MX23RW : Tuesday, March 19 02:36:56| >> :60:1371:1371:
[monks data]
Newcastle logo
Premier League
Sep 26, 2015 at 5.30pm UK
 
Chelsea logo

2-2

Perez (42'), Wijnaldum (60')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Ramires (79'), Willian (86')

Live Coverage: Jose Mourinho's weekly Chelsea press conference

Follow Sports Mole's live coverage of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's press conference ahead of his side's match against Newcastle United.
2

Jose Mourinho has said that he has good enough strikers to cope while Diego Costa serves a three-match ban for Chelsea.

The reigning Premier League champions face Newcastle United in the league this weekend, with the Spaniard missing out because of a retrospective ban.

The manager also confirmed that he has no new injury concerns ahead of the trip to St James's Park.

Read what else was discussed below.


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
Good afternoon. Jose Mourinho is just getting his press conference underway, so let's see what's on his mind.

Mourinho is asked which strikers will start. He insists: "I don't know. I have to keep analysing the opponent. I have to try to know more about them, who is playing, who is not playing, who is injured."

Mourinho insists all of his strikers are good enough: "All of them good players, no tests. We have good strikers. [Remy facing a former club is] not relevant. Loic wants to play every game. I don't think it's a motivation for him to score against Newcastle more than it is to score against Walsall."

Mourinho insists that he won't be bringing in another goalkeeper on loan, adding: "We have Begovic and the third goalkeeper becomes the second. When you start the season we expect the keepers to be ready for the whole season. Now we lost Courtois for two and a half months."

Mourinho is asked about Diego Costa's style of play, and whether he needs to make changes to his aggressive style: "I don't answer because I get suspended and I want to be on the bench. In the rules book it says that some managers can speak about the referees before the game or after the game. I am one of the ones that is punished. I am on the list of those that are not allowed to talk. An imaginary list, but clearly."

Speaking about the pressure Steve McClaren is under at Newcastle, Mourinho says: "Only one manager is not under pressure, every manager is under pressure. Steve is under pressure, Brendan is under pressure, Pellegrini is under pressure. I have sympathy for them and they also have sympathy for myself. Of course I have sympathy for Steve." He also hints that Arsene Wenger is the only manager not under pressure, although refuses to name him.

Asked if he is surprised by Newcastle's start to the season, Mourinho insists: "It's a difficult league, you expect always good things from every team. It's a good team, they lost against West Ham, it's a good team. People have to get ready to maybe a new reality. Even the top teams will lose more than before. They have the money, they invest the money, the different between these teams and the others."

On comments he made about retaliating being allowed in football following the rescinding of Gabriel Paulista's red card, Mourinho tells reporters: "One of the things that is clear in football is that when a player reacts to something that has happened before, for example last season when Matic reacts to a criminal tackle last year [against Burnley], was always punished in football, and now it's not always."

Mourinho believes his side looks better than they did a month ago: "We look better, but I don't want to say yes we achieved that and then a negative result comes. I am sure that we are working well and that the players are getting there. What I was not expecting was that we would lose so many points."

Ending on a lighter note, Mourinho is asked about the Rugby World Cup match between England and Wales taking place tomorrow: "They all go to the game, my wife, my son, my daughter. I am so sorry that they can't do it. I hope they enjoy and than everyone has a good game. My guy [a Welsh Chelsea employee] says that he has a couple of players injured but maybe it is an excuse from him."

And that's all from Mourinho this afternoon. The manager was clearly cagey when facing questions about Diego Costa's ban, trying to avoid getting into trouble with the FA himself.

Mourinho also confirmed that he has no fresh injury concerns for this match. So, join us again tomorrow to see if Chelsea can secure back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time this season. Until then, thanks for joining me this afternoon. Goodbye.

ID:248436: cacheID:248436:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:7191:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Loic Remy #18 of Chelsea takes the ball in the first half against the New York Red Bulls during the International Champions Cup at Red Bull Arena on July 22, 2015
Read Next:
Loic Remy: 'I'll fill Diego Costa void'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014

Subscribe to our newsletter


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!