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6 July 2007, by Sean Gillen

Chelsea 2006/07 season review

Mourinho proud at end of injury-ravaged campaign

It says plenty about Jose Mourinho’s coaching career that a season in which his Chelsea side won two trophies will be remembered as one of the Portuguese’s most disappointing and frustrating campaigns in management.

Another summer of heavy spending in 2006 saw Mourinho add Michael Ballack and Andrei Shevchenko. Also arriving at Stamford Bridge was Portuguese goalkeeper Hilario, who signed on a free transfer from Nacional, joining compatriots Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho and Nuno Morais at the Premiership champions.

Having been comfortable league champions for two years in a row, Chelsea briefly went top of the Premiership after a decent start, but Mourinho’s men soon found themselves in the unusual position of chasing the leaders, Manchester United.

The Champions League campaign got off to a much stronger start. Chelsea beat Barcelona at Stamford Bridge and earned a 2-2 draw at the Nou Camp in the return leg to ultimately top their group and secure qualification for the next phase.

Contrasting fortunes

As the season developed, there were contrasting fortunes for the club’s Portuguese. Carvalho, enjoying a good start to the campaign, headed a second-half equaliser as the team snatched a 1-1 draw against United at Old Trafford, while Paulo Ferreira started less than half the team’s league matches before Christmas and often struggled when selected.

Meanwhile, Hilario was thrust into the spotlight when first choice goalkeepers Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini were injured in October. The uncapped keeper kept goal for 13 games between October and January, notably impressing with a crucial penalty save in a 2-0 win at Sheffield United.

However, the injury crisis at the Bridge deepened around the festive period, leaving Mourinho desperately short of cover in central defence. Ferreira was, at times, thrown into central defence, but he could not prevent the team from dropping 11 points from five games in a damaging period going into the New Year.

Mourinho publicly stated a need for reinforcements in January, but the board refused, and the rest of the season would be surrounded by speculation that the Portuguese boss’s relationship with owner Roman Abramovic was reaching breaking point.

Carling Cup glory

A respite from the league came in late February with the Carling Cup final against Arsenal. A 2-1 win meant that the Blues had secured the first piece of silverware of the season, and the first of a possible quadruple of trophies on offer.

Back to the league and United’s lead stood at six points heading into the spring, with Mourinho insisting that his side could still retain the title. As players returned from injury, Chelsea put together a sensational run of nine straight league wins, one of which was a 1-0 home win over Tottenham, courtesy of a Carvalho long-range winner.

In the Champions League, Porto were defeated 3-2 on aggregate in the last-16, before a superb second half performance in Valencia saw Mourinho’s men edge past the Spaniards by the same aggregate score in the quarter-finals.

The draw for the semi-final placed Chelsea against Liverpool, in a repeat of the sides’ meeting at the same stage two years earlier. Despite winning the first leg 1-0, Chelsea headed to Anfield without the injured Ricardo Carvalho, and after a 1-0 defeat, lost out on penalties.

Damaging draws

The European disappointment was made all the worse as, having dragged themselves back into contention for the Premiership, Chelsea stumbled to back-to-back draws against Newcastle, Bolton and Arsenal, leaving United clear to snatch the title with two games to spare.

Ferreira was given a run in the side as the team prepared themselves for the FA Cup final against United at the new Wembley. Didier Drogba, who had been the team’s outstanding performer all season, scored an extra time winner to earn his side a 1-0 win and complete Mourinho’s set of domestic medals in England.

Having spent much of the season answering questions about his future and patching up injury-ravaged sides, Mourinho claims that never has he been more proud of his players for their efforts during the season, but there is little doubt that the 2006/07 season will be one that the Portuguese will be happy to forget.

                         Season stats - Ricardo Carvalho

                           Season stats - Paulo Ferreira

                        Substitute appearances in brackets

                                Season stats - Hilario

                            Season stats - Nuno Morais

                        Substitute appearances in brackets