'This team is not unbeatable': Mourinho in it for long haul with his new-look Chelsea side
By DOMINIC KING
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For the Happy One, read the Resigned One. Accepting defeat is not in Jose Mourinho’s make-up, but losing to Everton triggered a reaction from him that was as significant as it was surprising.
Mourinho has been at pains to say he is not the same as when he first arrived on these shores in 2004 and that, again, was evident at Goodison Park.
A reverse of this nature in the past would have seen him turn into a man of war, railing against officials and picking fights with the opposition.
Not the same: Jose Mourinho cut a disconsolate figure at Goodison Park on Saturday
MATCH FACTS
EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Howard 6; Coleman 8, Jagielka 7, Distin 7, Baines 8; Osman 6, Barry 8; Mirallas 7 (Deulofeu 90min), Barkley 9, Jelavic 6 (McCarthy 66, 6); Naismith 7 (Stones 89). Subs not used: Robles, Heitinga, Oviedo, Gueye.
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Cech 7; Ivanovic 6, Luiz 5, Terry 7, Cole 5 (Torres 69, 4); Mikel 5, Ramires 6; Schurrle 5 (Lampard 57, 6), Mata 5 (Oscar 57, 5), Hazard 6; Eto’o 5. Subs not used: Schwarzer, Essien, De Bruyne, Cahill.
Booked: Ivanovic, Luiz, Mikel, Hazard.
Man of the match: Ross Barkley.
Referee: Howard Webb 7.
This was nothing like how it used to be but, then again, the same was true of Chelsea’s performance. The first Mourinho era was defined by bloodymindedness and resilience; by belief they would overpower all-comers and score when it mattered. But the Chelsea of 2013 are not the same.
Though a number of his old warriors remain, Mourinho intimated after a Steven Naismith header secured three points for Everton that his presence alone will not transform Chelsea into champions.
‘We are not unbeatable,’ said Mourinho. ‘This is a different profile. This is a different team (to 2004). I came here to work - I don’t say peacefully because I am the first one that does not like to work peacefully - but to work with time, to develop the players and play the best they and we can.
‘We have to transform the beautiful football we played into goals. We have to work this way and, one day, we are going to score four or five.
‘In this moment, everything will be pink.’
We are not unbeatable: Roberto Martinez (above, left) outfoxed Mourinho
At this moment, however, the question remains - who will score the goals? Samuel Eto’o started but looked a shadow of the player who won the Champions League with Barcelona and Inter Milan.
He squandered two glorious chances, once when skewing a header horribly over the bar, the other when the outstanding Gareth Barry thundered in to divert his shot.
‘Samuel is a fantastic player,’ argued John Mikel Obi. ‘You might say it hasn’t helped him being in Russia for two years, but he looked sharp enough to me. The goals will come. He’s world class.’
Andre Schurrle, meanwhile, underwhelmed. So vexed was Mourinho by the German’s display that he dragged him off - along with the anonymous Juan Mata - before the hour. Then there was Fernando Torres. Brought on to replace Ashley Cole, he touched the ball eight times in a 21-minute cameo - but only once in Everton’s penalty area.
Past his best? Samuel Eto'o was underwhelming as the centre-forward
Benched: Mourinho hooked Juan Mata (left) and Andre Schurrle (right) off before the hour mark
Uninspiring: Fernando Torres was thrown on, but he made just eight touches in over 20 minutes
How Mourinho would love to have a young Didier Drogba as his focal point, though some would argue Chelsea had such a player, but allowed Romelu Lukaku to join Everton on loan.
‘It is one thing to be the same kind of body — it is another to be the same kind of player,’ Mourinho argued. ‘They (Drogba and Lukaku) are completely different. I know.’
So, rectifying the lack of an end product is imperative - ‘Artistic football without goals is not good,’ Mourinho observed sagely - but, equally, as Roberto Martinez pointed out, Chelsea have other issues to address.
Different: Mourinho insists that new Everton man Romelu Lukaku (left) and Didier Drogba (right) aren't the same
Lucky: Martinez can take advantage of having the Belgian's services for the new season
‘They are very good at what they do, but clearly they are a team who need to keep a clean sheet to impose themselves,’ said Martinez, who celebrated his first win as Everton manager.
‘This is not about me. Football is not about managers. It is about the players.’
If you don’t have the right players, the right results don’t come. Mourinho knows this better than anyone.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2421377/Jose-Mourinho-resigned-long-haul-new-look-Chelsea-side.html#ixzz2f2EenIsV
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