After months of supporting his players and taking the brunt of the media’s criticism for Chelsea’s atrocious start to the season, Blues boss Jose Mourinho had enough after the champions latest defeat at Leicester on Monday.
Mourinho, fighting for his job with Chelsea in unprecedented waters, went on the attack saying sensationally accusing his players of betrayal.
‘I feel my work was betrayed,’ he said. ‘We conceded two goals that are unacceptable for me.
‘I know that one of my best qualities is to read the game for my players, to read the opponent, to identify the threat of the opponent.
‘Vardy went in between two central defenders, Mahrez one-on-one in the box but I want two, I want a midfielder to close his best foot. Our two goals are very difficult to accept,’ fumed Mourinho.
‘I worked four days in this match. I prepared everything related to the opponents. I identify four movements where they score almost every goal.
‘My players, they got all that information in training in the last three days. You can ask them. I know they are honest guys, they will tell you what I am saying is true. In four-type situations, we concede the first and the second goal.’
Mourinho also appeared to question Eden Hazard’s commitment after the Belgian playmaker withdrew himself with a hip injury in the first half.
Mourinho said: ‘I don’t know (what his injury is). The only thing I know is in 10 seconds he made the decision himself. His first reaction was, ‘I can’t.’ I was going to make a change. Second reaction, ‘I try.’ When he goes on the pitch, first step, ‘I cant do it.’ A few seconds, three different perspectives. Clearly he tried. It must be a serious injury.’
The Chelsea manager then questioned whether his squad is now showing a truer reflection of their ability following a ninth Premier League loss of the season that left the club one point above the relegation zone.
‘Sometimes I find myself thinking last season I did an amazing job, brought players to a level not their level. If this is true I brought to such a level they couldn’t keep for more than super-motivation to be leading. That is one possibility.
‘Another possibility is that this season we start individually and collectively so bad that maybe the sequence of results brought the players to a position in table where they are not scared of relegation zone, they feel they don’t belong, but do not have the motivation to be champion, or in the top four. Both are possible, one of them can be real.’
Mourinho might pay for Chelsea’s unprecedented start to the season with his job, but a lot of the Blues players like Hazard, Fabregas, Costa, Oscar, Ivanovic and Terry have been shadows of their former self.
Regardless of whether it is Mourinho or someone else, Chelsea need a massive overhaul of their squad in the next two transfer windows.
