Jose feels betrayed by players as Chelsea flop
I identified the threat, so it’s difficult to accept those goals – Mourinho
JOSE MOURINHO sensationally accused his players of betrayal after falling to defeat at Leicester and suggested last season’s title triumph might solely be down to his skill as a manager.
The Chelsea manager questioned whether his squad is now showing a truer reflection of their ability following a ninth Premier League loss of the season that left the club one point above the relegation zone.
Mourinho also appeared to question Eden Hazard’s commitment after the Belgian playmaker withdrew himself with a hip injury in the first half.
Leicester produced a thrilling display to return to the top of the table through strikes from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, who together now have 26 Premier League goals for the season. Loic Remy produced a late response but the hosts held firm.
Mourinho, fighting for his job with Chelsea in unprecedented waters, went on the attack.
“I feel my work was betrayed,” he said. “We conceded two goals that are unacceptable for me.
“I know that one of my best qualities is to read the game for my players, to read the opponent, to identify the threat of the opponent.
“Vardy went in between two central defenders, Mahrez one-on-one in the box but I want two, I want a midfielder to close his best foot. Our two goals are very difficult to accept,” fumed Mourinho.
“I worked four days in this match. I prepared everything related to the opponents. I identify four movements where they score almost every goal.
“My players, they got all that information in training in the last three days. You can ask them. I know they are honest guys, they will tell you what I am saying is true. In four-type situations, we concede the first and the second goal.”
Hazard went off in the 30th minute after being bustled to the floor by Vardy, deliberating briefly before storming off down the tunnel.
Mourinho said: “I don’t know (what his injury is). The only thing I know is in 10 seconds he made the decision himself. His first reaction was, ‘I can’t’. I was going to make a change. Second reaction, ‘I try’. When he goes on the pitch, first step, ‘I can’t do it’. A few seconds, three different perspectives. Clearly he tried. It must be a serious injury.”
Mourinho delivered his verdict on the current situation, denying Chelsea were in a fight for survival.
“No I don’t accept,” he said. “I accept we are in the relegation zone but not a battle. We look to the table, we are there, that is something very obvious.”
But he made the audacious claim that the players may not be as good as their title-winning form indicated last season, proposing he raised their levels higher.
“Sometimes I find myself thinking last season I did an amazing job, brought players to a level not their level. If this is true I brought to such a level they couldn’t keep for more than super-motivation to be leading. That is one possibility.
“Another possibility is that this season we start individually and collectively so bad that maybe the sequence of results brought the players to a position in table where they are not scared of relegation zone, they feel they don’t belong, but do not have the motivation to be champion, or in the top four. Both are possible, one of them can be real.”
Mourinho insisted he was still the manager to turn fortunes around. “The only thing I can say is, I want to be, clearly. I have no doubts. I am not afraid of a big challenge. In this moment it is a real big challenge. I want to stay. I hope Mr Abramovich and the board want me to stay.”
However, Mourinho admitted a top-four finish is '“clearly” beyond reach for Chelsea following defeat at the King Power.
Claudio Ranieri’s incredible achievement of guiding his team to leading the Premier League race on 35 points after 16 games went somewhat overshadowed by Mourino’s outburst.
Leicester are ahead of Arsenal by two points and the Italian said the club’s supporters “can dream” but his players must stay grounded.
“We need five points. Don’t laugh,” he said. “Next there are four very tough matches. Let me achieve 40 points then I am thinking about the next goal.”