A few weeks back, this column had predicted another thumping title march for Chelsea. About a month-and-a-half into the new season, I probably have eggs on my face.

Chelsea have made a horror start to the season with three defeats in their first five Premier League matches. Jose Mourinho had a row with team doctor Eva Carneiro before removing her from the dug-out. Now, the manager is said to have fallen out with John Terry.

It started with Mourinho substituting Terry at half-time at Manchester City. He then dropped his captain for Chelsea’s Champions League opener against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic and Diego Costa, too, were benched. And Steven Gerrard smelled a rat. “There’s certainly a bit of friction behind the scenes because, for me, you play John Terry week in, week out, he’s your captain,” the Liverpool legend told BT Sport. “He is such an important figure in the dressing room and if Chelsea want to be successful this season, they need him in there. Chelsea were champions three months ago, they were the best team in the league, the PFA player of the year in Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas was on fire. Something’s clearly happening behind the scenes that we’re not clued into. You can’t have that many problems in a XI so quickly,” he added.

Mourinho has rubbished the rumour in his indomitable style. “Steven is wrong. I like him very much and I’ve a good relationship with him. I admire him a lot. But he’s wrong because we’ve no problems at all,” said the ‘special one’. The term ‘GTU’ (gir gaye phir bhi taange upar) is pretty commonly used in the Mumbai cricket circle. It sums up defiance. Mourinho is a master of defiance.

A 4-0 win in the Champions League opener has allowed the Chelsea boss some breathing space, but Maccabi Tel Aviv were too lightweight an opponent to judge his team’s progress. Mourinho, who faces his bête noire Arsene Wenger in a defining Premier League fixture this weekend, is still not the ‘happy one’. But why this slump?

The responsibility lies with the manager. Armed with a new four-year contract, maybe he got a little complacent. The Blues had won the title last term eight points clear of City. Mourinho’s ‘little horse’ looked unstoppable. He allowed his players to return late for pre-season. He was not very active in the transfer market either. Yes, he hijacked Manchester United’s Pedro bid, but bringing in a young centre-half and mother-henning him under Terry should have been the priority. Mourinho identified the problem area and tried to panic-buy John Stones. But Everton chairman Bill Kenwright stood firm despite receiving a bid of £38 million. He respected the sentiment of the Goodison Park loyalists and the Toffees fans saluted him, paraphrasing The Beatles and singing Money Can’t Buy You Stones. The Evertonians have made it the football ditty of the season, while Mourinho faces the challenge to put his house in order. He has won titles everywhere, including two Champions League winner medals. But this appears to be the biggest test of his career.

The Portuguese, however, have had a habit of suffering the third season blues. It had happened at Porto, during his first stint at Chelsea, at Inter Milan and then at Real Madrid. At Santiago Bernabeu, he lost the dressing room over a fight with Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa. Is he losing it at the Bridge as well?

Make no mistake. Mourinho still has strong backing from club director Marina Granovskaia. The latter was instrumental in bringing him back to west London. Owner Roman Abramovich, however, is not known for his patience. If Chelsea do not recover by Christmas, Mourinho would be edging closer towards the managerial trapdoor. The noise from the dressing room doesn’t inspire confidence.

Then again, it’s too early into the season. Mourinho is arguably the best manager of his generation. His success attests his quality. He can surely turn things around. Chelsea are now placed 17th, just one spot above the drop zone. League leaders City already have an 11-point advantage over them. But league titles are won and lost in April and May, not in September. The defending champions have a fantastic squad and it would be a huge surprise if they don’t make substantial recovery.

Mourinho believes the win against Maccabi Tel Aviv will usher in the revival. “I forgot the (winning) feeling. For so long, we didn’t win a game, so good, a good feeling,” he said while describing himself as a “fantastic manager”. Premier League, however, is a

different ball game. No side has successfully defended the title since Manchester United in 2008-09.

Mourinho is battling against the odds. But this manager can perform miracles. Waking Hazard up from his slumber should be the top priority.