WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 23: during the Barclays Premier League match between XXX and XXX on August 23, 2015 in West Bromwich, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho thinks Chelsea’s title hopes would be over in another league, is that also true in EPL?

Jose Mourinho spoke after Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat by Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge (2nd time Mourinho’s Chelsea team has ever lost in EPL play at Stamford Bridge) and in typical Mourinho fashion, he didn’t hold anything back and played his usual mind games.

During his postgame interview, Mourinho congratulated Crystal Palace but felt Chelsea deserved “not to lose.” He felt a draw was a fairer result which would’ve still been bad from Mourinho’s point of view. He also wouldn’t comment on if the John Stones transfer is dead saying that “he won’t speak about players from other clubs.”

But it was something that he said after the game that the BBC picked up on when it appeared someone asked Mourinho if Chelsea’s title hopes were dead. Mourinho said, “Four points in four matches is a very bad start. In another league I would say game over. In the Premier League I don’t say game over.”

Now that’s an interesting thing to say, that Chelsea’s title hopes would be over if it was any league other than the Premier League. He’s correct in that, with only four points in four games and already eight points behind of your title rival, Chelsea’s title hopes would probably be over in any other league. My question is, even in a league like the Premier League, are Chelsea’s title hopes done here as well?

I know what you’re saying and I agree with you. Yes, it’s still August and teams have only played four games so it’s entirely too early rule the top teams out, especially the overwhelming defending champions, but being eight points behind to a hot team like Manchester City, Chelsea can’t really afford to screw up like this the rest of the season. They can’t really afford to lose any more ground anymore. Not only that, Chelsea only lost three times last season and in just four games, they have already lost twice. That makes this something entirely worth discussing.

Manchester City is definitely going to falter at some point, there’s just no way they’re going to keep up this incredible run of wins and clean sheets, but Chelsea losing like this means it’s not even September and winning the title is already more and more out of Chelsea’s control and more into Manchester City’s and having to rely on them to lose. And to someone who strives to be very much in control of his own destiny like Jose Mourinho, the lack of that may make things worse for Mourinho and Chelsea.

About Phillip Bupp

Producer/editor of the Awful Announcing Podcast and Short and to the Point. News editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. Highlight consultant for Major League Soccer as well as a freelance writer for hire. Opinions are my own but feel free to agree with them. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @phillipbupp

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