Is There A Chelsea Dividend For United?
Is there an upside for United following the parting of the ways between Jose Mourinho and Chelsea?
In the short-term, Sir Alex and his players will hope to twist the knife still further when the teams square up on Sunday. Deprived of their charismatic manager, not to mention top striker Drogba and England midfielder Lampard through injury, Chelsea are there for the taking. United will guard against over-optimism because Chelsea still have the firepower and midfield muscle to inflict considerable damage on the champions.
Sir Alex will hope that the fall-out from Mourinho’s departure reduces the list of Premiership challengers to Liverpool and Arsenal. In the months ahead, the rupture is sure to be destabilising for the Stamford Bridge outfit. Roman Ambramovich will bring in a more pliant manager committed to the “expansive” United-style game he is said to crave. It will take time for the new man to establish his playing methods and draft in the players suited to the manager’s preferred style. That means instability on and off the pitch, possibly to the detriment of Chelsea’s championship ambitions this season.
The new style might produce more five -nil victories to make sure the club’s owner stay until the end of each match but it could also make Chelsea more beatable. Under Mourinho, the Blues might not have been thrilling but they were remorseless and exceedingly hard to beat. His record of domestic success in only three years makes his departure beyond easy comprehension.
Who knows where Mourinho will take his circus next. Every top club in Europe would have noted his achievements. With United under the guidance of a near 66 year old legend who cannot avoid talking of retirement, the odds have now shortened on Mourinho becoming United manager, when Sir Alex steps down.
But if his football style was not good enough for Chelsea, would it satisfy the success-with glory demand of the Old Trafford faithful?
