Jose Mourinho blames star players for worst start since 1971

Jose Mourinho has never had a start this bad at Chelsea before.

Yes, Alan Pardew’s Crystal Palace were superb but, with nine goals conceded in their four league games so far, this is the Blues’ worst defensive record at this stage since 1971.

Asked whether the Belgium winger should be given time to mature, Mourinho snapped: “The best player in the Premier League does not need to mature.

“If you are the best in the league, It should be a good responsibility to have a similar season to the previous one.”

Then, turning on Hazard’s team-mates, Mourinho warned he has no intention of fiddling while Rome burns.

He added: “If you ask me, will I accept this, cross my arms, sit in a nice chair and wait calmly for the performance level to be back, no.

"I have to work, react and analyse.

"If I feel the players are not in conditions to react and give more, I have to make changes.

"I have never had a problem with that.”

The ­Portuguese had lost just one of the previous 99. It also meant Chelsea have won just one of their opening four.

How the Portuguese must now wish he had copied City who have ­reinforced this summer in defence, midfield and attack, and look formidable.

Mourinho, however, has defended his decision not to do so. “City reacted to the fact they had lost the title.” he said.

“They reacted buying fantastic players. They are buying more until the end of the market.

"And if they have the economic potential to do that, good.

“You see my players today on the pitch and you know what I do – that we could clearly identify two or three players that can do better.

“That is what we have to do. It is not about being loyal or not. It is whether they are ready to give an answer and fight against that bad form.”

To be fair to the Blues, their pre-season programme was designed to get them to peak during the second half of the season after they clearly ran out of steam last term.

But even Mourinho is now baffled by just how ­dramatically his men have been drained of their aura of invincibility.

“I don’t know,” he said.

“You have players who have fantastic seasons and moments and the next season don’t have the same.

"But if they have lost their ­appetite, then that is very sad. If this is real, it is very sad.

"Because I feel the opposite.

“When I win, I want to win again. I feel fantastic motivation for more. If you win it once but next you are not on fire to fight for more, that is sad.”