5 players Jose Mourinho should axe in January and why

There can’t have been a person that follows football in any capacity whatsoever who would’ve predicted the extent of Chelsea’s demise this season.A team that won last season’s Premier League at a canter have imploded spectacularly and lost almost as many games already this season as they did in the entirety of their title-winning campaign.There has continued to be huge speculation as to the reasons why the Blues can’t seem to shake themselves out of their current malaise, but the answer is pretty clear and staring everyone in the face.The players that they have just aren’t good enough. Plain and simple.Let’s take a look at five players who Jose Mourinho should wave goodbye to in January.

#1 Branislav Ivanovic

Ivanovic looks nowhere close to the player he was last season

There was a time when Branislav Ivanovic was one of Jose Mourinho’s untouchables.

An imposing and physical specimen, the Serb was superb in defence and advantageous as a support for Chelsea’s attack. Not anymore.

It’s almost as if someone has filled a trench full of quicksand along the right-hand channel where Ivanovic has made his living for some while now. In virtually every single one-to-one this season, Ivanovic has been shown a clean pair of heels by his opponent. To the point of embarrassment.

Quite why Mourinho has persevered with the player when he has other options is a mystery. Lest we forget that one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers is a natural right back and would give the back line some balance.

Cesar “Dave” Azpilicueta might well have got to the point where he has made himself almost indispensable as a left back, but he’s needed in the role that he carries out with such aplomb for his country.

Shuttling him across to the right will see an immediate improvement in nullifying the raiding in that area of the pitch