Tag Archives: Jose Mourinho

Chelsea, News

Chelsea Boss Mourinho Hails ‘Immense’ Veteran After Stoke Win

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has praised his veteran captain John Terry after his side’s 2-0 win against Stoke City stretched the Blues’ lead at the top of the Premier League table to three points going into Christmas.

Terry opened the scoring with a typical header from a corner kick, with Cesc Fabregas doubling the lead later on, keeping chasing Manchester City at a distance going into the festive period.

Fabregas was one of Chelsea’s lauded signings in the summer months, but Terry was the one who set them on their way to a win, bagging a goal after only two minutes played.

It was Terry’s first goal this season for the Stamford Bridge club.

Mourinho said: “When I came back here, his career was in a bit of trouble and was a bit up and down. But, for me, he’s as at the same level as 2004-07 and that’s because he’s happy and confident about where he is which makes things easier.

“He knows I trust him and he adapts well to our training methods and that’s why he is playing so well.

“The goal gave us a great start. John is very dangerous from set pieces. But more important than the goal is the way he has been playing this season. He has been immense.”

Mourinho’s troops have lost only one game this season – away from home against Newcastle United, a game they lost 2-1.

There is talk that they could be potential quadruple winners, with the Portuguese manager’s side still competing well on all four fronts.

Chelsea, Newcastle, News

Mourinho Reveals Why Mikel Was Chelsea’s Best Player Vs. Newcastle

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has revealed why John Obi Mikel can be the best player in a blue shirt on a given match day, despite featuring infrequently for the Blues since the start of the season.

Mikel started for the first time this season in the league against Newcastle United, and despite the 2-1 loss to Alan Pardew’s side, he emerged from the game with significant credit, with many suggesting that his performance was the best on the park.

Mourinho has now insisted that the players in his squad are all hungry to make an impression when they are given an opportunity in the first team, and this is why a rarely used star can be the best player.

Mikel’s display against Newcastle was one such display that Mourinho pointed to as evidence that his management techniques are working this season.

He said: “The first time he played [from the start in the Premier League] was Newcastle and he was our best player.

“How can he be our best player if he didn’t play in three months? Because he was working every day at the top level. Sad, frustrated, not happy? Maybe. But professional – that’s what I expect from the players.

“It’s the concept of helping the team. Everybody has to be ready to sacrifice for the team, to give everything for the team, to think about the team and not to be selfish. This is the way I want a team to be.

“The one that comes on in the last five minutes, he’s a crucial player. If he makes a mistake the team loses; if he doesn’t, the team wins. Everybody wins, everybody loses.

“I want a short squad. In a short squad, everybody is important. I need every player. And when I sign a player, I don’t say ‘it’s you plus 10’. I say ‘it’s you plus 21 or 22’.

“You have to know the squad is good at Chelsea. If you’re at a Chelsea as a goalkeeper, you can’t imagine that you’re the only good goalkeeper. It’s the same for the strikers. For me, all of this is very normal.”

Chelsea play Stoke City in the Premier League tonight.

Chelsea, Manchester United, News

Man Utd Double Winner: Chelsea ‘Strong Enough’ For Quadruple

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Manchester United legend and Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has declared that Chelsea can win the quadruple if they keep up their current performances.

The ex-Man Utd man faces off with Chelsea tonight in the Premier League, and goes into the game knowing that only one team have beaten the Blues this season – Alan Pardew’s Newcastle United.

This initially led to suggestions, prior to that defeat, that Mourinho’s team could replicate the feat of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal team and go an entire season in the Premier League undefeated.

However, with that loss, discussion has instead changed to the idea that Mourinho’s team could be devastating on all fronts and win an unprecedented quadruple.

While there is a significant chunk of the season left to go, it would not be surprising to see Mourinho lead his team to an unbelievable success like that.

Hughes himself believes that Chelsea possess enough quality to manage it.

He said: “You just sense their belief in what they are doing seems stronger than it has in recent times. It wouldn’t surprise me if they won all four.

“They are strong enough.

“Adding to the squad has taken them to a different level from last year

“It wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t believe in-house that they could do it.”

“They have players who are used to winning and who expect to win every game they play.

“Once they get to a point in the season, maybe not as we stand now, but certainly towards March or April, it could be on.

“Obviously Jose leading them must help. They do get into the mindset that they feel they can win every game.”