Champions League: PSG expose Chelsea's weaknesses

Champions League: PSG expose Chelsea's weaknesses

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL, FIRST LEG

PARIS ST-GERMAIN 3 (Ezequiel Lavezzi 4, David Luiz 62-og, Javier Pastore 90+3), CHELSEA 1 (Eden Hazard 27-pen)

PARIS - Chelsea's season is beginning to unravel.

A chastening 3-1 defeat by Paris St-Germain was not so dramatic as to feel like an epochal change, but it was enough to reinforce the view that the Blues have much work to do in the summer.

This is the view that has been repeatedly asserted by Jose Mourinho and it was a theme to which he returned yesterday morning (Singapore time).

Once again, it was the strikeforce that bore the brunt of his anger. Mourinho had so little confidence in his forwards that he started with Andre Schuerrle, shunted up from the midfield.

"I'm not happy with my strikers' performances," said Mourinho afterwards, "so I have to try things."

It didn't work. Schuerrle seemed unsure of his role, unclear of where he should be running off the ball.

Chelsea had little in the way of penetration in the final third.

It took just four minutes for PSG to take the lead, a ripsnorter of a first-time finish from Ezequiel Lavezzi after John Terry's weak defensive clearance.

PSG took the lead in farcical circumstances in the second half - Lavezzi's floated free-kick entering Chelsea airspace, baffling everyone and then bouncing in off David Luiz's shin.

INFURIATED

But it was the third goal, scored deep into injury time, that really infuriated Mourinho. Javier Pastore was allowed to jink unmolested through the Chelsea backline before beating Petr Cech at his near-post with a low finish.

"It's not a goal," growled Mourinho afterwards. "It's a joke."

For PSG, the journey from novelty to powerhouse continues. They are not there yet.

There were enough negatives in this performance to dampen any idea that they are the favourites to win this competition, but there were also enough positives to give them confidence going forwards.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, for the most part, was shackled by Gary Cahill until a muscular injury caused his withdrawal in the second half.

Edinson Cavani, the Uruguayan goal machine, was a shadow of himself - his first touch had deserted him.

But there was nothing anyone could do about Lavezzi. It is the sign of a good team that when the leading lights flicker, there are others in place to shine.

Chelsea, meanwhile, must assess where the season has gone wrong.

It is certainly true that Mourinho lacks the tools to complete his job, though his task might have been easier had he not loaned striker Romelu Lukaku to Everton.

It might have been easier, too, had he opted to strengthen the front line in the last transfer window.

That he didn't, can only be taken as a clear sign that he will be spending big this summer, either on Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa or Monaco's Radamel Falcao.

TRANSITIONAL

Perhaps Mourinho was happy to go along with this rare example of forward planning, content that he would have this season as a transitional campaign.

That would certainly explain why he has been so fervently "on message" with his talk of outsiders and little horses.

But, questions have to be asked, too, of Mourinho's famous powers of motivation.

This is the man who made Didier Drogba one of the most feared strikers in Europe. The man who gave Frank Lampard the belief to transform himself from an everyday midfielder into Chelsea's all-time top scorer.

Why hasn't he been able to empower Fernando Torres? Why hasn't he been able to energise Samuel Eto'o? Why has Demba Ba deteriorated so dramatically since scoring freely for Newcastle?

And what do the players make of this constant blame game? Egos run rampant in the Chelsea dressing room and they will not appreciate constantly being made scapegoats for the wider failings of the club.

Mourinho is playing a dangerous game.

This is not over. A 2-0 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is hardly Mission Impossible. But, if the Blues do fall short, expect some questions to be asked in the corridors of power.

npsports@sph.com.sg

This article was published on April 4 in The New Paper.

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