Blues 20/1 to emulate Mourinho’s previous first Chelsea season

Jose Mourinho’s appointment as Chelsea’s first permanent manager since Roberto Di Matteo has seen their odds about securing trophies in 2013/14 slashed across the various competitions in which they’ll be taking part.

Mourinho is 10/11 odds-on to endure his first trophyless full season in English football, whilst it’s 11/8 that the Blues gain one pot (just as they did in each full season during their first spell under his stewardship) and 13/2 that they add two trophies to the cabinet this term.

Not since his pre-Porto spell at Uniao Leira has Mourinho gone an entire campaign without winning any silverware whatsoever.

The Portuguese ace’s first tenure at Stamford Bridge was given an early shot in the arm by a 3-2 League Cup victory over Liverpool and Chelsea are 6/1 jollies for to win the budget cup in 2013/14.

The League Cup was joined at the end of his first campaign by the Premier League trophy and Ladbrokes offer a special 20/1 price about such a double being achieved once more.

With both Manchester clubs likewise facing periods of acclimatisation under new management, the Blues squad which had begun to develop with such promise under Rafael Benitez have every chance with the reins in the hands of a manager every bit as good as David Moyes and Manuel Pellegrini, if not better.

Funds for the signings that could potentially help Chelsea step up a level on their 2012/13 exploits are sure to be available and the mooted signing of prolific Serie A top goalscorer Edinson Cavani could be just the kind of improvement that enables them to throw down a genuine challenge in 2013/14.

Given the Blues’ recent dominance of the FA Cup – which has seen them win four of the last seven – begun under Mourinho in 2007/8 it’s little surprise to see them head the market once again at 6/1.

The Premier League and FA Cup double can be backed at 18/1, whilst a history-making first ever English domestic treble is priced as if it’s far from out of question at 125/1.

The ex-Real Madrid string-puller failed to win the Champions League during his first spell at Chelsea and has never lifted the trophy during his first season at a club, although he took the UEFA Cup in his first campaign at Porto.

To affect a victorious assault on the competition in 2013/14 is a tall order.

Chelsea bombed out at the group stage last term on the back of a tactically naïve 3-0 outclassing by Juventus at Stadio delle Alpi. That the Old Lady were then themselves similarly overwhelmed by eventual winners Bayern Munich shows just how far they’ll need to come, nonetheless they’re as short as 10/1  to lift ‘old big ears’.