Jose Mourinho should call the doctor to stave off third-season syndrome

It's fair to say that it has NOT been a good week or so in the life and times of Jose Mourinho.

Indeed, a laboured 2-2 draw at home to Swansea in Chelsea's Premier League curtain-raiser proved to be just the tip of the iceberg as the Eva Carneiro fiasco took centre stage.

An onslaught of overwhelmingly negative headlines ensued, meaning the familiarity of a return to the dugout and his technical area against Manchester City would have no doubt felt like a welcome sanctuary for a man who lives and breathes for the big occasion.

But it was ultimately a false sense of security as a thumping defeat against the side most observers regard as the biggest threat to the Blues' defence of the title finished off a nine-day period Jose will be keen to put behind him.

The Portuguese's record shows he has an innate ability to deliver success, but he also courts controversy in equal measure. It's one of the more alluring character traits of his role as the King of the charismatic soundbite - but he got it badly wrong in his decision to lash out at Carneiro and Co.

If the criticism of his medical staff was a tactic to deflect the attention from his team's inadequacies, it has certainly blown up in his face. Those deficiencies were clear for all to see here against City.

It was reported that Carneiro was missing from a clear-the-air meeting with the medical staff in the week leading up to the game - and she was absent from the bench as expected.

Sadly for Jose she wasn't the only one that was missing.

His Chelsea players so often buy into the siege mentality he readily cultivates but for once they forgot their game faces on the big occasion as Sergio Aguero returned to the City starting XI with a bang.

The hosts bossed it from the off with Aguero offering a sign of things to come when he raced on to David Silva's exquisite through pass inside 30 seconds, only to be denied by Asmir Begovic.

Mourinho has a knack for grinding out results when he needs them most, but the Midas touch was glaringly absent on this occasion. His usually well-drilled defence struggled to handle City's movement and, but for Begovic, they could have been on the end of an even bigger hiding. Indeed, his display was a rare positive from an otherwise dismal afternoon to forget.

There was an air of inevitability about Aguero's opener on the half hour. The Argentine finally came out on top in his personal duel with the Chelsea keeper, rather fittingly stroking the ball home in front of City's newly unveiled South stand.

Mourinho stood motionless in his technical area with his hands firmly tucked into his pockets. He cut a forlorn figure - and then an embarrassed one moments later as an injury to Gary Cahill meant his medical staff were needed on the field of play. The ironic cheers and taunts which met such a scenario would have hurt more than he dared show, his steely gaze refusing to crack.

And the afternoon was only going to get worse. A head injury to Diego Costa saw more action for his new-look medical team. He then made the unprecedented decision to substitute John Terry at the interval, later admitting that the Chelsea captain was hardly “dancing in the dressing room” when told.

The absence of Terry's aerial prowess in the second half could well have been crucial too, as Vincent Kompany rose to head a match-clinching second from David Silva's corner before Fernandinho rubbed salt in the wounds with a late third.

It's perhaps far too early to question whether there are very real cracks beginning to show in Jose's second spell at the Bridge. The self-proclaimed “Special One” won the league last term and has just signed a four-year deal, after all, but there are certainly signs all is not quite well with the champions.

Mourinho has few peers when it comes to winning trophies in modern-day management but a closer look at his CV shows there is often a case of third-year syndrome.

Chelsea part one ended after a fall-out with Roman Abramovich while his run-ins with the Real Madrid hierarchy are well documented. His all-conquering spells with Inter Milan and Porto, rather notably, both ended after two years.

There's an unnerving symmetry there for Chelsea fans to ponder but one that should not continue on this occasion - IF he makes the right calls. There is still time for the Blues to act in the transfer market and despite the hyperbolic headlines you will read in the coming days, the season is just two games old.

It's a feather in the cap for Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City who are already five points better off than their rivals. But titles aren't handed out in August and Mourinho has plenty of games to address such contrasting early-season form to last year.

Unsurprisingly, the Chelsea boss remained defiant post-match, fixing a firm gaze on each reporter quizzing him. He may be rattled, but one thing's for sure, his belief is unwavering. Fittingly, the final question posed saw him asked if he felt the side humbled 3-0 at the Etihad could still win the Premier League title and challenge for the Champions League this season?

His answer was simple. 'Yes' he stated unflinchingly. And with that he was gone.

The negative press will likely continue in the coming days but come May, Chelsea will almost certainly be there or thereabouts. However, there are issues that need addressing and high on Mourinho's agenda will be identifying what is the starting point for him to reinvigorate his players.

When you have a series of alarming symptoms it's often a good time to speak to your doctor.... and that's exactly what he should do, putting to bed the distraction of his ill-advised comments once and for all.