonetti. Especially that last part.

With all this focus on 2010 and profitablity, I think RA and management dont really care what we win as long as we build the brand. Terrible strategy, imo, but they need to recognize that becoming a cash cow like other top clubs is not going to happen in a 2 or 3 or even 10 year span. We need to keep winning trophies to get there. Being good isnt enough.

The difference between us an Man Utd is plainly evident. Look at their squad. When Keane retied and scholes declined, they got Carrick, Anderson and Hargreaves. When it was clear Giggs was on the out, they got Nani and this Tosic kid. Both of whom cost a pretty penny. Look @ Tevez, Berbatov. Both world class forwards who cost a boatload of money.

They realize to stay at the top they have to spend. And despite being in mountains of debt, they are probably still making money every year, and refitting their team in the interim. And with a manager who has the whole of the organizations massive resources at his disposal, they are going to contine to spend and win trophies. Theyre not going anywhere.

On the other hand, we spent like mad and now want to turn cheap. We have overpaid deadwood who cant be arsed to put in a performance and would rather see their manager sacked than face criticism.

They can put 11 very good players out there that are under 25. We couldnt say the same thing in a million years. Despite Frank Arnesen. I think Roman's dreams of creating a football cash cow in posh West London are going to take a lot longer than her previously believed. I hope he has nothing pressing to do the next 2 decades.

It all makes for a very depressing week, one way or another

[callista]

Yeah, but have you seen her ?

I know what id rather have been doing at 4pm yesterday. Especially bearing in mind the sh*te we have been serving up for best part of 3 months now

Considering she's bedding a billionarie you would think she'd look a damn sight happier.

May be she's just seen one of Scolari's training sessions.

[forbzy]

You know, it's not often I find myself liking an article on the media, but if I didnt know any better, I would say Martin Samuel is a poster here.

He has hit the nail squarely on the head. I love this guy.

yes, it was painful to read, but all very very true. He recognizes the problems run deeper than selling a few trouble makers or sacking the manager. This is a squad, as that f**king scot bar steward said, that is too old and too thin.

That is a great response, bonetti. Especially that last part.

With all this focus on 2010 and profitablity, I think RA and management dont really care what we win as long as we build the brand. Terrible strategy, imo, but they need to recognize that becoming a cash cow like other top clubs is not going to happen in a 2 or 3 or even 10 year span. We need to keep winning trophies to get there. Being good isnt enough.

The difference between us an Man Utd is plainly evident. Look at their squad. When Keane retied and scholes declined, they got Carrick, Anderson and Hargreaves. When it was clear Giggs was on the out, they got Nani and this Tosic kid. Both of whom cost a pretty penny. Look @ Tevez, Berbatov. Both world class forwards who cost a boatload of money.

They realize to stay at the top they have to spend. And despite being in mountains of debt, they are probably still making money every year, and refitting their team in the interim. And with a manager who has the whole of the organizations massive resources at his disposal, they are going to contine to spend and win trophies. Theyre not going anywhere.

On the other hand, we spent like mad and now want to turn cheap. We have overpaid deadwood who cant be arsed to put in a performance and would rather see their manager sacked than face criticism.

They can put 11 very good players out there that are under 25. We couldnt say the same thing in a million years. Despite Frank Arnesen. I think Roman's dreams of creating a football cash cow in posh West London are going to take a lot longer than her previously believed. I hope he has nothing pressing to do the next 2 decades.

It all makes for a very depressing week, one way or another

Depressing but true. the truth hurts. Fergie was basically right about our aging team. Our policy of spend spend spend was only going to work if we had a good manager and continued the policy as players got older.

The one thing I disagree with this in the original article is the claim that we have nothing in reserve. It should be changed to "We have nothing in reserve that we are prepared to give a chance to". There are plenty of talented players who Ithink would get a chance at other Premier League clubs. We should start introducing them now so that they may be ready to play a bigger role by next season. Mancienne, Stoch, Kakuta, Franco, Sawyer for a start. Not necessarily all together but certainly playing for more than a few minutes at the end of a game.

Yesterday's performance was a disgrace. I remember the beginning of the end for Vialli was another similarly poor performance against United but this time it was way worse I think. At least then we scored a couple and it was towards the end of the season when there was less to play for. Scolari is walking a tightrope now and we need a turnaround quick if he is to survive more than another month. I will obviously be delighted if he proves us all wrong and turns it around but it is hard to see that happening. Whoever is manager needs to take a good look at the current squad and throw out some of the driftwood. Drogba, Ballack, Deco for sure I think should be dropped to the bench at best. Why not give Franco, Stoch and Sawyer a chance in their place? They can't do much worse.

Some serious decisons need to be made now by Roman and the board. The one thing I agree with from Big Phil would be his statement that playing the way we are right now we will not win any silverwear this season.

[Backbiter]

Martin Samuel has written some excellent stuff over the years, and this article is absolutely spot on in my view.

The only problem is that he now writes for such a sh!t paper.

[WV2 Blue]

Martin Samuel is'nt the only one...if you haven't read it here's Steven Howard's piece from today's Sun...

Funeral for the Blues STEVEN HOWARD - Chief sports writer

Published: Today

JOSE MOURINHO had the stone-faced look of a man attending the funeral of an old friend.

And, to all intents and purposes, he was.

For this was the day when the all-powerful Chelsea side he painstakingly built and took to two Premier League titles was finally laid to rest.

A black tie occasion, the day a team died.

As Manchester United toyed with the visitors in the second-half, the Old Trafford crowd taunted opposition who had been their closest rivals for four years with the question: ‘Who are you? Who are you?’

Mourinho would have been at a loss to come up with an answer. For the shambles out on the pitch bore no resemblance to any Chelsea team he had ever known.

Yes, they may be second in the table but Chelsea are still heading in only one direction after three wins in 11 games.

They seem to have totally lost their way under Phil Scolari and cannot afford any sort of slip-up at Southend in the FA Cup on Wednesday.

Yesterday’s loss was their fourth this term in all competitions — plus their penalties defeat by Burnley in the Carling Cup — and, by some distance, their worst.

In fact, I cannot remember too many as bad as this in the last five seasons or so. It’s no exaggeration to say Manchester United could have scored six.

On recent form, it was hardly a surprise. But, in terms of bodies available, it was considering that Scolari had every first-team player available bar Michael Essien.

God knows what Mourinho thought as he saw the team he made the most difficult to beat in English football dismantled by a United side who are closing ominously on the top two.

But you could hazard a guess. He would have looked at Didier Drogba and seen a cardboard cut-out of the colossus who once struck terror into English and continental sides alike.

Drogba, sent off in the Champions League final the last time he faced United, played out his own horror show.

One huge slice from the left of the box that went out for a United throw-in 30 yards away on the right was followed by an air-shot that put him on the seat of his pants. “What the f*****g hell was that?†crowed the United faithful.

Then, in second-half added time, he connected with a Frank Lampard free-kick only to send his header 10ft wide.

What an embarrassment. At least in Jose’s time, he would have come up with a dive or two. Then there’s Michael Ballack. All that appears to be left is an arrogant strut.

Not that that would have surprised Mourinho, a man who had greeted the German’s arrival at Stamford Bridge with total scepticism.

Roman Abramovich thought he was giving his then manager some sort of gift from the gods and couldn’t understand Jose’s reticent acceptance of a player he never had faith in.

And then there’s Deco. His short career at Chelsea reached its nadir yesterday when he was hauled off at half-time, all the old failings that have blighted his game of late now even apparent to a manager who has chosen to turn a blind eye to his shortcomings.

Deco’s increasingly lame displays have explained just why Mourinho never bought him when he had the chance.

Elsewhere, Mourinho would have looked at Ashley Cole and seen the England star he famously tapped up when he was at Arsenal now not just in decline but going backwards.

He would have seen Jon Obi Mikel, once proudly stolen from under United’s nose, nowhere near filling either Claude Makelele’s boots or Chelsea’s huge expectations. He would have been equally horrified by the creaking ship that is the Chelsea defence.

The re-establishment of the John Terry-Ricardo Carvalho partnership for the first time since October was supposed to plug the holes that have appeared under the waterline — especially from set-pieces where Chelsea have been brutally exposed all season.

But United scored the first from a corner, the third via a free-kick while the second saw Wayne Rooney brush Ashley Cole aside to convert a superb cross from Patrice Evra.

And then Jose’s eyes would have alighted on Frank Lampard. And you just knew what he was thinking. Poor Frank, you should have joined me at Inter when you had the chance.

After, when the dust had settled, when Alex Ferguson had skewered Rafa Benitez and when Chelsea were coming to grips with their first away defeat since December 2007, Scolari could be heard addressing the Press.

It was a rambling, stuttering defence of his team — as incoherent and incomprehensible as his side’s performance.

The basis of it, though, was that the title race had some way to go.

Which was not exactly what Scolari had been saying before kick-off when he had stressed: “In our position, it’s impossible to think even about a draw. We have to play for a win.â€

They had just one shot on target. If that is Scolari ‘playing to win’, Blues’ supporters have every right to be concerned this morning.

Chelsea have now taken just one point from 12 in games against United, Liverpool and Arsenal this season — and travel to Anfield on February 1.

Later that month it’s Juventus and Claudio Ranieri in the Champions League. You fear for them on all fronts.

Earlier in the week, Scolari had been complaining about the Arctic conditions that had gripped the country and were freezing his Brazilian blood.

He said: “I want a beach. I want some hot water.†Well, he’s up to his neck in it now.

Food for thought on our behalf or is it the plain truth???.....You decide