Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has explained that he switched to a counter-attacking strategy midway through the season in order to safeguard the club`s position in the Premier League`s top four.
|Last Updated: May 03, 2014, 04:43 PM IST|Source: AFP
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has explained that he switched to a counter-attacking strategy midway through the season in order to safeguard the club`s position in the Premier League`s top four.
Mourinho has a reputation as a tactical pragmatist, but upon returning to Chelsea for a second stint as manager last year, he suggested he wanted to introduce a more expansive playing style.
In recent weeks Chelsea have adopted a reactive approach, which earned Mourinho criticism following their 2-0 win at Liverpool last weekend, but he says it has been the key to their success this season.
"I knew what I was doing," the Portuguese told the Saturday editions of several British newspapers.
"We are still in a position, mathematically, to win the Premier League and in the Champions League we reached the semi-final and we had one foot in the final.
"There are moments when you have to go for the strategical point of view if you want to have a chance to compete for what we compete.
"At a certain moment, if you don`t go for a bit more stability and a bit less development of a certain philosophy, it`s a big risk.
"I made the decision to stop that evolution in the style and philosophy of play and I went in the direction where I felt it was the only way that, with this team and with these players, we could get results."
He added: "It`s not a cup. I don`t want to get a bonus for finishing top four; no way, no way. The moment I think like that, I`m in trouble.
"There was a moment that I felt this Premier League was so dangerous that that was the big risk for every one of the big teams, to be out of the top four."
Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-finals by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, but need only a point from their two remaining games -- at home to Norwich City and away to Cardiff City -- to secure a place in next season`s competition.
They are also in contention to win the Premier League, but need both Liverpool and Manchester City to drop points if they are to finish above them.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.