Chelsea fans in the Football Transfer Tavern are enjoying their week more than most, having seen their side lift the first silverware of the season at Wembley on Sunday.
In what proved to be a fairly routine 2-0 win over London rivals Tottenham, Jose Mourinho picked up the Capital One Cup – his first trophy since returning to manage the Blues.
Chelsea fans will be hoping this is history going on to repeat itself, after Mourinho guided the Blues to a League Cup win in 2005 – followed by back to back Premier League titles.
Fans were given an extra reason to celebrate on Sunday, as Liverpool beat Manchester City 2-1 at Anfield – meaning Mourinho’s men can extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points by winning their game in hand.
Whilst it has very much been Chelsea’s season so far, it has not all been plain sailing. Here we have identified the Blues five lowest moments of the campaign.
[ffc-gallery]
Click on Jose Mourinho to reveal 5 lowest points of Chelsea’s 2014/15 season
[/ffc-gallery]
Newcastle 2-1 Chelsea
Many were tipping Chelsea to emulate the Arsenal side of 2003-04 and go the entire season unbeaten – such was their dominant start to the season.
But surprisingly Jose Mourinho’s side saw that dream evaporate on Tyneside, with Newcastle running out 2-1 winners at St James’ Park.
Chelsea have not enjoyed their trips to face the Magpies in recent seasons, having now lost on their last three visits.
In what was a poor performance, the 2-1 defeat not only ended their dreams of an unbeaten season, but gave Manchester City hope of getting themselves back into the title race.
Tottenham 5-3 Chelsea
Chelsea have always had the upper hand over London rivals Tottenham, with their record at White Hart Lane in recent years superb.
Mourinho’s men arrived in north London on New Years Day in a rich vein of form after a successful Christmas period, but left having lost one of the games of the season.
A Harry Kane inspired Tottenham side ensured it was a day to remember for all Spurs supporters, as Mourinho saw his Chelsea side concede five for the first time in all his time in charge from both spells.
Mourinho looked to blame the officials, but on the day the truth is simply that Tottenham were the better side and well worthy of the three points.
Chelsea 2-4 Bradford City
Sometimes football throws up a result that is simply un-explainable, and this was one of those.
Chelsea were 2-0 up and cruising at home to League One Bradford City in the fourth round of the FA Cup. What happened next was as if it had been written in a Roy of the Rovers comic, as the Bantams somehow responded with four goals to end Chelsea’s FA Cup campaign, and Mourinho’s pursuit of the quadruple.
The Chelsea boss later described the performance and the result as the worst of his Chelsea career, whilst Bradford’s performance is one that will go down in FA Cup folklore.
Costa’s stamp and the fallout that followed
Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Liverpool in the semi final of the Capital One Cup will go down as one of the season’s high points so far, but the fallout from an incident involving Diego Costa left a sour taste in the mouth of everyone connected with the Blues.
The Chelsea forward was handed a three game ban for a stamp on Emre Can, after referee Michael Oliver confirmed he had not seen the incident in his report.
Queue a media blackout from Jose Mourinho, who believes certain pundits had influenced the decision. In truth, Mourinho’s vow of silence made him look rather foolish – when replays clearly indicated Costa was guilty of a stamp, and deserving of the three game ban.
The scenes in Paris
Not just a low point for Chelsea fans, but for everyone connected with English football.
The incident in Paris two weeks ago has been well documented already, and it is clear there is no place for such behaviour in sport or indeed society.
Chelsea have had their name tarnished by a minority of idiots, who have been condemmed in all quarters – heavily by Jose Mourinho.
The fallout continues.
