André Villas Boas came to Chelsea with a fantastic reputation. He’s the youngest manager ever to win a European club title. He also came with a whopping great price tag (€15 million). Unfortunately for Chelsea, Villa Boas hasn’t hit the ground running and Chelsea have been indifferent so far this season.

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Ordinarily I’m all for giving managers time to bed in, work with the players and adopt a style that suits the team. Villas Boas however has attempted to play the same style that his Porto side adopted so well. Chelsea’s aging squad however have struggled to play the high defensive line, their players not quick enough to cope with the counter attacks they are facing. How could Villas Boas be so naive to believe that John Terry, now past his prime and never known for his speed would fit with the system. Once upon a time Ricardo Carvalho would have been there to mop up the danger but Carvalho left never to be adequately replaced. A truly great manager can find a system for the players he has, he doesn’t force them to play a system that doesn’t suit them.

It is true that the squad Villas Boas inherited is nowhere near as talented as the one Mourinho had. Even though the core of the team has remained the same, years have passed and Terry, Lampard, Drogba et al aren’t getting any younger.

With Chelsea advancing in the Champions League, Villas Boas has bought himself more time in charge at Stamford Bridge but another poor result away at Wigan at the weekend has once again highlighted the problems that Chelsea have.

Is Villas Boas the man to reinvent Chelsea? Much would depend on whether Chelsea win a trophy this season. Roman Abramovich is a man that demands success and an empty handed season would likely see the return of Gus Hiddink.

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