Chelsea FC boss Jose Mourinho finally snapped after another disappointing Premier League loss, this time to Leicester City.

Speaking in his obligatory post-match press commitments, Mourinho laid bare his frustration with his underperforming Chelsea squad in his most blunt outburst yet.

I feel my work is betrayed. I worked four days in training for this match. I identified four movements where Leicester score a lot of their goals and in two of the four situations I identified they scored their goals…I don’t think in this moment they can feel they are top players or they can feel they are superstars. – via The Guardian

Throughout this disastrous campaign, the Chelsea fans have stood firmly behind the Special One, believing that the poor results have been down to the players on the pitch rather than this tactics.

While Monday’s result (which leaves the Blues just one point above the relegation zone) has turned a selection of fans against the boss, many still back Mourinho as manager of this club.

His comments are evidently the culmination of weeks, or even months, of frustration. Week after week the superstars of Chelsea FC have trotted out only to be humbled by supposedly inferior opposition. Has this happened due to bad luck? No. The Blues have lost repeatedly because the other side have simply put more heart and effort into their displays.

Opposing teams have squared off with Chelsea eager to do themselves and their club’s supporters proud. Meanwhile, the reigning champions look like they just don’t care. This may not be entirely true, but it is certainly the impression than the majority of Blues supporters have received.

Mourinho, to his credit, has tried to be as diplomatic as possible. There have, of course, been occasions on which he has singled out the odd player (Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, for example) but for the most part the Portuguese tactician has blamed himself as much as his squad.

The Leicester result, though, has proven to be the tip of the iceberg.

This side is largely unchanged from the one that dominated the Premier League last season. Yes, there were flaws and weaknesses that may have prevented a genuine title challenge in this campaign but there is no fathomable situation in which Chelsea should be 16th.

If this team were putting in the required effort, they would easily be in the top half even without a manager in charge.

Now, there are multiple cases that justify sacking Mourinho, such as the need for a new regime simply to shake things up, but there are some arguments that are invalid.

The idea that Mourinho has failed to provide inspiration when the players have needed it most is nonsense. The Chelsea fans, in general, have been absolutely outstanding this season. Even as each additional loss has been racked up, the supporters have continued to pack out Stamford Bridge and fill out their away ticket allocations.

Moreover, they have incessantly (and naively, some would say) cheered on the club that they love most throughout this nightmare.

If the players can’t find inspiration in that, then they have no right to pull on a blue shirt, or any football shirt, whatsoever.

There is no point in naming each individual who has larked around the pitch because the list would be endless. It has been frankly abominable and an insult to anyone who has directed a portion of their hard-earned clash to these players’ pockets.

With Mourinho admitting that any chances of finishing in the top four are now over, you may think that the club have nothing to play for in the Premier League.

But you would be wrong. These individuals who are lucky enough to be paid bucket-loads to kick a damn ball around a field have to restore some pride. They have let down the club and more importantly the fans.

And without the fans, they are nothing.