Porto vs Chelsea: The One Where Casillas Almost Smiles

Not the face of a man who resents the favourite ... (It is)

I have a confession - I did actually think Chelsea would beat Porto on Tuesday night. I have no good reason for it based on some all of the recent performances. And if truth be told, I wasn’t happy with the starting lineup. But still — there was still a nagging part of me that thought Chelsea would come away with the points. It defies logic really. My naivety really kicked into full swing at about the hour mark - otherwise known as the moment Eden Hazard joined the fray.

First Porto are a good side. And by good I mean they’ve won each of their last 17 games at home conceding just 3 goals. One of those goals was to Bayern Munich, who lost their 3-1. Which, if my maths are correct, mean Chelsea are in fact better than Bayern Munich.

Second — Iker Casillas. You remember him. He was one of the world’s best goalkeepers until Jose Mourinho appeared in his life. His sullen life on the bench under Jose’s reign left him a tad on the rusty side. And then World Cup happened - and it wasn’t pretty. If that weren’t enough, the club that had nurtured him for 25 years then stopped returning his calls and shipped him off to Portugal after the most awkward ‘tribute’ that may have ever happened. No doubt Casillas had been plotting his revenge for this very moment.

Although more than up to the task for the evening, Casillas probably could have done better with Willian’s goal. And by better I mean do more than just watch it go in and then complain to the referees about the wall, or encroachment, or having to seem the same air as Mourinho.

Porto were fantastic to watch and I may have enjoyed them a lot more if they were playing against - well, anyone else. Their attacking runs were everything that Chelsea’s should be. But the less said about that the better. It’s not *really* in attack that Chelsea have their issues. It’s still those pesky lot at the back that are raising the big questions. The biggest one being - is it really their fault.

Anyone who knows me knows I do love Jose Mourinho. Despite him callously selling off just about all of my favourite players. Something I’m yet to forgive or forget. But he brings in the big shiny things AND makes me laugh. What more could a girl want?!

However, whatever point he’s trying to prove with John Terry - unless it’s to remind everyone how important Terry is to that back line - is failing miserably. Until this weekend, Chelsea’s defence ranked actual worst in the Premier League. That means Sunderland were better. Sunderland. Let that sink in.

And maybe age is catching up to Terry - but there’s way he could have gone from arguably the best defender in the league last season to having to sit next to Falcao reminiscing about that time he was a great striker.

Kurt Zouma is immense but still young - and makes mistakes as evidenced by that opening goal against Newcastle. Would it not be better for him to learn from experience next to him rather than it peering at him from the bench? If Mourinho is in this for the long haul as he maintains he is - then he might want to plan just as much for the future as the here and now. Just kiss and makeup with Terry already, Jose!*

jb xx

#YokohamaOut

*you can always head to the free clinic to clear up what you think you might catch from him