Agony for Mourinho as Chelsea falls at Everton
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, September 16, 2013
Jose Mourinho's Chelsea homecoming party turned sour as a 0-1 defeat at Everton on Saturday condemned the club to its worst start to an English Premier League season during the big-spending era of owner Roman Abramovich.
Steven Naismith celebrated his 27th birthday by heading the winner in first-half injury time before the hosts clung on to secure manager Roberto Martinez's first victory and inflict Chelsea's maiden defeat of the campaign.
On a day of debuts, Mesut Ozil gave Arsenal fans a glimpse of his creative talents in a comfortable 3-1 win at Sunderland and Chelsea handed a first start to Samuel Eto'o, but the Cameroonian fluffed a host of chances.
"Yes, he needs matches,"Mourinho said of Eto'o on Sky Sports. "But it is not just him, (Andre) Schuerrle missed three big chances to score, Samuel was the same, other players had chances."
It is Chelsea's worst opening to the season since Abramovich assumed control of the club in 2003 and since it took six points from its opening four matches in 2002-03.
Mourinho began his first spell in West London in 2004 with four consecutive wins, so will not relish seeing points go begging as easily as chances did at Everton.
Eto'o had been drafted in from Anzhi Makhachkala as a trusted frontman, having helped the Portuguese cement his reputation as one of the world's best coaches at Inter Milan with Champions League success in 2010.
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