Jose Mourinho Indicates That Fringe Players Could Return
The players left at home on Tuesday could return against Southampton.
Jose Mourinho has told the press that the players who did not travel with the team to face Porto midweek have impressed him with their attitude. Consequently, they may well return to the matchday squad for Chelsea FC’s clash with Southampton on Saturday.
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Oscar, Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao were left out of the travelling party on Tuesday night as Mourinho returned to the Estadio do Dragao in an important Champions League fixture. The decision was somewhat surprising and only lent itself to mischievous interpretation. Especially with Chelsea losing the match, the media and football fans in general began to dig up the generic turmoil rumours stating that Mourinho’s perceived scapegoating was causing problems within the squad.
The boss, however, has stated that the trio have impressed him with their positive reaction to the snub.
"I was told by my assistant, [the first-team fitness coach] Chris Jones, who stayed in London and didn’t travel that, on Tuesday, they worked fantastically well.That was the first reaction. They could have stayed here and not shown motivation but, because they knew they could be selected for the next match, they worked very hard and well on the Tuesday. It’s not easy to do that when the team is playing and you’re not with them, but they found that motivation. So fantastic."
All the overlooked players must have felt quite aggrieved by not getting the call to travel. Oscar, in particular, has not been excessively awful even though his season has already been disrupted by injuries.
With regard to the two strikers, they must have found it hard to fathom that Mourinho would rather go with no extra striker than have one of them on the bench.
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Nevertheless, they seem to have channeled whatever ill-feelings that they had into positive energy and now could be rewarded with a start on Saturday. One of either Falcao or Remy should be recalled given that Costa is still suspended but there have also been suggestions that Kenedy could head up top instead.
However, the fact that they have ‘found that motivation’ in Mourinho’s eyes holds them in good stead. With the Blues showing little interest or motivation in a number of hapless and empty performances, anyone in this squad displaying any signs of life deserves to start.
Mourinho also recognised that Chelsea’s current struggles may represent the toughest stretch in his illustrious career. As a result, he is keen to break out of it as soon as possible.
"I define it as the worst period in my career with the worst results in my career. I want to finish it tomorrow and win some matches again…It’s the worst period, the worst results. I’ve never lost so many matches. That’s a fact."
This is as bad a period, both with regard to results and general squad atmosphere, that I can remember since Andre Villas-Boas was in charge back in 2011. This time, though, the players have tasted success with the manager and know that they should trust him. Furthermore, Mourinho is a man that all Blues fans have the utmost faith in as well.
The boss is proven in both football and man managing and there really are few other (active) coaches who are as well equipped as the Portuguese in this situation.
Onwards to Saturday!
All quotes taken from The Guardian.
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