Just lighten up, Mourinho
Another Chelsea win, but the boss gets grumpy with his players, the fans and even the floodlight man
AN encounter that began in relative darkness left Jose Mourinho in one of his darker moods yesterday.
He might have seen his side strengthen their grip on this Barclays Premier League title race with a second-half penalty from Eden Hazard but Chelsea’s manager seemed far from satisfied when he eventually appeared for his postmatch press conference.
For a start, he accused the man in charge of the floodlights of being asleep, and he did have a point.
It was so gloomy Rob Green complained to the officials and when the lights did come on, 20 minutes into this absorbing contest, QPR’s goalkeeper was more than vindicated given the difference they made. It was like someone had just opened the curtains.
But Mourinho said it was another 10 minutes or so, with the arrival of a quite brilliant goal from Oscar, before he realised ‘the ground was not empty’ and the point he was making was obvious.
He was fighting against a sense of complacency that he clearly believes is spreading among the supporters, as well his players; this sense that the victories will simply come because they are so much better than everyone else.
He seemed to regard Charlie Austin’s marvellous 62nd-minute equaliser as a product of that complacency, even if he did then praise his team for the manner in which they responded to take all three points.
For the first half of this contest they were vastly superior to a QPR side who were only a single goal down because of the sheer defiance and determination of Green and his colleagues in defence, in particular the courageous Richard Dunne.
Mourinho (below) would probably see criticism in any comparison with his first championship-winning Chelsea team but there were periods of this game, as there have been in other performances this season, when this side has looked like an improvement on its all-conquering predecessor.
That first team was terrific. Powerful, as well as potent, Alex Ferguson marvelled at their machine-like consumption of consecutive Premier League titles. But there is something about this current crop of players that demands more attention, even if they are not delivering their best with the consistency their manager demands.
They are certainly easier on the eye, while maintaining a ruthless quality that is enabling them to maintain this impressive unbeaten run. There is a nice blend of craft and hard graft, making them a real joy to watch.
Clearly, the acquisition of Cesc Fabregas has made an enormous difference, his poise, precision and vision giving them something in midfield Chelsea could not even claim to have had when Frank Lampard was driving them towards trophy after trophy.
But it is not just Fabregas. It is players with the flair and invention of Hazard, Willian and Oscar, as well as those with the power and strength of Diego Costa and a brilliantly drilled back four. Oscar’s goal was a combination of both qualities. It might have been the finesse of Fabregas that saw the ball delivered into the path of Oscar but it owed much to Costa’s strength to hold the ball up for what was a terrific one-two between the Spaniards.
The finish that then followed from Oscar in the 32nd minute was just extraordinary, the Brazilian using
the outside of his right foot to curl the ball across the face of the QPR goal and beyond the reach of a diving Green via the inside of the far post. The fact that Oscar also had to squeeze the ball in front of Dunne demanded even more precision. But it was the bend of the ball that was most staggering; a shot that almost challenged the laws of physics.
It certainly had Roman Abramovich on his feet and it is probably a reason why Mourinho talks of managing for another 20 years. Why would you not want to keep working with players of this quality?
Mourinho, nevertheless, still sees room for improvement. On yesterday’s evidence, plenty.
Having seen his side leak a late equaliser to Manchester United last Sunday, he was distinctly unimpressed to see a spirited QPR side battle their way back into this game.
If Austin was once so in awe of John Terry he asked to have his picture taken with Chelsea’s captain, there were no signs of any enduring inferiority complex here.
He produced a quite brilliant equaliser to add another chapter to the remarkable story of his rise from non-League to the Premier League, diverting Leroy Fer’s scuffed volley beyond the reach of Thibaut Courtois with a delightful heel-flick after the Chelsea goalkeeper had punched clear a cross from Eduardo Vargas.
The vigour of Chelsea’s response did, however, please Mourinho.
They moved up through the gears again and when Hazard burst into the QPR penalty area in the 75th minute, a reckless shoulder barge from Vargas left referee Mike Jones with little option but to point to the spot.
Hazard, so composed in such situations, comfortably converted, and Mourinho noted with some pleasure the fact that Green then had to make another couple of decent saves.
The Chelsea manager also praised opposite number Harry Redknapp for his ‘fantastic work’ in the way he had ‘organised his team defensively’.
Such generosity did not extend to his players, though, even if the mark of a championship-winning team is the ability to secure victories when they fail to perform at their best.
That said, there were also spells here yesterday when they were absolutely mesmerising.