CHELSEA MANAGER JOSE Mourinho criticised his team’s sloppy defending and lack of a cutting edge from his strikers after they went down 3-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League quarter-final, first leg last night.
The Premier League side recovered from the loss of an early Ezequiel Lavezzi goal to equalise courtesy of an Eden Hazard penalty just before the half-hour mark and the Belgian also struck the post before half-time.
However, PSG seized the initiative again in the second period and a David Luiz own goal put them back in front before Javier Pastore’s stoppage-time effort handed the Ligue 1 leaders a potentially decisive two-goal advantage heading into next Tuesday’s return at Stamford Bridge.
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“I think by the strategical point of view the team had great discipline, and the most difficult things to do in the game they did very well,” said Mourinho, who is looking to become the first coach to win the European Cup with three different clubs following previous triumphs with Porto and Inter Milan.
“They stopped (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic. (Edinson) Cavani was under control. The positional play from (Thiago) Motta and (Marco) Verratti in the centre of the pitch was completely under control.
“But we couldn’t transform the half-chances that we created into goals and on top of that we made defensive mistakes, individidual defensive mistakes. So we paid the price.”
The Portuguese also confirmed that his decision to select winger Andre Schuerrle in attack rather than Fernando Torres in the absence of the injured Samuel Eto’o reflected a lack of confidence in his misfiring strikers.
I’m not happy with my strikers’ performances, so I have to try things, and with Andre at least we know we have one more player to associate with the other players.
“But football is not just about that. It’s about scoring goals and getting in behind. And that is for strikers, real strikers.”
The opening goal came from a poor defensive header by Chelsea captain John Terry while David Luiz gave away the free-kick which led to his own goal and goalkeeper Petr Cech was beaten at his near post for Pastore’s third.
“In the first goal the ball goes to Lavezzi – control, half-volley, boom. It’s like this at this level – one chance, one goal,” admitted Mourinho.
“The game was under control and we had the chance to go 2-1 up at the end of the first half. But we didn’t score and then after that we scored in our own goal and after that the third goal, it was a joke. It was not a goal it was a joke.”
Deep down torres pines for Liverpool. .should have learned of Michael Owen-once a striker leaves anfield its downhill after that..take note luis suarez!
Torres was fantastic at Liverpool but went off the boil near the end of his career there. He had a few injuries but it’s the confidence that’s gone. Rafa and mourinho have been unable to turn him around. He may not even get in the Spanish World Cup squad.
He went off the boil towards the end because club was in free fall ,Roy wobbly wonder came in as manager and his weak character came to the fore. .rafa had built the team around him and he thrived on that confidence. I still think el nino could prosper at a team geared towards feeding him with chances. ..chelsea was always the wrong move for him.it broke my heart when he left Liverpool but id still wish him the best..albeit wit a non English club.
Absolutely no comparison with either player you mentioned. .Owen wasn’t even half the player at man utd as he was at pool while morientes was hopeless start to finish at anfield. ..ya ,torres started to pick up injuries toward the end of pool career but he was not bothering his hole as he was angling for a move as soon as rafa left n Hodgson came in. The last striker who left anfield and continued his good form was Peter Beardsley 20 odd years ago though he won feck all up at Newcastle while he was there.
Torres won a chmp lge and a Europa cup with Chelsea. He stated he left liverpool because he wanted to win medals and titles and he has but to the detriment of his own personal performance. I wonder does he look at Suarez and wonder what might have been if he’d of stayed around
All Chelsea need for next season is a world class striker and a quality back up. Torres and Ba need to be moved on as they are liabilities both on and off (wages) the pitch. Also they should make Courtois, arguably world’s No1 keeper just now, their 1st choice.
Jose’s talk of continually talking his team down in front of the media looks like it’s finally taking its toll on Chelsea. He loves to take the personal plaudits when the team wins but is very quick to apportion the blame to the team when it loses.
Sturridge said recently that one of the reasons he agreed to move to Anfield was that Torres was always saying how happy he was there. Interesting that both floundered at Chelsea and both flourished at LIverpool (I’m a poet and I know it)
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How has Torres become so inept?! From one of the best to one of the worst.
Deep down torres pines for Liverpool. .should have learned of Michael Owen-once a striker leaves anfield its downhill after that..take note luis suarez!
Torres was fantastic at Liverpool but went off the boil near the end of his career there. He had a few injuries but it’s the confidence that’s gone. Rafa and mourinho have been unable to turn him around. He may not even get in the Spanish World Cup squad.
He went off the boil towards the end because club was in free fall ,Roy wobbly wonder came in as manager and his weak character came to the fore. .rafa had built the team around him and he thrived on that confidence. I still think el nino could prosper at a team geared towards feeding him with chances. ..chelsea was always the wrong move for him.it broke my heart when he left Liverpool but id still wish him the best..albeit wit a non English club.
Michael Owen won a PL Title and Fernando Morientes won Copa Del Rey and French league title, not really down hill them 2 boys.
Torres form and confidence died when at Liverpool, played through injury and has never regained it.
Absolutely no comparison with either player you mentioned. .Owen wasn’t even half the player at man utd as he was at pool while morientes was hopeless start to finish at anfield. ..ya ,torres started to pick up injuries toward the end of pool career but he was not bothering his hole as he was angling for a move as soon as rafa left n Hodgson came in. The last striker who left anfield and continued his good form was Peter Beardsley 20 odd years ago though he won feck all up at Newcastle while he was there.
Torres won a chmp lge and a Europa cup with Chelsea. He stated he left liverpool because he wanted to win medals and titles and he has but to the detriment of his own personal performance. I wonder does he look at Suarez and wonder what might have been if he’d of stayed around
You’re probably right.
All Chelsea need for next season is a world class striker and a quality back up. Torres and Ba need to be moved on as they are liabilities both on and off (wages) the pitch. Also they should make Courtois, arguably world’s No1 keeper just now, their 1st choice.
Jose’s talk of continually talking his team down in front of the media looks like it’s finally taking its toll on Chelsea. He loves to take the personal plaudits when the team wins but is very quick to apportion the blame to the team when it loses.
Sturridge said recently that one of the reasons he agreed to move to Anfield was that Torres was always saying how happy he was there. Interesting that both floundered at Chelsea and both flourished at LIverpool (I’m a poet and I know it)
That hamstring injury in the World Cup Final did Torres no favours