Following the shock defeat to Crystal Palace at home, Jose Mourinho has identified some of the problems affecting Chelsea’s performance. Mourinho blamed himself for tolerating too much of under-performing stars and also bemoaned the lack of motivation from his players, especially those that are expected to carry the team. Mourinho made a reference to Eden Hazard who was undoubtedly the player of the year the previous season and has urged him to find the same hunger and burning desire to repeat and improve on previous performances.
“If you are the best player in the league, I think it should be a good responsibility to have a similar season than in the previous season,” Mourinho said.
“I don’t want to analyse individual performances. In general terms, it is difficult to have a consistent performance when some of the players are not performing at a good level.
“When you have six or seven performing and three or four who are not at an acceptable level, it is hard for a team to be consistent in the performance.”
Mourinho insists that he will work day and night to ensure that Chelsea return to form in the coming weeks, but says it would be “sad” if his players were demotivated.
“For myself, I feel the opposite. When I win, I want to win again, I want to win more. I feel fantastic motivation for more,” he added.
“If you win it once and the next you are not on fire, not ready for at least to fight for more, that is sad.
“You have players who have fantastic seasons and fantastic moments and the next season do not have the same.
“If you ask me: ‘Will I accept this, cross my arms, sit in a nice chair and wait calmly for the performance level to be back?’ No.
“I have to work, react, analyse and if I feel the players are not in conditions to react and give more, I have to make changes. I have never had a problem with that.”
