Why have Chelsea struggled to perform against the so called lesser teams?

As usual, with any Chelsea defeat, the press have a field day that seems to continue for days after the event. There were plenty of questions asked after the final whistle on Saturday. Why can we produce a performance like we did against Arsenal and then the following game perform as we did at Selhurst Park?

Jose Mourinho has given his view, stating that some of his players lack personality to play against the so-called lesser sides of the Premier League, Mourinho said:

"We want to improve the team and the players and make some surgical movements in the transfer window. It is also clear we want to improve our players.

I can’t and I don’t need to improve Ivanovic, Cahill or Terry, but there are others I need to improve. We are doing that step by step. But that’s not enough to be champions.

The easiest thing to do is to perform when you are not playing for something big. If, in the last part of the season, we have an unbelievable performance and some player is going to perform in a beautiful way, that’s easy.

The difficult thing is to perform when you feel the heat. Because of that some are big and some are not so big.

I don’t think it’s down to courage. It’s down to the qualities that make personality profiles. You have some players for everything and other players who are in their habitat in some circumstances.

So, Stamford Bridge is better than away. Playing away against Arsenal, City, United or Liverpool is one thing and another thing is to play at Crystal Palace, West Bromwich or Stoke City. Clearly, we have players who are up and down in relation to the profile of the match."

It's so difficult to understand isn't it. How as professional footballers can you not take each and every game you take part in with the same importance? That has been our downfall this season and it's tough to take.

The manager has it spot on in my opinion and of course as honest about his players that he can be. We were at a point in the season a few weeks ago where we literally had it in our own hands. We just had to ensure we took each game as it comes and made sure we continued delivering performances and three points. At West Brom, Villa and now Palace we have blown it!

You look back to the Mourinho era before and the teams that won back-to-back titles and the difference is there for all to see. We simply blew teams away and the so called lesser sides at that.

Every single one of us looked at Palace and thought that although Tony Pulis had done well since he had been there and that they were far more difficult to beat, on paper we still looked a class above. After watching that ninety minute performance, Palace came out deserved winners and that's poor from Chelsea.

The problem is, and it's the same with each and every single Premier League game, you have to go out on that pitch and earn the right to win three points. There are no easy games anymore.

I sincerely hope that Palace was a real kick up the arse and stark reminder of the point I have just made. Chelsea find themselves involved in a fight for second place with Liverpool and with the games we have left being mostly from sides at the middle or towards the bottom of the table, we need to produce Arsenal like performances to ensure we gain the maximum points possible.

We have the distraction now of the Champions League on Wednesday and speaking of his side stepping out in Paris he said:

"Paris is the kind of match they feel comfortable to play. It is a big match in a great stadium against opponents of top quality and a referee who stops the game and doesn’t let aggression into the game. I prefer the English ones but normally this is the profile of referee in UEFA competitions.

I do not need to do a lot. They will be fine. They will be in their natural habitat in that match. They can do a good match there." 

Sounds ridiculous really doesn't it. Without doubt, we will see a performance that HAS TO be 100% better than Saturday.

It's just a shame that at certain moments this season, we have played teams with a different mentality and that is what has cost us so dear in the Premier League this season!