Liverpool FC Forum

by **A.B.** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 8:16 pm

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes the team he has taken to the top of the Barclays Premiership no longer need him.
The Blues remain five points clear of Arsenal after their North London rivals overcame Newcastle United thanks to a crucial strike by Patrick Vieira.

But although Arsenal’s victory kept the pressure on Chelsea, along with Manchester United’s success at Aston Villa, Mourinho reckons his team have so much self-belief that he has become redundant.

Mourinho said: “My players believe they can win the league and at this moment they don’t need me to believe that.

“At the beginning of the season they needed me to help them believe but at this moment with their self-confidence and the way they feel and work, and the way they go to every match, they don’t need me for that belief.

“We are together and ready. What happened to us when we lost at Manchester City was a big answer and we are ready for another answer when that day arrives again. So when we lose a game, don’t think we will lose the next one, because we won’t.”

Mourinho knows everyone expects his side to buckle under the pressure but he feels there is more pressure on his rivals.

He added: “Their pressure is bigger than ours. They have to win and wait for our mistake. We don’t have to wait for their mistake, we just have to get our results.

“We started this period of four matches with a five-point lead.

“If we can go through it with two, three or a five-point lead, it will be great for us.

“When we went top of the league, the important thing was to stay there and not to lose one game and go down. It was important to show that we could deal with it and win matches.

“Since we’ve been top of the league, we haven’t lost a game.

“I’m not stupid, I don’t need anyone to tell me that four games in nine days is difficult. I know it is difficult. I know is is very important to go over this wall still top of the league and after half of these four matches, we still have the five-point advantage.

“So if we can finish the game against Middlesbrough and still be alone at the top of the league, it will be fantastic.”

But Mourinho’s injury-hit squad was weakened further this week when Russian midfielder Alexei Smertin was struck down with a virus that will keep him out of the New Year’s Day trip to Liverpool and Tuesday’s home clash with Middlesbrough.

Smertin’s absence, added to that of Ricardo Carvalho, Robert Huth and Scott Parker and the sale of Celestine Babayaro to Newcastle, means Mourinho is down to just 17 fit players for two of the biggest games of the season.

Any other manager would be opening the cheque book to strengthen the squad within hours of next month’s transfer window opening, but not Mourinho.

Knowing he has the backing of billionaire owner Roman Abramovich does help but Mourinho insists he will not spend big and, if he does bring someone in, it is likely to be on a loan arrangement.

CSKA Moscow thwarted his attempt to bring in Jiri Jarosik because the midfielder is needed for the Russian side’s UEFA Cup campaign, but Mourinho insisted there is no pressure to add another new face to his squad.

He said: “We are living a difficult moment right now but every club lives through a difficult moment during the season. Now is ours.

“Carvalho is out, Huth is out, Parker is out and Smertin is out for Saturday. But in two weeks time Carvalho, Huth and Smertin will be back.

"We have a short squad but at the same time everybody feels part of it and I don’t need to select players - so mentally it is easy for everyone.

“We don’t really need to get players. If we have the chance to get a player in on loan without spending money, a stable and balanced player, we will do it. But there is no pressure to do so.

“At the moment if I wanted to rotate players in the FA Cup or the Carling Cup, I don’t have many options to do it.

"That’s why I think if we can get a player, it would be good for us, but not in a position that we may want to improve in another way in the summer. There is no big money to spend.”

by **dawson99** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:58 am

Any other manager would be opening the cheque book to strengthen the squad within hours of next month’s transfer window opening, but not Mourinho.

believe that when i see it. The guy does know how to talk the talk, but will he be able to walk the walk? :blues:

by **LFC #1** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:13 am

this is from ITV, Mourinho has lost it - Lampard better than Gerrard my ****** - I bet Gerrard will read that and abslultey annihalite Chelsea 2moro and tell them to ****** off.

The Blues travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Saturday where Gerrard will come face-to-face with England team-mate Frank Lampard.

The former West Ham star has again been in inspirational form this season, helping the Londoners to a five-point lead at the top of the table.

Chelsea have been linked with a big-money bid for Gerrard during the January transfer window, but Mourinho insists he already has the best midfielder in the business a Stamford Bridge.

"I think Gerrard is one of the best in the Premiership," he said. "But I don't think he is better than Frank Lampard. My players are always better than others."

That boast will be put under much scrutiny in the white-hot atmosphere of a packed Anfield with Chelsea down to their last 17 players for the trip to Merseyside.

Russian midfielder Alexei Smertin has been struck down with a virus which will also keep him out of the home clash with Middlesbrough next Tuesday.

Left-back Celestine Babayaro is to join Newcastle and Chelsea are still without central defenders Robert Huth (ankle) and Ricardo Carvalho (broken toe) and midfielder Scott Parker (broken foot).

But despite the difficult situation he now faces, Mourinho remains adamant there will be no big signings during the transfer window.

He added: "I think we have been top of the league for eight or nine weeks, so if we can extend that beyond Liverpool and Middlesbrough, we are in a good position.

"We are living a difficult moment right now but don't really need to get players in. If we have the chance to get a player on loan without spending money, a stable and balanced player, we will do it. But there is no pressure.

"At the moment if I wanted to rotate players in the FA Cup or the Carling Cup, I don't have many options. That's why I think if we can get a player, it would be good, but there is no big money to spend."

what an arrogant ******, "my player are always better than others" - yeh we will see if you have a better player than Ronaldinho in the CL. :angry:

by **A.B.** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:22 pm

Imagine if Benitez said that a player from the opposition was better than one of our players? How would that make him look?

Of course Mourinho is not going to pick Gerrard over Lampard because if he did what would Lampard say to Mourinho? "Hey boss it's good that you think that I'm not better than Gerrard"

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