Friday, 22nd November, 2013
Chelsea will be bracing for yet another display of defensive determination tomorrow at West Ham, with Jose Mourinho facing mounting pressure over his away record.
Mourinho has gone 66 Premier League games unbeaten at home, but the Blues have won just one game in five on the road this season in the Premier League – 3-1 against Norwich City.
All the top teams have, of course, dropped points against traditional minnows and Mourinho pointed to an extra-defensive approach that has kept the Premier League's title race well and truly alive.
"I have a feeling that many teams in the Premier League are playing very defensive", he told a press conference.
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"They think about trying to stop the opposition and then see what happens. That gives some good results to different teams against those who are considered best teams. Nothing to criticise in that.
"They are defensive and give difficult matches. That's why nobody is really dominant in this league and they all drop points but are in contact at the top of the table. That's why this league has emotion every weekend."
As for his away record, Mourinho once again blamed the fixture list, but challenged Chelsea to take a five-game plan forward starting tomorrow at Upton Park.
"We had very difficult matches away", he added. "Our fixtures were not the easiest ones, especially away. Already we have played two title contenders.
"And we played against Everton and Newcastle. I'm not saying they are fighting for the title but they are fighting for the second block of teams.
"So we had some difficult matches but we want to do better. We want to get more points in the next five away matches."
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