This week the colourful Jose Mourinho has dampened Chelsea’s historic domestic double by insisting that his achievements at The Bridge far outweigh that of his successor.
The points tally of his Chelsea side beat this seasons, suggesting that Mourinho’s claim that the other big three are in decline could in fact be more truthful than his shady PR soaked rhetoric lets on.
Lets not forgot that Mourinho did achieve an incredible feat at Chelsea, and now his Inter side stand on the brink of an Italian treble; it would be false to claim that he does not possess the credentials to make such outlandish comments.
Ancelotti, however, has accomplished something that Jose never really could, and it is the reason that Abramovich felt Jose had to go, despite the upset it caused to all Chelsea supporters; Ancelotti has got Chelsea playing some very attractive, attacking football – and it is clear from the record 103 goals this season, and some of the heavy thrashings some have endured at the hands of a new, invigorated Chelsea side, that Ancelotti really has achieved something more than just a domestic double.
During Mourinho’s reign his talismen were in their footballing prime; Terry, Lampard, Drogba and the like were young and part of a new, fresh Chelsea outfit. Ancelotti has somehow managed to get this now aging side to play faster and attack more. The backbone of the Chelsea side now approaches 30 and they have regained the title they lost to the young Manchester United side of 2007. This skill that Ancelotti possesses is not a one-off at Chelsea, he has achieved this at AC Milan with Maldini and the like.
Mourinho’s first season at Chelsea could not be more different to Ancelotti’s. Jose’s defensive style was certainly not what Abramovich was looking for, but they grinded out the results they needed. Chelsea conceded few and scored few, winning 1-0 and 2-0 week after week. To be feared, revered and most importantly remembered, like the great Arsenal and Real Madrid sides of the early 2000s, and like Barcelona now, winning is not enough; just winning will not guarantee a team a place in the history books; winning in style, however, certainly will.
Written By Jack Parkinson
