Blues’ blues: We now have to think about a top-six finish: Mourinho

Manager revises Chelsea’s aims after shock defeat to Bournemouth

LONDON: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said a top-six Premier League finish may be the best his side can hope for after an eighth defeat of the campaign against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Substitute Glenn Murray’s 82nd-minute header at Stamford Bridge condemned Chelsea to a 1-0 loss that left them three points above the relegation zone and 14 points adrift of the Champions League places.

Mourinho had previously insisted that Chelsea were still capable of breaking into the top four, but he admitted that he might have to revise his objectives after the champions’ latest abject result.

“Before this game it was realistic to think that our quality would take us out of this position, but maybe now we have to think about top six,” said the Portuguese. “I am concerned, of course. There is no chance that Chelsea will be fighting relegation. That is not the problem. It is that our objective was to finish in the top four.”

Chelsea had shown an improvement in their recent outings, notably in last weekend’s 0-0 draw at Tottenham Hotspur, but Mourinho said that a deep-seated malaise may have taken root with certain players.

“If you analyse matches, and especially match after match, you can clearly identify a few players that it is difficult for them to be consistent,” he said. “Sometimes you feel there is an evolution, but the next day you realise there is no evolution.”

Van Gaal baffled by fans’ criticism of dour United

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal claims he cannot understand their plea for more attacking football from the fans during a dour 0-0 draw against West Ham.

Van Gaal’s team, without injured top scorer Wayne Rooney, were guilty of poor finishing against a West Ham side, who were seeking their first win in five league matches.

Not for the first time this season, disgruntled United supporters chanted “attack, attack, attack” during the game and booed Van Gaal’s side off at the end as they remained unbeaten at home this season but slipped to fourth in the Premier League.

Yet, asked about the mounting criticism of his conservative tactics, United boss Van Gaal said: “I don’t understand that they are shouting ‘attack, attack’ because we are the attacking team and not West Ham,” said the Dutchman. “That is not only today but in every game it’s like that because we are always more dominating than our opponents.”

Wenger relieved by pre-Olympiakos win

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted his relief after his team ended a run of three Premier League games without a win by overcoming Sunderland 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

Saturday’s success was ideal preparation for next week’s crucial Champions League trip to Olympiakos, where Arsenal must win by any score other than 1-0 or 2-1 if they are to qualify for the last 16.

And after a disappointing November, when a run of bad results was accompanied by significant injuries to Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin, Wenger is hopeful that it proves a turning point.

“I was more nervous than usual because I know it was a very important day for our season,” said the Frenchman. “I knew Sunderland would be very good on counter-attack. We came out of three disappointing results and I think it was a very, very important result for us ahead of the all-important Champions League match.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th,  2015.

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