Jose Mourinho: I'm smiling inside at Chelsea's predicament

13.09.2015 19:52

Evening Standard

Jose Mourinho is being cautious not to wear his heart on his sleeve because of the backlash he could suffer.

Indeed, the Chelsea boss says he is smiling on the inside at the challenge Chelsea face after falling to a third top flight defeat in five matches.

Mourinho is keeping his true emotions bottled because he doesn't want people to think he is not frustrated with the club's start following Saturday's comprehensive defeat at Everton.

But the 52-year-old believes there is no-one better to lead the Blues but has urged his players not to look at the table. The Blues sit 17th and face a break from Premier League action as they welcome Maccabi Tel Aviv to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Chelsea then host Arsenal, who appear to have corrected their early-season wobble, at Stamford Bridge and could fall 14 points behind City with defeat - a scenario that he recognises would be welcomed in some quarters.

"I know that lots of people are happy that finally after so many years they find me in a situation like this so fair play, enjoy - but I will enjoy my day [on Sunday] again working hard as always and thinking we can win on Wednesday," he told BBC Sport.

5 show all

1/5 Too slow to react

Naismith - who turns 29 next week - was introduced into the game following an early injury to Muhamed Besic and it proved the turning point in the match. The forward showed his experience after causing Chelsea's midfielders and defenders all sorts of problems and scoring a superb hat-trick that sealed all three points for Everton. However, Chelsea's older players such as Branislav Ivanovic and captain John Terry will be disappointed they failed to realise - or at least act on - the danger Naismith was creating, particularly after his first goal. Ivanovic, for example, didn't apply any pressure on him for the second goal while he should have been more closely marked in the second half to give the visitors a fighting chance of adding to Nemanja Matic's goal and at least walking away with a point.
2/5 Fighting Costa is losing the battle

The striker admitted recently he needs to start scoring more goals for both Chelsea and his adopted nation Spain and, while that may be true, another concerning aspect of his game is his increasing ability to be drawn so easily into battles with opposing players. Costa is seemingly becoming an easy target for competitors and the striker is seemingly falling for it, regularly complaining about decisions to referees or going at opponents - exemplified when he appeared to strike Seamus Coleman's face which was missed by the referee. While he remains Chelsea's biggest threat up front, the Brazilian will need to focus more on trying to score and having less battles with opponents to help the champions get back to winning ways.
3/5 Time to shuffle the full-backs

The Blues vice-captain has endured a torrid time this season but returned to action at Goodison Park initially looking refreshed and motivated following a good international break with his nation Serbia. But the right-back is one of the weak links in this Chelsea side and, after being given the run-around by Swansea winger Jefferson Montero and Manchester City's Raheem Sterling in recent weeks, he failed to prevent Everton's opening two goals. Mourinho has kept faith in Ivanovic - as he has done with under-performing Cesc Fabregas - but it might be time to drop the defender and replace him with Cesar Azpilcueta while utilising Abdul Baba Rahman at left-back.
4/5 Stones would have been a steal at £38m

The defender superbly demonstrated just why Chelsea tabled four bids - all of which were rejected by the Toffees - for him this summer as he put in an impressive showing against the Blues. Mourinho already knows how talented Stones is but, after going head-to-head with Costa on Saturday and winning most of his battles with the striker, the Portuguese tactician may well be as keen as ever to ensure Chelsea land the 21-year-old in the January transfer window. The question is whether the champions will have to splash out even more money than their final failed £38 million bid to sign him after this display.
5/5 Mourinho can't continue to brush-off exit talk

The Portuguese coach insisted there was nothing suspicious about a rare training ground visit made by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich on Friday following recent speculation by some over his long-term future at the club. The 52-year-old only signed a new contract with Chelsea last month, but said he would not walk away from the Blues regardless of results. However, the pressure on the Chelsea manager is beginning to show and indeed Mourinho looked visibly relieved after Matic scored against Everton - with the goal handing the visitors the chance of getting back into the game. Although the midfielder's strike could not ultimately do that, Mourinho will continue to face questions over his position if his side continue to lose.

"It is the first time in my career that I am getting these bad results but I am coping with the situation because I am on the players' side, I am not against them. I don't feel I have any reason to be here speaking against them or against their desire or their lack of frustration at the situation so I keep believing in them.

"It is better not to look to the table, this is the first time I look and see my team in such a position.

"Obviously my career and my experience make me believe in myself and I am happy that on Wednesday we have another game and we don't have to wait 15 days like we did from the last match [the defeat to Crystal Palace].

"I am happy that in this moment the players don't have too much time to think about what is happening and a different competition is welcome when we are not behind having less points than the opponents - we are on zero like Maccabi, Porto and Dynamo Kiev.

"It is a good challenge, I cannot be here jumping or laughing because people may think I am not sad or frustrated so I cannot laugh too much, but the reality is I face this situation smiling inside because it is a good challenge."

ArticleJose Mourinho: I'm smiling inside at Chelsea's predicamentChelsea F.c.Jose Mourinho: I'm smiling inside at Chelsea's predicamentPublishedImageMedium widthSunday, September 13, 2015 - 17:52Smiling inside: Jose Mourinho On

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Jose Mourinho: I'm smiling inside at Chelsea's predicament

1/5 Too slow to react

2/5 Fighting Costa is losing the battle

3/5 Time to shuffle the full-backs

4/5 Stones would have been a steal at £38m

5/5 Mourinho can't continue to brush-off exit talk

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