Some pundits and journalists have
questioned the quality of our play in recent months, and it is
noteworthy our last six league victories have been achieved by a
single-goal margin. It is also noteworthy, however, we are 10 points
clear at the top of the Premier League; we have the best goal difference
and have won more and lost fewer than any other team.
For Jose Mourinho, these facts and more are all that matter. The manager says he consciously changed the team’s style in light of injuries and suspensions accumulated, particular this calendar year. Testing his and the team’s ability to deal with difficulties is something Mourinho relishes.
‘In the first part of the season we had Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic and Fabregas, Willian, Oscar, Hazard and Diego Costa,’ noted the boss.
‘Everybody knew the Chelsea team. We then progressively lost the balance of our team. From a certain moment Diego was injured, Diego was suspended, Matic was suspended, Fabregas was injured, Diego was injured again.
‘When you lose crucial pieces in your team the team loses certain kinds of qualities. I didn’t think about it; it was just a consequence of things. When I go to the cup final with Zouma in that position and the triangle built in the other way it’s a consequence of Matic’s suspension.
‘It’s very enjoyable to deal with the difficult moments, in a strategic way, and for the players to have a great feeling that this is very important. In football the team spirit, the team ethic, and the strategy is like a life raft,’ added Mourinho.
‘I don’t want a bigger squad,’ he continued. ‘I want the team to be ready to deal with the problems. As every team normally has, we have had our problems during the season - and we have been able to deal with them.
‘I hope to start next season the same way we started this season, because this is the way we want to play, and this is the team we really enjoy. We are the team that has scored the second most goals. We are the team that has conceded the second fewest goals, and we are the team with the fewest defeats.
‘We have scored some of the best goals of the season – and I am not speaking about individual actions or spectacular goals like Charlie Adam’s – I am speaking about spectacular team goals. We started that at Burnley with the Schurrle goal, one of the best goals of the season. We have repeated that almost week after week.
‘We are having everything in our season. If we manage to win the Premier League we did everything right.’
Mourinho said yesterday Dominic Solanke did not play for our Under-21 team on Thursday night so he would be fresh and ready to be involved at Arsenal if Diego Costa is not available.
For Jose Mourinho, these facts and more are all that matter. The manager says he consciously changed the team’s style in light of injuries and suspensions accumulated, particular this calendar year. Testing his and the team’s ability to deal with difficulties is something Mourinho relishes.
‘In the first part of the season we had Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic and Fabregas, Willian, Oscar, Hazard and Diego Costa,’ noted the boss.
‘Everybody knew the Chelsea team. We then progressively lost the balance of our team. From a certain moment Diego was injured, Diego was suspended, Matic was suspended, Fabregas was injured, Diego was injured again.
‘When you lose crucial pieces in your team the team loses certain kinds of qualities. I didn’t think about it; it was just a consequence of things. When I go to the cup final with Zouma in that position and the triangle built in the other way it’s a consequence of Matic’s suspension.
‘It’s very enjoyable to deal with the difficult moments, in a strategic way, and for the players to have a great feeling that this is very important. In football the team spirit, the team ethic, and the strategy is like a life raft,’ added Mourinho.
‘I don’t want a bigger squad,’ he continued. ‘I want the team to be ready to deal with the problems. As every team normally has, we have had our problems during the season - and we have been able to deal with them.
‘I hope to start next season the same way we started this season, because this is the way we want to play, and this is the team we really enjoy. We are the team that has scored the second most goals. We are the team that has conceded the second fewest goals, and we are the team with the fewest defeats.
‘We have scored some of the best goals of the season – and I am not speaking about individual actions or spectacular goals like Charlie Adam’s – I am speaking about spectacular team goals. We started that at Burnley with the Schurrle goal, one of the best goals of the season. We have repeated that almost week after week.
‘We are having everything in our season. If we manage to win the Premier League we did everything right.’
Mourinho said yesterday Dominic Solanke did not play for our Under-21 team on Thursday night so he would be fresh and ready to be involved at Arsenal if Diego Costa is not available.
Solanke is one of a number of youngsters to have spent time training with – and indeed playing for – the first team this season. The manager considered what is best for the striker – a goalscorer in recent UEFA Youth League final and FA Youth Cup final first leg.
‘He played against Maribor. He was on the bench against Crystal Palace, against Manchester United, and probably he will be on the bench against Arsenal. For a kid who is an Under-18, his experiences this season have been magnificent.
‘Next year he has two ways to go. For me it would be a big mistake for him to go on loan to another team in England or in Europe.
‘Staying at Chelsea, training with the first team, having pre-season with the first team, sometimes covering the main strikers, and playing every week again for the Under-21s and the Under-18s - he would probably never need to go out on loan. He can just go step by step here, and in a couple of years [he will be a] first team player.
‘When a player is like Loftus-Cheek or Solanke - that we know for sure has the potential to play for Chelsea one day - it’s better for them to stay and develop at Chelsea.
‘They belong to an integrated project. They belong to the club. They train with me, they are in my meetings, and they play for me in some matches. For many of them this is the best way to do it.
‘Ruben is a great example. He was never on loan. He was just working and waiting and now he knows next season he is a first team player.’
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