Mourinho fumes at players, Van Gaal decries EPL ‘rat race’

FOR one normally so bullish and quick to blame anyone but himself and his team, Jose Mourinho was prepared to admit that Chelsea would not only lose their Premier League crown but also every remaining game this season if they made a habit of performances like the one at Newcastle on Saturday.

He refused to name individuals when he said he would no longer tolerate the contribution of certain players, but he did not have to.

Substituted in the second half of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Newcastle were Loic Remy, Nemanja Matic and Oscar, but Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and even PFA Footballer of the Year Eden Hazard were lucky to see out the game.

Their form is clearly a major worry for a manager who wore a resigned look despite the late goals from substitutes Ramires and Willian which salvaged a barely-deserved point at a ground where he has now failed to win in six attempts in the top flight.

“Yes, I am very concerned. I do not understand it and I do not accept it” he said.

“I would like to have made more changes than I did. There were six players I could have taken off. I wanted to make six substitutions – that is how bad we were.”

The Blues are back in Champions League action today, away to Porto, while Arsenal host Olympiakos.

Meanwhile Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, whose side host Wolfsburg tomorrow, says the physical and competitive “rat race” that is the Premier League will hurt English clubs’ chances of progressing in the Champions League.

UnitedlosttheiropeningencounterinEurope 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven, with Arsenal and Manchester City also losing their opening games to Dinamo Zagreb and Juventus, respectively.

Van Gaal, who saw his team knock crosstown rivals City off the top of the Premier

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2015 League table at the weekend, said English clubs have the quality to progress in Europe, but face a serious disadvantage compared with clubs from other countries.

“The Premier League is a very difficult league. To beat your opponent every week is not easy, it is always a struggle and a battle,” the Dutchman said. “Then you have to play again mid-week in the Champions League.”

Squad rotation was key, the Dutchman said, but added: “The difficulty is all these (Premier League) players are in a rat race and that takes a lot out of the players. – Daily Mail and Reuters