Jose Mourinho has earned a stay of execution as Roman Abramovich has recognised him as the best man available to lead the charge for honours on several fronts next season, although his status as the leading manager in the world can no longer be taken for granted.

The Portuguese has been outwitted by Rafael BenÍtez, the Liverpool manager, at the semi-final stage of either the Champions League or the FA Cup in each of the past three seasons, suggesting that there are things “The Special One” could learn about the art of management, particularly in preparing his team for knock-out matches.

Perhaps his first step could be a public acknowledgement that he is not infallible because only by admitting that he can improve is there a chance that he will. Here are some areas in which he might do so.

Reality check

The landscape of Mourinho’s mind must be a fascinating and frightening place, and there are increasing signs that his detachment from reality has become counter-productive. At the start of his career, his rants were a source of inspiration to his own players, but at the moment seem merely to be further alienating opponents, with inflammatory words bringing the best out of Sir Alex Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo, and BenÍtez and Steven Gerrard, in recent weeks. Unless he accepts that Chelsea deserved to be knocked out by Liverpool, they will probably be beaten in the same way again.

Cast off caution

Mourinho has achieved much of his success by watching his team grab a goal and defend it doggedly, although this philosophy has its flaws, such as what happens if your opponents score? Manchester United’s vastly superior goal difference at one stage threatened to deny Chelsea the league title – this method of separating the sides should be unnecessary now – and such conservatism is even more crippling in cup competitions, as was shown at Anfield. Deploying Didier Drogba as a lone striker handed Liverpool an initiative that they never surrendered, while Mourinho delayed the introduction of Arjen Robben for too long. As the man to whom Carragher compared Mourinho yesterday, Del Trotter, used to say: “He who dares wins!”

Less direct

Mourinho would benefit if his conversation and playing style were a little less brusque. In addition to firing up opponents, his repeated outbursts have angered senior figures within Stamford Bridge, who also complain when Chelsea’s functional football fails to deliver the required results. In both Champions League defeats by Liverpool, the limitations of Mourinho’s game-plan have been cruelly exposed, with his plan B often little more than a more intense version of plan A, which is to hit long balls to Drogba and pack the opponents’ penalty area with six-footers. As United have shown, greater subtlety tends to bring rewards, while a more expansive playing style would also endear him to Abramovich.

Flexibility and flair

Chelsea have more than their share of flair players, but Mourinho has appeared reluctant to use them. For all his complaints about injuries, Joe Cole and Robben were not in the starting lineup when fit at the beginning of the season, while Andriy Shevchenko has been used as a deeplying work-horse, partially explaining his diminished goal output. The requirement to include Shevchenko and Michael Ballack has left Mourinho with limited options, although a greater use of his wingers in crucial matches would be welcomed next season.

Long haul

Mourinho’s record as an impact manager is unparalleled at the top end of European football, but he has yet to show that he can deliver sustained success. His abrasive personality and intense work ethic are not conducive to long-term stability, although he is settled in London and will begin a fourth season in charge of Chelsea in August, his longest spell at any club. It will be fascinating to see if he is successful or otherwise.