Tuesday 19 May 2015 13:56, UK
Did Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho really not deserve a single manager of the month award? We look at the evidence...
Chelsea blew their rivals away early in the campaign and cantered to the title by remaining unbeaten since New Year’s Day.
But despite their dominance in the 2014/15 Premier League season, Jose Mourinho found himself overlooked for every manager of the month award.
“I don't know how that happened,” said Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic at the weekend. Here’s the story of how it did…
August – Garry Monk (Swansea)
Chelsea sat top of the Premier League at the end of August having already hinted at the quality that was to come. They won at Burnley first time out and completed a routine home win over Leicester before beating Everton 6-3 at Goodison Park. However, it was Garry Monk’s 100 per cent record as Swansea boss that earned the manager of the month award.
Monk: 3-0-0 / Mourinho: 3-0-0
September – Ronald Koeman (Southampton)
Mourinho’s men ended Swansea’s unbeaten record in September and also enjoyed a comfortable win over Aston Villa, but it was their draw at defending champions Manchester City that was perhaps most significant. Even so, the way that Ronald Koeman had steadied the Southampton ship was what caught the eye as the Saints boss won all three games that month to claim the prize.
Koeman: 3-0-0 / Mourinho: 2-1-0
October – Sam Allardyce (West Ham)
October looked a difficult month for Chelsea on paper but they picked up six points from games against Arsenal and Crystal Palace before having to settle for a draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. United’s late equaliser meant that West Ham’s Sam Allardyce boasted the best record as he guided his side to three straight wins culminating in a home victory over Man City at Upton Park.
Allardyce: 3-0-0 / Mourinho: 2-1-0
November – Alan Pardew (Newcastle)
Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield was the stand-out result for Mourinho’s team in November as they picked up 10 points from a possible 12 for the month with a goalless draw at Sunderland preventing a clean sweep. Newcastle actually lost to West Ham late in the month but three earlier wins that made it five in a row for Alan Pardew’s team which saw him get the nod.
Pardew: 3-0-1 / Mourinho: 3-1-0
December – Manuel Pellegrini (Man City)
Newcastle actually inflicted Chelsea’s first defeat of the season in December, but four wins kept them on course at the top of the table. Manuel Pellegrini’s Man City were closing the gap though and enjoyed their best month of the campaign with five wins out of six that included convincing away wins over Sunderland and West Brom.
Pellegrini: 5-1-0 / Mourinho: 4-1-1
January – Ronald Koeman (Southampton)
It was a tough start to 2015 for Chelsea as they were beaten 5-3 at Tottenham on New Year’s Day and the month ended with a 1-1 draw against Man City. In between there were fine wins but Koeman’s Southampton managed three victories from three attempts – including clean sheets and three points over both Arsenal and Manchester United – to make the Dutchman an obvious choice.
Koeman: 3-0-0 / Mourinho: 2-1-1
February – Tony Pulis (West Brom)
There were one-goal wins over Aston Villa and Everton as Chelsea started to grind their way to the finishing line, but they were unable to beat Burnley in a controversial 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. It was Tony Pulis who was named manager of the month as his West Brom side remained unbeaten in February, picking up eight points and keeping three consecutive clean sheets in the process.
Pulis: 2-2-0 / Mourinho: 2-1-0
March – Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
There were only three games for Chelsea in March and while Southampton left Stamford Bridge with a point, two tricky away fixtures against West Ham and Hull were safely negotiated as the Blues moved to the brink of the title. Even so, there could be no arguing with Arsenal’s form as they won all four of their games to give Arsene Wenger manager of the month award No 14.
Wenger: 4-0-0 / Mourinho: 2-1-0
April – Nigel Pearson (Leicester)
Chelsea powered through April with four wins from five that included a 1-0 win at home to Manchester United and a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium. Chelsea finished with a 3-1 win at Leicester but that wasn’t enough to wrestle the manager of the month award from Nigel Pearson given the remarkable run that saw the Foxes find four wins on the bounce prior to that.
Pearson: 4-0-1 / Mourinho: 4-1-0
