Hazard told Mourinho that he would like to try the No10 role and the manager responded by changing the 24-year-old’s position during the Capital One Cup defeat at Stoke City and starting him in the centre in Chelsea’s last three Premier League games.
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“If he did not score, it would be a big 50 kilo on his back”, Mourinho said, “but he scored and he could breathe easy”.
“We were good in the movement and fluid and Hazard created chances for us and I think today was good for his confidence because he is a player that was not performing especially well”.
‘He’s the best manager. “Maybe not this season because it will be hard, but next season and beyond”. The likes of Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic, John Terry and Eden Hazard all had very good games yesterday.
“Once more the relation between the way play and the number of goals we score, that relation is not good”.
“‘We spoke before the Stoke game”, said Hazard. This was the same. “So, yes, there is a bit of relief but fundamentally I’m happy for the players because they are working well and they deserved it”. Brady slams his fists into the ground, as Pawson waves play on after Willian seems to trip the Norwich winger in the Chelsea penalty area. “I just want to play”. It doesn’t matter if that’s in the middle or on the flanks’. That miss was not well received in the Chelsea dugout and Mourinho must have been considering substituting his combative striker moments before the game’s key moment arrived.
As for Alex Neil and Norwich, they can be pleased with a hard-working, solid display, despite the defeat.
The Stamford Bridge outfit took a lead through a Diego Costa strike in the 64th minute which they managed to hold on to till the end. Every game that you don’t score goals, you get 5kg more.
Against better sides, they will surely have to improve, although Mourinho was realistic enough to admit that they still have plenty of work to do before the season is anywhere near back on track. But he tried everything. “Yes, he can do much better, but again, yes, one goal is very important”, Mourinho said.
Bassong said: “My mum lives there”. But when I’m on the pitch that’s the only place where I don’t think about anything else.
“I just want to play”.
“I represent my family, my country, my people”.
‘I hope this result is the start of the recovery. So by playing football I’m an ambassador for my family.
“If you ask me the title, I would say it’s an impossible mission. It’s a constant battle”. Subs: Blackman, Traore, Remy, Cahill.
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Champions League qualification for the knockout rounds, which may be achieved when Chelsea play Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel tomorrow, would further lighten the mood ahead of Sunday’s tricky visit to White Hart Lane. We ought to rating three, 4 or 5 objectives, and we did not.
