Chelsea's downfall: From Premier League champions to also-rans in 134 days of Jose Mourinho tantrums, transfer market failures and terrible form
- Chelsea have endured their worst start to a season since 1988
- They are 17th in the league following Saturday's defeat at Everton
- Just 134 days ago they were celebrating a glorious Premier League win
- But everything has gone wrong for manager Jose Mourinho since
- He became embroiled in a high-profile row with doctor Eva Carneiro
- Chelsea also failed to land John Stones from Everton in transfer window
Jose Mourinho's second spell as Chelsea manager hit its nadir on Saturday as another listless performance at Everton left them in the unfamiliar position of 17th in the table.
The manager's combustible mood and the lack of cohesion and motivation within the team represent a stark contrast from the joyous scenes at Stamford Bridge on May 3 when the Blues wrapped up the Premier League title.
The 134 days since have seen growing tensions, very public arguments and increasingly shoddy form as the Blues' crown has slipped. We chart their demise.
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea team were crowned champions 134 days ago - but little has gone right since
May 3 - Stamford Bridge
There are scenes of celebration as Chelsea secure their fourth Premier League title and the first since Jose Mourinho returned to the club. Eden Hazard scored the only goal in a narrow win against Crystal Palace to send them 16 points clear of Manchester City.
Few disagree that Chelsea are worthy champions, having bossed the championship from start to finish. In all, Chelsea won 26 of their 38 games, losing a mere three, and their 274 days at the summit establishes a new record.
Mourinho wins both the Premier League Manager of the Season and the LMA Manager of the Year awards and all is well.
Eden Hazard scored against Crystal Palaceas Chelsea wrap up the Premier League title with plenty to spare
Gary Cahill leads the on-pitch celebrations at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea secure the Premier League title
The boss rewards his players by giving them four days off, with many jetting off to the Middle-East to enjoy some down time.
Diego Costa, whose 20 goals have been instrumental in their title triumph, goes to Madrid but parties a little hard, having to take an extra day off. Mourinho isn't impressed and axes him from the team that drew 1-1 with Liverpool a week later.
Costa's form had also tailed off badly, with whispers he'd been socialising a little too much.
Diego Costa was instrumental in Chelsea's title win but his form has slipped
May 18 - The Hawthorns
Chelsea are comprehensively outplayed by West Brom and lose 3-0 in the penultimate game of the season.
Being a dead rubber, Mourinho takes a look at youngsters Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathan Ake and Isaiah Brown but it's an experienced head in Cesc Fabregas that gets sent off after kicking the ball at Chris Brunt's head.
Mourinho blames the loss on Chelsea's title rivals, saying: 'I think the top contenders are also guilty because they let us win the title so early.'
Diego Costa remonstrates with Gareth McAuley as Craig Dawson intervenes during the loss to West Brom
Chelsea captain John Terry lifted the Premier League trophy after their last game against Sunderland
May 30/June 2 - Bangkok/Sydney
The Chelsea players have plainly been 'on the beach' for some time but before they can actually go off on their summer holidays, they are obliged fly half-way around the world to fulfil two post-season friendlies.
Chelsea win their matches against the Thailand All-Stars in Bangkok and A-League side Sydney but it's an unwanted extension to an already long and arduous season for the players for what is a money-spinning exercise.
Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry collide during Chelsea's post-season friendly in Sydney
July 16 - North America
Mourinho and his squad return for pre-season training and the beginning of their three-stop tour of North America. Surprisingly, they return quite late, just two-and-a-half weeks before the Community Shield.
July 18 - Montreal
Jose Mourinho admits for the first time that Chelsea are seeking to strengthen their defence by pursuing Everton's John Stones. After seeing an initial bid of £20m rejected, Mourinho says Chelsea will offer £26m. And thus begins a transfer saga that would end badly for Chelsea.
Chelsea's ill-fated pursuit of Everton defender John Stones began in July and saw four bids rebuffed
Jose Mourinho wasn't impressed by Chelsea's performances on their North American tour
July 22-28 - Pre-season tour in US
Chelsea's pre-season tour is a mixed bag, with some unconvincing performances though this is to be expected given they'd barely returned to training.
They are stunned 4-2 by the New York Red Bulls, with goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, signed for £8m to replace the Arsenal-bound Petr Cech, enduring a nightmare debut.
Mourinho warned they would return to the pitch tired following just over a week of training and they certainly looked leggy against the MLS side in the middle of their season.
With more time on the training field, wins over Paris Saint-Germain in Charlotte and Barcelona in Maryland, both on penalties, follow with new signing Radamel Falcao, determined to redeem himself following his Man United nightmare, performing pretty well.
July 29 - London
Chelsea return to London to news that Everton have rejected their second bid of £26m for Stones.
August 2 - Wembley
The new season officially starts with a 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in the Community Shield at Wembley. Arsene Wenger finally gets his first win over Mourinho with a good performance and a winner from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Bizarrely, Mourinho says afterwards: 'Our rivals have spent considerably more on transfers this summer and we have the same team.'
This despite Arsenal bringing in just one player - Cech - while Chelsea had by that time acquired Begovic, Falcao and the Brazilian youngster Nathan, and would go on to add five more.
It was already obvious that some of Chelsea's star players, including Willian, Hazard and Fabregas, had seen their flair and improvisation coached out of them. They looked a shadow of themselves in an average performance.
Ivanovic and Terry look dejected at the end of Chelsea's Community Shield loss to Arsenal at Wembley
Radamel Falcao struggled to make an impression at Wembley following his loan move from Monaco
August 8 - Stamford Bridge
Chelsea had been hoping for a statement performance to start their title defence but Swansea City didn't read the script.
The hosts lead through Oscar but Andre Ayew quickly equalises before a Federico Fernandez own goal restores their lead. But the game moves away from Chelsea when Thibaut Courtois is red-carded for bringing down Bafetimbi Gomis, who jumped up to score and make it 2-2.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Chelsea cling on for an opening day point but nobody is talking about the match afterwards.
In stoppage time, Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn rushed onto the field to treat Eden Hazard, prompting a furious reaction from Mourinho, who feared his team would lose if down to nine men.
Mourinho shouts at club doctor Eva Carneiro after she ran on to treat Eden Hazard against Swansea
Carneiro was barred from the Chelsea first team hotel after Mourinho criticised her after the match
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was earlier dismissed for this challenge on Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis
Mourinho swore at Carneiro as she returned to the bench and criticised her again in his post-match comments, calling her 'impulsive and naive'.
The incident dominated the headlines for days to come, with Mourinho refusing to climb down and suspending Carneiro from the bench at first-team matches as well as the team hotel.
Carneiro remains in limbo, with the club preparing for a civil action that could cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages.
To this day, Mourinho refuses to apologise with rumours that Dasha Zhukova, the partner of owner Roman Abramovich, and many of the players' wives and girlfriends found his actions heavy-handed and disrespectful.
August 16 - City of Manchester Stadium
The worst fears of Chelsea fans are realised as their team are thrashed 3-0 by a rampant Manchester City, their principal title rivals.
In a gutless display, Chelsea concede goals from Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho - all in the first-half - as City send out a convincing statement of intent.
Mourinho says his team 'dominated' the second-half but their lacklustre performance before half-time again demonstrates the need for reinforcements both in attack and defence.
What is shocking is the chasm in class between them and City, who have recruited well over the summer and have come out the blocks flying. City already sit five points clear of Chelsea.
Mourinho looks on in horror as Chelsea are outplayed by their title rivals Manchester City
Chelsea's goalkeeper Asmir Begovic looks on as Vincent Kompany makes it 2-0 to City
August 20 - London
Chelsea announce the £21.4m signing of Pedro from Barcelona and those worried about their lack of firepower can breathe a little easier.
With question marks over the form and fitness of both Costa and Falcao, the addition of the prolific Spanish striker is a very welcome one.
But the defensive problems remain unsolved, with Everton turning down a £30m offer for Stones.
August 23 - The Hawthorns
Chelsea are off and running at the third time of asking with a 3-2 win over West Bromwich Albion.
Pedro wasted little time in scoring his first goal and Costa was also on target. Cesar Azpilicueta scores their third in what is the high point of the season so far.
Pedro celebrates after opening his account for Chelsea in the victory at West Bromwich Albion
August 25 - Merseyside
Stones tries to force Everton to sell him to Chelsea by handing in a transfer request but the Toffees hold firm.
August 29 - Stamford Bridge
Mourinho's 100th home league game in charge ends in a 2-1 defeat as in-form Crystal Palace storm the Bridge.
Goals from Bakary Sako and Joel Ward, either side of Falcao's reply, condemn Chelsea to their second defeat of the campaign.
Afterwards, Mourinho issues cryptic criticism of one of his players, saying he should have withdrawn him. It is widely believed the comments were aimed at Branislav Ivanovic, who had a shocker.
Chelsea are now eight points behind City.
Chelsea's players can only look on dejected as Joel Ward celebrates a late winner for Crystal Palace
Mourinho rants and raves on the touchline during Chelsea's defeat to Palace at Stamford Bridge
September 1 - London
Transfer deadline day closes and Stones remains an Everton player with Chelsea unable to break their resolve. Instead, Chelsea end up with the unknown Papy Djilobodji and Reading's Michael Hector, whom they loan straight back.
September 12 - Goodison Park
The season hits a fresh low as Chelsea slump to their third loss in five games at Everton, with Steven Naismith scoring a hat-trick.
Chelsea again look off-colour and register just two shots on target in the 90 minutes. To add to their misery, Stones plays superbly to keep them at bay.
Once again, the body language of the players is all wrong, there's no swagger or personality to the performance and their creative players look drained.
Mourinho storms off during a pre-match interview on BT Sport when asked about Stones and then swears at Roberto Martinez afterwards when the Everton boss dares to do his media duties first.
Chelsea sit in a miserable 17th place following their worst start to a season since 1988.
John Terry shakes hands with John Stones, who played superbly, after Chelsea's defeat at Everton
Steven Naismith scored a hat-trick to condemn Chelsea to their third defeat in five league matches
The result leaves Chelsea in 17th place and it could get worse if Newcastle beat West Ham on Monday
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