Chelsea went out of the League Cup at the second hurdle on a somewhat cold and rainy Tuesday day in Stoke. It's not an ideal result at certainly just about the worst time, but if we divorce ourselves from context and match results, it was a pretty good performance overall. Unfortunately, it's results that matter, and for the first time in a long time, even the media happen to agree with that philosophy.
Mourinho: "When I won matches & was Champion, people said other things are more important than results. Now results are the most important."
— Dan Levene (@danlevene) October 27, 2015
Continuing along those lines, Mourinho blasted the media for showing his players a tremendous lack of respect.
Jose: 'What the players did tonight is face some people that write and speak, and said: "You are stupid".' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 27, 2015
Jose says there is a lack of respect towards his players. 'What some people write and say is really bad for the players.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 27, 2015
Jose: 'Maybe they think my players are like them when they were players. My players don't do that, they tried everything.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 27, 2015
There were certainly plenty more positives to take from individual performances on the night. The two young substitute wingers looked hungry and confident, the senior starters showed some of their old desire, and while our full backs remain a bit of a liability, we were unlucky to not be well out of sight by the half-time whistle.
Jose: 'I told TV last year we won here 2-0. We didn't play 25% of what we did today.' #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 27, 2015
Mourinho: "My thoughts? We played very well. A lot of everything, a lot of quality, a lot of attacking football, emotional control."
— Dan Levene (@danlevene) October 27, 2015
Mourinho then went on to absolve Eden Hazard of any penalty blame — though our "best penalty taker" has now missed 4 in a row for club and country — while confirming that he'll sleep well, take the day off, and prepare as normal for the crucial weekend clash against Liverpool.
And there's not much more to say beyond that. An emotionally exhausting 2+ hours for the fans, and no doubt a physically exhausting, frustrating night for the players. One day we'll look back and laugh at all these ridiculous results.