CHELSEA’s hapless stars are turning on manager Jose Mourinho and each other as the boss clings on by his fingernails to the support of the club board.
Mourinho’s claim that he was ‘betrayed’ by the team in Monday’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester has caused a stink among the squad.
Boss Mourinho, who only spent five minutes in the dressing room at half-time, laid into his men after watching Chelsea slump to just one point above The Premier League relegation zone.
A source said: “That sort of comment is interpreted as Jose trying to distance himself from the result and the performance, whether it is right or not.”
But the players are not united either. There is anger that striker Diego Costa got away with chucking his substitute’s bib in Mourinho’s direction when he didn’t get on against Spurs.
And they were not happy at his sleeping gesture which implied that the defence was not alive to Jamie Vardy’s opening goal.
There is bemusement too among some at the performances of Cesc Fabregas who it is felt is completely out of form and offering little to the team.
Under-pressure Mourinho’s backers at the club claim his “betrayed” comment was meant as a rallying cry in a desperate bid to kick-start the season after losing NINE games.
Watch highlights of Leicester City v Chelsea free here
Mourinho remains safe in his job despite another disastrous result but some of that is due to there being a lack of suitable alternatives to The Special One at the moment.
His turbulent relationship with star man Eden Hazard is not going to improve either after Mourinho appeared to be proved correct with his suggestion that his £200K a week midfielder is a wimp.
Mourinho said that Hazard effectively substituted himself with a hip injury during the game but while the Player of The Year is sore he is expected to be fit for Saturday’s game against Sunderland.
The players had yesterday off but must now knuckle down in a frosty atmosphere to try to salvage what is left of the season.
Chelsea’s continued participation in The Champions League is another factor in his favour and Mourinho is also considering a dramatic reshuffle in his squad.
Hazard has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and Mourinho may be ready to let him go. The Belgium star has yet to score this season and has fallen way below the standards he set last term.
The same goes for Costa with a possible move back to Spain in the offing.
Skipper John Terry turned 35 last week and questions are being raised about whether the veteran defender has done enough to earn a new one year deal for next season.
Striker Loic Remy admits he is baffled by Chelsea’s desperate situation.
He said: “The manager makes his decision and picks 11 players. Whoever is playing tries to give their best and it’s the same for the substitutes, but at the moment it’s not enough and I don’t know why.”
“All the team need to improve; we need to be ready and play better.
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