RUDI WORDS
Rudiger: We failed to do our job.. it felt like a defeat. We have to start looking at our own performances – and stop thinking about Man City or Liverpool
ANTONIO RUDIGER has sent a title warning to his Chelsea team-mates after insisting they must improve to keep up with Manchester City and Liverpool.
The Blues defender confessed they missed a big opportunity by dropping points against Everton and fears it could cost them dearly in the long run.
Chelsea are still unbeaten but are now four points behind leaders City and two points off Liverpool. And Rudiger admitted the draw against the Toffees felt more like a defeat. The Germany international said: “If you want to go for something important, you have to win these kind of games.
“I wanted to win this game. But we failed to do our own job. If we don’t win these kind of games, we don’t need to look at City and Liverpool.
“But we don’t need to speak about those two teams. We need to speak about our own performances. Of course, we are still unbeaten and everything is nice, but to me it feels like we have dropped points. It seems like a loss.
“Of course you have to win your home games, that’s clear. But it does not matter home or away, you have to win your games. Especially at home though.
“It’s like last season, we dropped a lot of points and, at the end, we were thinking, ‘If only’. But that does not count. We failed, and now we have the international break, and after that Spurs.
“Everton are not easy to play against. And then comes Spurs. We want three points and we will go for it. For Chelsea fans that is important and that’s good for me as well, but I see it as a professional, and I want to go there and win. That’s it.”
Chelsea’s bitter rivalry with Tottenham is one of London’s fiercest derbies but Rudiger insists they will also be out for revenge at Wembley on Saturday week.
Rudiger added: “Yes, last season they won here (at Stamford Bridge) and we won there, so let’s make it happen again that we win there.” Chelsea star Eden Hazard has admitted he is feeling tired – but is more concerned at the lack of protection he feels he is getting from referees.
“Believe me, I am tired. But I think I’m in good condition to play,” said the Belgian playmaker (below). “For me, protection would be better. For the referee, it’s hard to show a yellow card in the first minute maybe. “Everywhere it is the same for me, both for club and country. I am not happy to be fair but it’s part of football.
“The referee tries to do his job and I try to do mine. I guess when I am on the floor I can win freekicks so every freekick with Chelsea is a chance to score more goals.”