Winning ugly – should we endorse it?

Chelsea Football Club. Top of the Premier League. José Mourinho. When you look back over the past the past few words, what runs through your mind? Most would think: ‘champions’.

Chelsea fans across the world will be over the moon with the fact that their team are on course to lift the Premier League title, however, it hasn’t been all pretty for the supporters to watch.

Mourinho has a way of going about football matches. Some people agree with his tactics, other have their complaints.

When your team are top of the league, of course you’re ecstatic. But how would you want to watch them win it? With swagger, and making teams scared of you? Or sitting back and playing counter-attacking football?

It’s understandable that his tactics win games, but negativity isn’t fun to watch – and entertainment plays a big part in football.

Families around the world watch the sport knowing that something, somewhere, will be controversial or breathtaking. However, when you watch Chelsea, you don’t receive that anymore.

In fact, I remember sitting down to watch Match of the Day after the Manchester United game at Stamford Bridge. Phil Neville was on the show that day. After the highlights, he admitted he was expecting the game to be tactically solid, but a dull encounter.

Is this something fans want? I don’t think it is.

When you think of a Chelsea vs. Manchester United encounter, you would think that the football would be exciting, that is what makes it one of the best games in the Premier League. Instead, Chelsea seemed cagey. They were inviting United’s pressure, and pouncing on their mistakes, which lead to Eden Hazard’s goal. John Terry grabbed the ball back from Marouane Fellaini, as United went on the attack. Hazard then performed a very neat 1-2 with Oscar, before sliding the ball into the net, under David de Gea.

When you watch that goal, it’s the type of football that people expect to see when watching Chelsea. Of course, I’m not saying that Chelsea can be fluid every time they play football. But it feels like, at the moment, fans are having to endure 90 minutes of winning safe, instead of going out to impress.

When you are one of the biggest clubs in Europe, and you are competing with major honours, and have a global appeal like Chelsea do, you should be easy on the eye. Players like Hazard should be able to express themselves and go past players with ease. However, it seems like that Chelsea’s wingers’ instructions are to not go past players, and instead to cut in and find a teammate. It’s not something you want to watch, you pay your money to be entertained.

Of course, everyone understands this can’t be a constant situation – but it’s better than watching your team, in the past few weeks, play not to lose.

At the start of the season, before Christmas, Chelsea bullied teams. They won 6-3 away at Everton, and also beat Swansea City 5-0. These are the kind of games you want to watch as fan, or a neutral.

I can understand why José puts his team out in a more conservative manner against teams that are either struggling for survival, or pushing for the top four. It works and that is the bottom line. But, it shouldn’t be a weekly thing.

Chelsea’s defence is solid – and doesn’t need to worried about. The rest of the Chelsea side will understand this, so it’s hard to see why the forwards aren’t left to express themselves, and show their talents. It would be amazing to watch.

But the bottom line of this whole subject is that Chelsea are only two wins away from winning the Premier League. Whether or not you agree with his football at times, you have to appreciate what Mourinho brings to Chelsea, and football.

Everyone has their pros and cons. José Mourinho is a winner, whatever the circumstance.