If he can’t win the match for us, at least to be a team man. “You think my players are not with me?” For me it would be a fantastic situation if the players are against me, then I can say, “We aren’t getting the results because the players are against me”.
Advertisement
But former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamman said: “I think he’s got a mountain to climb to get back on track”.
The Premier League champions have now suffered four defeats in their last six games in all competitions and could be without Costa for their crunch clash against Liverpool this weekend after he was reportedly taken to hospital with a chest injury.
“Mourinho clinging by a thread”, British daily The Sun splashed on its sports’ page on Wednesday morning, prompting a flood of damning headlines all with the same question: how long will the Portugueuse boss, who calls himself “the special one”, last?
The visitors were unable to make the most of their man advantage in extra time, though, and their exit was subsequently sealed when Eden Hazard’s spot-kick, the 10th of the shoot-out, was saved by Jack Butland, who had been on fine form throughout the game. “We go with sadness but a positive feeling”, Mourinho remarked. I think he’s smart enough to deal with it. He has the team and the experience to recover.
“It is hard. All the clubs have a lot of high-quality players”.
They doubled their advantage when Wallace turned provider, curling the ball into the area for Joao to head home after 40 minutes and six minutes after the break Hutchinson converted from close range as Arsenal went to sleep from a set piece. Lack of confidence, why?
“Chelsea – apart from needing to win the Premier League – need to qualify for the Champions League. People were saying there are things more important than results”, he said. “It is a contradiction”.
That forced the game into extra time and after Phil Bardsley was dismissed for a second bookable offense, the tie swung in Chelsea’s favor.
Butland denied Chelsea repeatedly during the 120 minutes to prove he is a genuine challenger to England No 1 Joe Hart, although he played down his heroics.
“Full credit to the lads because they showed tremendous character and determination”, exclaimed Stoke boss Mark Hughes.
Advertisement
First-half goals from Ross Wallace and Lucas Joao stunned the Gunners, who lost momentum following the double substitution.
