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Jose Mourinho accused Arsenal of "crying" about decisions that went against them after Chelsea bullied their way to a fiery 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Mourinho's side subjected Arsenal to some ferocious challenges as they hassled the Gunners out of their stride in Monday's bruising London derby.
John Obi Mikel was fortunate to avoid a red
card after the Chelsea midfielder crunched into Mikel Arteta, while Arsenal also complained they should have had a penalty for Willian's challenge on Theo Walcott.
There were several other bone-jarring tackles that left Arsenal players writhing in agony, and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger seething on the touchline.
But Chelsea manager Mourinho refused to apologise for his team's no-holds-barred approach and instead took the opportunity to get one more dig in on old rival Wenger and his players.
"They like to cry, that's tradition," Mourinho said.
"I prefer to say that English people – and I give one example, (Chelsea's) Frank Lampard – would never provoke a situation like that.
"Players from other countries, especially some countries, they have that in their blood.
"I prefer English blood in football and English blood in these situations is 'come on, let's go.'"
Asked about Mikel following through into Arteta's shin, Mourinho insisted it was a fair challenge.
"It was a hard one, an aggressive one. Football is for men, or for women with fantastic attitude!" Mourinho said.
"Football is a game of contact. English football, winter, water on the pitch, the sliding tackles become at a fantastic speed. So be proud, play with pride."
As well as having to contend with Chelsea's aggressive tactics, Arsenal were also trapped in Mourinho's tactical straitjacket.
The Portuguese coach has never lost to Wenger in 10 meetings and this rarely looked like being the first defeat as his 4-5-1 formation stifled the life out of an already anxious Arsenal.
Arsenal's frustrated fans responded by chanting "boring Chelsea" at the final whistle.
Responding to the terrace jibes, Mourinho said sarcastically: "I'd agree. I played against them 10 times and I never lost.
"'Funny, funny Jose.' 10 times, they don't win once. What do you want to call me?"
Fourth placed Chelsea are just two points behind leaders Liverpool heading into the busy Christmas schedule, and Mourinho was adamant his defensive tactics were the right choice on a night when torrential rain and gale-force winds made smooth passing almost impossible.
"We came to win, but it was very important not to lose, because if we lose we are five points behind the leaders," Mourinho said.
"And, with a point, we are two points behind Liverpool and Arsenal. That's a completely different picture. We tried to win, but we are not unhappy with the point."
Wenger inevitably saw it rather differently, but he was careful not to be drawn into a war of words with Mourinho.
"Of course I can understand that," he said with a wry smile when told Mourinho said he thought referee Mike Dean had a good game.
"It's Christmas, so let's give everyone their own opinion and I can have mine.
"I don't think he (Dean) had a great game at all.
"On the pitch it (Mikel's foul) looked bad, but the referee was in a good position.
"As for the challenge in the area, I think it was a penalty. Honestly. If I'm wrong, I apologise."
Second placed Arsenal have now gone four matches without a win in all competitions and, after leading the Premier League for much of the season, they have been replaced at the top by Liverpool.
Yet Wenger said he remains certain Arsenal have the character to win the title race and added: "We're going through a patch where it's a bit more difficult, but part of a successful season is how you deal with that.
"The spirit of the players is unbelievably focused. There's a great desire.
"Let's be serious: if after the first game against Aston Villa (when Arsenal lost) I'd told you we'd be near the top of the league at Christmas, you'd have told me I was absolutely mad."
"supersport"
The Portuguese rejoined the London outfit, with whom he won league titles in 2005 and 2006, in June after trophy-laden years spent in Italy and Spain with Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
He will take his title-chasing Chelsea side across London to face Arsenal, managed for the last 17 years by Arsene Wenger, on Monday (2000 GMT) where victory could send them level on points with leaders Liverpool.
“Realistically I hope at the end of those four years we sit, analyse the situation and that will be the point where we both – club and me – are happy to carry on or happy to separate,” British media quoted Mourinho as saying of his contract on Monday.
“But I would like, say, 12 years. I’m 51 next month. I’d say 12 years, and then two to go to a World Cup with a national team. I would prefer the Portuguese national team. England second (choice).”
Mourinho has never completed four seasons with a club in his highly successful career that has brought seven league championships across Europe and two Champions League titles.
He left Porto after winning the Champions League in 2004 to join Chelsea where he left in September 2007, the start of his fourth season, following a breakdown of relations with the club and a falling out with billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
He then joined Inter in 2008, lifting five trophies before departing to Spain in 2010 as he ended Barcelona’s run of league championships before departing last May amid dressing room divisions.
He had been tipped to replace Alex Ferguson, who stepped down after 26 years at Manchester United in May, but Mourinho plumped for a return to Chelsea, where he remains revered for bringing them a first title in 50 years.
“There were a lot of teams (offered to me) who could be successful immediately in my hands,” Mourinho said.
“I had Real Madrid. I left them because I wanted to, not because they wanted me to. I had other clubs in other countries where it would be easier to go and find an easy job immediately.
“If I was here for financial reasons, I wouldn’t be here getting a lot less money than I had at Real Madrid, where I had three more years on my contract.
“I didn’t come here because the job was easy, or because I had a team ready to attack the title, or because I was coming here for the best contract of my life.
“It’s the worst of my last six years. I’m here because I love the club, I love the project. It’s a different project.”
The project involves tightening a leaky defence and finding a formula to attain more goals from his struggling strikers.
He also needs to help bring through a talented pool of youngsters to replace an ageing generation in John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard – all key elements of his team during his first reign at Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese said Chelsea would have a ‘phenomenal team’ next season with the arrival of some marquee signings to go along with his development of the current crop – if he is provided time.
Abramovich has employed seven permanent or interim managers in between Mourinho’s two spells in charge, little wonder the Portuguese pushed for patience.
“The best way to (run a club) is to do it with stability. For the players, if you want to help them grow up, you do that much better with stability. In ideas, philosophy, model of play, style of leadership,” he said.
“This all comes from stability at the highest level, with the owners and board and, after that, the manager.
“The second line of the hierarchy. That stability is very important. You look, for example, to Manchester United and everybody feels David (Moyes) will have his time to do his work in a calm way. I think that’s fantastic.”
SUPERSPORTS
- See more at: http://thewillnigeria.com/news/mourinho-plans-12-year-chelsea-stay/#sthash.JukhllgL.dpuf
The Portuguese rejoined the London outfit, with whom he won league titles in 2005 and 2006, in June after trophy-laden years spent in Italy and Spain with Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
He will take his title-chasing Chelsea side across London to face Arsenal, managed for the last 17 years by Arsene Wenger, on Monday (2000 GMT) where victory could send them level on points with leaders Liverpool.
“Realistically I hope at the end of those four years we sit, analyse the situation and that will be the point where we both – club and me – are happy to carry on or happy to separate,” British media quoted Mourinho as saying of his contract on Monday.
“But I would like, say, 12 years. I’m 51 next month. I’d say 12 years, and then two to go to a World Cup with a national team. I would prefer the Portuguese national team. England second (choice).”
Mourinho has never completed four seasons with a club in his highly successful career that has brought seven league championships across Europe and two Champions League titles.
He left Porto after winning the Champions League in 2004 to join Chelsea where he left in September 2007, the start of his fourth season, following a breakdown of relations with the club and a falling out with billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
He then joined Inter in 2008, lifting five trophies before departing to Spain in 2010 as he ended Barcelona’s run of league championships before departing last May amid dressing room divisions.
He had been tipped to replace Alex Ferguson, who stepped down after 26 years at Manchester United in May, but Mourinho plumped for a return to Chelsea, where he remains revered for bringing them a first title in 50 years.
“There were a lot of teams (offered to me) who could be successful immediately in my hands,” Mourinho said.
“I had Real Madrid. I left them because I wanted to, not because they wanted me to. I had other clubs in other countries where it would be easier to go and find an easy job immediately.
“If I was here for financial reasons, I wouldn’t be here getting a lot less money than I had at Real Madrid, where I had three more years on my contract.
“I didn’t come here because the job was easy, or because I had a team ready to attack the title, or because I was coming here for the best contract of my life.
“It’s the worst of my last six years. I’m here because I love the club, I love the project. It’s a different project.”
The project involves tightening a leaky defence and finding a formula to attain more goals from his struggling strikers.
He also needs to help bring through a talented pool of youngsters to replace an ageing generation in John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard – all key elements of his team during his first reign at Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese said Chelsea would have a ‘phenomenal team’ next season with the arrival of some marquee signings to go along with his development of the current crop – if he is provided time.
Abramovich has employed seven permanent or interim managers in between Mourinho’s two spells in charge, little wonder the Portuguese pushed for patience.
“The best way to (run a club) is to do it with stability. For the players, if you want to help them grow up, you do that much better with stability. In ideas, philosophy, model of play, style of leadership,” he said.
“This all comes from stability at the highest level, with the owners and board and, after that, the manager.
“The second line of the hierarchy. That stability is very important. You look, for example, to Manchester United and everybody feels David (Moyes) will have his time to do his work in a calm way. I think that’s fantastic.”
SUPERSPORTS
- See more at: http://thewillnigeria.com/news/mourinho-plans-12-year-chelsea-stay/#sthash.JukhllgL.dpuf
The Portuguese rejoined the London outfit, with whom he won league titles in 2005 and 2006, in June after trophy-laden years spent in Italy and Spain with Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
He will take his title-chasing Chelsea side across London to face Arsenal, managed for the last 17 years by Arsene Wenger, on Monday (2000 GMT) where victory could send them level on points with leaders Liverpool.
“Realistically I hope at the end of those four years we sit, analyse the situation and that will be the point where we both – club and me – are happy to carry on or happy to separate,” British media quoted Mourinho as saying of his contract on Monday.
“But I would like, say, 12 years. I’m 51 next month. I’d say 12 years, and then two to go to a World Cup with a national team. I would prefer the Portuguese national team. England second (choice).”
Mourinho has never completed four seasons with a club in his highly successful career that has brought seven league championships across Europe and two Champions League titles.
He left Porto after winning the Champions League in 2004 to join Chelsea where he left in September 2007, the start of his fourth season, following a breakdown of relations with the club and a falling out with billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
He then joined Inter in 2008, lifting five trophies before departing to Spain in 2010 as he ended Barcelona’s run of league championships before departing last May amid dressing room divisions.
He had been tipped to replace Alex Ferguson, who stepped down after 26 years at Manchester United in May, but Mourinho plumped for a return to Chelsea, where he remains revered for bringing them a first title in 50 years.
“There were a lot of teams (offered to me) who could be successful immediately in my hands,” Mourinho said.
“I had Real Madrid. I left them because I wanted to, not because they wanted me to. I had other clubs in other countries where it would be easier to go and find an easy job immediately.
“If I was here for financial reasons, I wouldn’t be here getting a lot less money than I had at Real Madrid, where I had three more years on my contract.
“I didn’t come here because the job was easy, or because I had a team ready to attack the title, or because I was coming here for the best contract of my life.
“It’s the worst of my last six years. I’m here because I love the club, I love the project. It’s a different project.”
The project involves tightening a leaky defence and finding a formula to attain more goals from his struggling strikers.
He also needs to help bring through a talented pool of youngsters to replace an ageing generation in John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard – all key elements of his team during his first reign at Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese said Chelsea would have a ‘phenomenal team’ next season with the arrival of some marquee signings to go along with his development of the current crop – if he is provided time.
Abramovich has employed seven permanent or interim managers in between Mourinho’s two spells in charge, little wonder the Portuguese pushed for patience.
“The best way to (run a club) is to do it with stability. For the players, if you want to help them grow up, you do that much better with stability. In ideas, philosophy, model of play, style of leadership,” he said.
“This all comes from stability at the highest level, with the owners and board and, after that, the manager.
“The second line of the hierarchy. That stability is very important. You look, for example, to Manchester United and everybody feels David (Moyes) will have his time to do his work in a calm way. I think that’s fantastic.”
SUPERSPORTS
- See more at: http://thewillnigeria.com/news/mourinho-plans-12-year-chelsea-stay/#sthash.JukhllgL.dpuf
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