Patrick Barclay: Naive Mourinho got his tactics all wrong and Chelsea paid the price

Manchester City have become early favourites for the title with two 3-0 wins.

In each case the opposing manager picked the wrong team but, while West Bromwich’s Tony Pulis admitted it, Jose Mourinho left us to draw our own conclusions.

The reasons for Mourinho’s apparent ‘’naivety’’ – to paraphrase his criticism of medical staff last week – remain to be judged, but there was no excuse for Chelsea’s first-half performance at the Etihad.

Mourinho knew from the Hawthorns that City operated with, in effect, two No. 10s – David Silva and Yaya Toure – and would have expected Sergio Aguero to join them in exploiting the space patrolled by Nemanja Matic. As he did to brilliant effect.

So why no support for Matic? Why was Cesc Fabregas given that notional role rather than Ramires, or even Kurt Zouma? Why were Chelsea set up as if playing a routine home match, rather than facing the strongest team in the League?

The frustration of top sides in front of their own crowds is normally Mourinho’s meat and drink and if, as Graeme Souness and others suggested, he spat it out in order to remind other club employees of their transfer-market duty, it was a hell of a gamble to take with the League campaign.

Because City still have the best collection of players. They didn’t show it last season, when Vincent Kompany struggled and Yaya seemed moody, but performances since the resumption have been a glorious throwback.

With one exception. Matic needed assistance all the more because Manuel Pellegrini has such killing pace on the flanks now, with Raheem Sterling on one side and Jesus Navas the other, that opposing full-backs are kept fully occupied.

As for City’s own full-backs, it’s some squad that can have Pablo Zabaleta on the bench; take a bow, Bacary Sagna. If Pellegrini’s men can make as short work of Everton at Goodison next weekend, Chelsea and everyone else may face months of playing catch-up.