Most managers have a dip in form during their careers but we somehow assumed that the superb Jose Mourinho would continue to be immune to such a thing.
But there have arguably been too many errors of judgement of late to go unnoticed.
It may seem crazy to suggest that the Chelsea manager is losing his midas touch – the man just won the title with The Blues in his second season back in England.
But he’s arguably making more mistakes than usual.
Falcao
This one was always going to be a gamble. But recent Chelsea history suggests that when top strikers lose the pace that has been so central to their game, they are in terminal decline. Nothing could be done for the likes of Torres and Shevchencko but Jose still signed Falcao after a really poor, sluggish year at Manchester United.
And it’s not the only potential blot on his usually impeccable transfer record during his second stint at Chelsea. We also think that Loic Remy, Filipe Luis, Juan Cuadrado, Mario Pasalic, Samuel Eto’o, Marco Van Ginkel and Andre Schurrle were less than brilliant additions.
De Bruyne
He let the Belgian go last year but De Bruyne has gone on to be one of the most effective forwards in Europe – and exactly the sort of direct, no-nonsense team player that Jose usually loves.
We also think that Mohamed Salah has been excellent in Italy and question the decision to let him go out on loan with a view to a potentially permanent transfer.
Europe
The way that Chelsea went out of Europe so meekly to PSG – albeit an ever improving Paris side – smacked of a man who was perhaps a little short of innovation in The Champions League. Will that third Champions League elude him?
Eva Carneiro
Anyone who suggests that Jose was being sexist with regards the berating of his medical staff is talking nonsense. But he still seemed like a man clutching at straws with this one. A great man, no matter how stubborn or proud, should know when to apologise.
Moods
Which brings us on to the moods of Jose, which are arguably getting more irrational.
The Eva Carneiro thing sounded like a child throwing his toys out of his pram because he wasn’t getting what he wanted.
And his recent response to being wrong about selling Kevin de Bruyne…
“That is unfair because I wanted to keep him and he told me it was not in his personality to be competing for a position in the team,” Mourinho told national newspapers.
“He needed a team where he knows he can play every game. He needs to know that he is important. He did not want a team where he thinks, ‘Am I playing or not?’
“He needs that trust, he needs that quality. He needs that security, so I was not happy when he left — so yes it’s not fair.”
“He was not training very well and he was saying, ‘I can’t give you more — this is just my way.’
“So yes, I accept that if this is his mentality and it’s his choice to go, it is better for Chelsea to make a good deal.
…also smacks of sour grapes to us. Jose seems to model himself on Sir Alex Ferguson in terms of the Us vs The World mentality. But the Chelsea manager doesn’t approach the philosophy with the same maturity or sense of logic that Fergie did.
Overall Jose remains a results machine. But his current attitude may need a tweak if he wants to maintain his peerless record as a manager.
