Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is as notorious for his mind games off the pitch as he is for the incredible results his teams produce on it. Blues mentor Mourinho ruled out his side after the win over Manchester City, claiming they were “little horses” up against the Etihad thoroughbreds.
Now Sunday People Sport is reporting Mourinho privately told his team he would use that analogy to play down their chances, despite telling the player he expects them to win Premier League title.
A senior Blues source said: “Jose told the players before the West Ham game that they would hear him talk down their title chances.
“He told them to pay no attention because his intention was to take the pressure off the team and put others under the microscope.
“He also told the players that he believes they will be champions this season.”
It’s a similar ploy he used during his first stint at Stamford Bridge in 2004, and despite describing himself as ‘The Happy One’, It’s obvious Mourinho is the same old ‘Conniving One’.
WILL THE REAL MESUT OZIL PLEASE STAND UP
Another big game, another far from marquee-standard performance from Arsenal’s record signing Mesut Ozil.
The German – who Wenger splashed out $78 million for in the off-season – was dominated by Liverpool’s midfield and was directly at fault for two of Liverpool’s five goals as the Reds ran rampant at Anfield.
The early season praise for Ozil has subsidised, and plenty are now questioning Wenger’s judgment on the playmaker’s signing, including the EPL’s record goalscorer, Alan Shearer.
“It would seem that giving all the credit to Ozil was somewhat misplaced,” Shearer wrote in a column for The Sun.
“Ozil has become less effective as the season has gone on.
“How often have we seen him really dominate a game in the way say he did in that Champions League win at home to Napoli? Not very often, I would suggest.
“When you spend that sort of money on a player you expect him to do better in these big games.”
CAR CRASH GUNNERS
Ozil wouldn’t have enjoyed walking to the dressing room at half-time at Anfield, with Mikel Arteta describing the scenes in the away dressing room as “a car crash”.
“The manager was really upset at half-time, that’s normal because it wasn’t good enough for this football club. The angriest I have seen him? Yes,” Spaniard Arteta said.
“The next game is obviously massive because now it’s about how you react, how it has affected you. Every time you have a big defeat it’s like that.
“We have three days to lift the place up, and we have to be realistic. After 18 minutes we were 4-0 down and it was like a car crash.”
INSIPID CITY MISSING AGUERO
Manuel Pellegrini has admitted Manchester City are dearly missing injured striker Sergio Aguero, who’s plundered 15 league goals already this campaign..
It follows City’s inability to break down a stubborn Norwich City on the weekend, a result that saw Chelsea take top spot in the league.
“It is difficult coping without the spark of Aguero,” Pellegrini said.
“Because we have been scoring goals so easily this season people have been talking about how many more there will be but scoring is always the most difficult thing in football.
“I think the problem in the last two games is absolutely related to Aguero’s injury and Negredo and Dzeko being not fit enough to play as well as they did before. We are in an unlucky moment of the season but we are right behind the leaders and have 39 more points to fight for.”
MORE BAD NEWS FOR CITY
It could get worse for City, with Yaya Toure facing retrospective action for kicking out at Norwich City striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel in the dying stages of their Carrow Road clash.
New rules implemented following the Andy Carroll farce allow video footage to be examined if referees miss incidents, like they did for Toure’s indiscretion.
HAZARD DREAMING OF SILVERWARE
Chelsea superstar Eden Hazard hopes his hard work on the training ground will result in a first Premier League title come May.
Hazard’s first hat-trick in English football was the difference between Chelsea and Newcastle and sent his side a point clear at the top after Arsenal and Manchester City failed to win.
Jose Mourinho’s side have 13 games to hang on to their lead, but the manager continues to insist City are favourites for the title.
Hazard is not deviating too far from the party line, but the Belgium international is at least allowing himself to “dream”.
He said: “Top of the league. I go in my bed, I dream. I hope at the end of the season it will be the same. It’s a pleasure to play for this team and to work for that.”
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