Neil Humphreys: New Chelsea turn into old United
Rampant Red Devils show why stubborn Blues boss Sarri must be sacked
Roman Abramovich's gloomy executive box remained empty.
The Chelsea owner hasn't visited Stamford Bridge all season. But wherever he was watching the game on TV, he saw a manager and 11 footballers offer enough reasons to bring out the axe.
And they were all dressed in red.
Manchester United's 2-0 victory against the Blues saw two clubs swop places. New Chelsea are the old Red Devils.
When they faced each other in a lopsided FA Cup contest, the hosts weren't so much staring into a mirror as they were peering through a looking glass into United's grubby, recent past.
There was a dogmatic foreign manager, wedded to his outmoded philosophy and living off past glories. When another defeat beckoned, he offered no alternative.
On the pitch, disillusioned superstars glanced across at the dugout in search of guidance, inspiration, anything that might give them a shot at a comeback.
Artists appeared jaded. Automatons were used incorrectly and young talent was left on the bench, unused and unwanted.
When Abramovich discusses another loss with Marina Granovskaia, his Russian-Canadian henchwoman, they will recognise the history repeating itself.
But Maurizio Sarri hasn't turned into Luiz Felipe Scolari at Stamford Bridge. He's morphed into Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, a misunderstood genius still waiting for the rest of the world (and his players) to wake up and appreciate his pioneering fieldwork.
But there's nothing pioneering about Sarri-ball. The Italian's rudimentary approach has been championed by pretentious types who believe that dropping Sarri-ball, Serie A and Jorginho into conversation highlights a deep understanding of European tactical models.
It really doesn't. Sarri-ball shows a one-trick pony working in front of an audience that saw through the trick months ago.
Isolate Jorginho and Sarri is left exposed. He's hiding behind the Emperor's New Clothes and chain-smoking his way to the exit.
Nemanja Matic was booked against Chelsea and marked Jorginho with the additional burden of knowing that he was a mistimed tackle away from being sent off, but he manacled the Italian nonetheless.
But then, it's difficult to kick a footballer when he's buried deep in one's pocket.
IMPRISONED
N'Golo Kante was once labelled as the midfielder who performed the work of two men. Now that is literally the case, covering for the imprisoned Jorginho despite being shunted to the right side.
In this regard, the new Kante is the old Marcus Rashford, a gifted footballer with a unique set of skills being asked to play in the wrong position and then criticised when he doesn't execute the muddled master plan.
Kante and Rashford also share similar temperaments.
Placid and uncomplaining, their genial dispositions have been exploited by a manager determined to get his own way, whatever the cost, which is proving considerable.
Chelsea have lost five times in 10 games, conceding 15 goals along the way and scoring none in those five defeats, a staggering statistic that would've met with instant dismissal in the past, but the AWOL Abramovich is a distracted man.
The same could be said of his players.
Eden Hazard was an engrossing study in frustration, charging at United, making runs into blind alleys and waiting for passes that didn't arrive. His patience must be tiptoeing from thin to anorexic.
In this regard, he resembles the old Paul Pogba, the team's talisman betrayed by a stubborn coach, regressive tactics and shattered confidence.
As the Belgian marvelled at the latest chapter in Pogba's resurrection, watching the Frenchman pick up a goal and an assist, he could've been forgiven for glancing across at their respective managers.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has liberated Pogba. Sarri has isolated Hazard.
Of course, Chelsea's mercurial stars have a reputation for downing tools in protest at an unpopular manager, but there does seem to be a genuine, collective lack of belief in Sarri-ball.
It's just not working. And the Italian refuses to compromise, choosing to blame his players instead for not grasping the concept. He not only sounds like a man out of time, he sounds like an old manager at Old Trafford.
Even the Stamford Bridge faithful noticed the similarities, turning on Sarri for his lack of tactical variety, his conservative substitutions and his reluctance to trust youngsters (Callum Hudson-Odoi never left the bench).
The booing sounded like a death knell. Another poor showing against Malmo in the Europa League on Friday (Singapore time) and Sarri's days are done.
In truth, Abramovich has probably seen enough already.
Sarri's failure isn't just that he's turned the Blues into a poor side. He's turned them into a poorer version of Mourinho's United.
For the Chelsea faithful, that's a bridge too far.
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