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His destination was preordained, off and away to switch the “dead man walking” at Chelsea, the likeable Claudio Ranieri, who had been sacked within times of leading the Blues to some second-placed finish along with a semi-final devote the Champions League.
Mourinho had grabbed the Premier League’s attention when sprinting lower that old Trafford touchline within the last 16, and interest was piqued much more as he famously pronounced themself “The Special One” throughout his first news conference as Chelsea boss.
Loved and loathed in almost equal measures, Mourinho would be a gust of outdoors who taken with the British top flight, delivering Chelsea’s first title win in half a century about this day fifteen years ago.
Here is how he made it happen.
Building on firm foundations
Chelsea have been ensconced within the top six from the Premier League for nigh on the decade when Mourinho showed up. With Roman Abramovich within the corridors of power Chelsea had tossed money in the team 12 several weeks earlier, with Ranieri making some key signings in Joe Cole, Damien Duff and Claude Makelele.
That which was missing, it had been felt, would be a coach using the swagger and also the genius to show a great side into champions. A “special” coach.
Arsenal had won the prior season while going unbeaten and Mourinho made some big signings of their own to consider them on.
Petr Cech, Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho and Arjen Robben – to mention 1 / 2 of his summer time additions – would really play an enormous part within the crushing title win.
Also it would be a procession within the finish. Chelsea won 29 of the 38 Premier League games – losing only once – and extremely conceding just 15 goals.
A big change of shape
You might feel you know what to expect from the Mourinho team nowadays. Systematic? Well drilled? Sure. But exciting?
Mourinho rapidly adapted his tactics throughout his first season at Stamford Bridge. Initially he desired to play a 4-4-2 gemstone, with Frank Lampard playing in behind two strikers, as Deco had so artfully done at Porto.
However, Mourinho soon discovered that his side were battling to produce enough chances so utilized the very best holding player on the planet in Claude Makelele – so great the positioning was named after him – and gone to live in that which was known as ‘the open gemstone..
That switch gave more licence to Eidur Gudjohnsen or Didier Drogba and permitted the wingers in the future in, Damien Duff somewhere, Arjen Robben alternatively. It’s reliable advice it labored.
After their sole defeat at Manchester City in October, Chelsea would drop just 10 points before sealing the championship at Bolton on 30 April 2005.
Not everybody would be a fan though.
“You can state that our football was more appealing to look at but they’re extremely powerful,” stated Arsene Wenger in the turn of 2005.
“They’re similar to a matador – they hold back until the bull will get weak to kill him. They’ve the persistence to hold back because they come with an experienced squad. Once the bull has lost enough bloodstream and turns into a bit dizzy, they kill them back.”
Chelsea’s players soon saw both carrot and stick from Mourinho. The manager tore into his players at half-duration of the two-2 draw with champions Arsenal in December 2004. Thierry Henry had scored two times, superbly, to depart the Blues trailing.
The Portuguese put Lucozade bottles and kicked tubs of Vaseline around inside a rage, angry that his side have been on the top but trailed.
Eidur Gudjohnsen equalised within the first minute from the other half. Message received.
Soon Mourinho would tell his players that does not only are they going to be champions, they’d win the league at Bolton with three games remaining.
Again, he was place on like a Frank Lampard double sealed the win, only to another half-time dressing lower which saw Mourinho tell a couple of his players to provide their shirts to him and assistant Steve Clarke.
“For 5 minutes we’ll do greater than you managed,” he stated. “After which after five more minutes, we’ll need oxygen as well as an ambulance.”
Mourinho wasn’t needed around the pitch as Lampard’s goals introduced the title home, with Joe Cole later leading the singing while standing on the top from the mobbed team bus.
Parking public transit and upsetting the apple cart
“Don’t call me arrogant because things i have to say is true. I am European champion, I am not one inch the bottle, I believe I am a unique one.”
As soon as Mourinho stated that in his unveiling, the British media understood these were set for a trip. For a long time the very best finish from the Premier League have been concerning the clash between Wenger’s Arsenal and Mister Alex Ferguson’s Manchester U . s .. Now a brand new, brash, bold character managed to get a trio.
“Parking public transit” is becoming universal to explain a group who come and defend, however it was Mourinho who first stated it about Tottenham only a month into his Premier League career.
Mourinho’s signings 2004-05
Paulo Ferreira (RB) – from Porto, £13.2m. 141 PL appearances for club, 3 PL wins, 4 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, Champions League, Europa League
Petr Cech (GK) – from Rennes, £7.1m. 333 PL appearances for club, 4 PL wins, 4 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, Champions League, Europa League
Arjen Robben (FW) – from PSV, £12m. 67 PL appearances for club, 15 goals. 2 PL wins, FA Cup, 2 League Cups
Mateja Kezman (FW) – from PSV, £5.3m. 25 PL appearances for club, 4 goals. 1 PL win, 1 League Cup
Didier Drogba (FW) – from Marseille, £24m. 254 PL appearances for club, 104 goals. 4 PL wins, 4 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, Champions League
Tiago (MF) – from Benfica, £10m. 34 PL appearances, 4 goals. 1 PL win, 1 League Cup
Ricardo Carvalho (DF) – from Porto, £19.85m. 135 PL appearances, 11 goals. 3 PL wins, 2 League Cups
“Once we say in Portugal, they introduced public transit plus they left public transit while watching goal.”
Because the season used on and Chelsea continued to be the surface of the tree, Wenger attempted some classic mind games by questioning whether or not they would stay the program.
“It’s a difficult mental challenge to cope with when you are leading,” he stated.
“When you’re in-front and everybody states you’ve already won the title you’ve to stand up to the chance that you could only lose it after that.”
Ferguson considered in, suggesting that Chelsea’s journeys to Blackburn, Liverpool and Everton in The month of january and Feb might be key.
“It’s when Chelsea come north that you’ll see,” stated Ferguson.
“They must see Liverpool and Everton, once we do, but our record is not bad there. It’s different after 2012 – there are various pressures.”
The visit to Ewood Park did look tricky but Robben’s goal guaranteed another win and the other excellent quote.
“Consider the blond boy in midfield, Robbie Savage, who commits 20 fouls throughout the game rather than will get a booking,” Mourinho stated.
“We came here to experience football and it wasn’t a football game, it had been a battle so we fought against and i believe we fought against fantastically.”
This Chelsea team could do all of it.
‘Not a defensive team, an entire team’
Mourinho’s champions set records for many wins, most away wins, most points, clearest sheets and least goals conceded inside a Premier League season. But they are they undervalued?
“They are records that do not show a defensive team, they reveal an entire team,” states Ron Glanvill, Chelsea author and official historian.
“That is what made that team different. We’re able to shut up shop and safeguard a lead when we required to, squeeze the existence from a game title just like a boa constrictor.
“However that season there have been numerous occasions where Jose would remove among the full-backs and produce with an attacking player. His substitutions were incredible.
“It had been this type of devastating attacking team with Drogba, Gudjohnsen, Robben, Duff, Cole and Lampard. The 2005 team is certainly among the best sides the Premier League has witnessed.”
Chelsea would win the league again in 2005-06, before Mourinho’s shock departure in September 2007.
He later came back and won the title again in 2014-15. And today the issue remains – can he deliver one for Tottenham?
