Will we win the Prem / Title still possible (merged)

[Statt0]

This from telegraph

“We represent English football and are the only team in European competitions. Spain has four and gave them all the conditions to try to have success, so I know what I would do. But I’m not the club. I have to speak to them. I would play with the players who are not going to play Wednesday.”

When pushed on why he would not pick the team to play against Liverpool and whether the ultimate decision will rest with Abramovich, Mourinho added: “I’m not the most important person in the club. Roman and the board, everybody is above me. I work for them and have to follow what my club decides. My priority is the Champions League.”

 

[Cobwebcat]

He's thrown the towel in.


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is ready to make wholesale changes to his starting XI for Sunday's crucial Premier League encounter with Liverpool.

The Blues drew 0-0 with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final, but the result came at a heavy cost to the Stamford Bridge club.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech will not play again this season after suffering a shoulder injury in the first half, with captain John Terry facing a similar fate after limping out in the second period with a foot problem.

Midfield duo Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel were booked during the match, ruling them out of the second leg in west London next Wednesday.

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Liverpool vs Chelsea
April 27, 2014, 2:00pm
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Prior to that game, Chelsea head to Anfield looking to cut the five-point gap to Liverpool in the final three matches of the season.

But after the 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland last time out in domestic action Mourinho has admitted he now wants to prioritise his quest for continental glory, a decision which may upset Manchester City, who are still battling for the title too.

The Portuguese coach will consult the Chelsea hierarchy before deciding which players to field at Anfield, with his preference to opt for those who will not feature against Atletico next Wednesday due to the proximity of the matches.

"I know what I would do, but I'm not the club. I have to speak with the club. I would play with the players that are not going to play Wednesday."
Jose Mourinho
"I can't decide by myself," Mourinho said.

"I think that's a decision I have to listen the club. I'm just a piece, I'm just the manager and no more than that.

"I have to listen to the club. I think the fact that the match is on Sunday I think puts the problem not in my hands.

"We represent English football and we are the only English team that is European competition. Spain has four and gave them all the conditions to try to have success.

"I know what I would do, but I'm not the club. I have to speak with the club.

"I would play with the players that are not going to play Wednesday."

Safe

Chelsea opted for a defensive approach against Atletico and succeeded in frustrating their hosts, leaving the second leg to determine who advances to the May 24 final in Lisbon against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

"We didn't start the game thinking of a 0-0," Mourinho said. "But the game goes in a certain direction where you feel you have to be safe, don't concede and try to score in one of the few chances you create.

"If we score one goal in one of those situations the result would be very good. We didn't.

"We go with a result that decides everything at Stamford Bridge."

Chelsea were without Samuel Eto'o (knee) and Eden Hazard (calf) entering the match and encountered further issues in the game, with Mourinho praising the character of his players ahead of the decisive second leg.

 

[Mattyc55]

You can't really blame him to be honest.. Matic, Lampard, Mikel and Salah will all play coz they won't be involved in the CL. Ivanovic will come back in against Atletico but with Terry out Mourinho will probably want to rest his whole back 4 at Anfield.

We're fucked basically.

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

I can always tell when Mourinho is lying ... his lips move.
We had all the shit about the "little horse" before we played them. He's just putting an element of doubt in both
Liverpool's mind and ours as to what he's planning for Sunday. Ignore him. He's got a degree in psychology
and so he's better at mind games than any other manager. The fact he's talking about Sunday means that's what
he's now focusing on. When he picks a strong team he can always say the board told him to.

 

[CitizenTID]

I can always tell when Mourinho is lying ... his lips move.
We had all the shit about the "little horse" before we played them. He's just putting an element of doubt in both
Liverpool's mind and ours as to what he's planning for Sunday. Ignore him. He's got a degree in psychology
and so he's better at mind games than any other manager. The fact he's talking about Sunday means that's what
he's now focusing on. When he picks a strong team he can always say the board told him to.

Honorary degree or proper degree?

 

[Wilf Wild 1937]

I can always tell when Mourinho is lying ... his lips move.
We had all the shit about the "little horse" before we played them. He's just putting an element of doubt in both
Liverpool's mind and ours as to what he's planning for Sunday. Ignore him. He's got a degree in psychology
and so he's better at mind games than any other manager. The fact he's talking about Sunday means that's what
he's now focusing on. When he picks a strong team he can always say the board told him to.

Honorary degree or proper degree?

Proper

 

[MCFCinUSA]

we've got to win our remaining games (which is a given) and then the Dippers need to drop against the Chavs, Palace or Newcastle..

if any of the above teams can beat them, we're home, or we need two draws..

the ultimate would be for Newcastle, the team everyone's shitting on both on and off the pitch going to Anfield and hold them for a draw before stealing a winning goal towards the end of the match (which for the perfecta would have be a penalty gotten through a dive) - can you imagine that rosy scenario?

(that would come close to 2012, ehehe)

so we have some chances no matter what happens with Chelsea, they're not great, but we have something...

first up, Jose & the Chavs - and sometimes a little bit of anti-football can be a beautiful thing to watch

;o)

 

[Santiago Street]

Wouldn't it be absolutely fucking marvellous if Torres could score the winner at Anfield in front of the Kop after all the unjustified abuse those pricks have given him down the years

 

[MCFCinUSA]

Wouldn't it be absolutely fucking marvellous if Torres could score the winner at Anfield in front of the Kop after all the unjustified abuse those pricks have given him down the years

yeah, that's a good shout too, but do you think he'll be playing?

(and that would be weird, him playing Athletico and then Liverpool in successive big games; sometimes these things are just too perverse and made to make headlines)

 

[WickyWain]

Wouldn't it be absolutely fucking marvellous if Torres could score the winner at Anfield in front of the Kop after all the unjustified abuse those pricks have given him down the years

That would be so immense, come on Fernando make it happen!