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Mourinho: 'This was the game we wanted to play'

Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

As the boys in Blue let out the tension of the preceding 90+ minutes of football, it was hard not to read their joy as (perhaps premature) title celebrations.  Ten points clear of second place Arsenal, eleven clear of third place Manchester United, who now have played one game more than the top two, Chelsea only need three wins from our last six games to secure our fifth ever top flight crown.

But one man who most certainly isn't getting carried away is the manager.

"Football is not about 'if', it's not about 'almost'. It's about mathematics. When mathematically it's done, it's done, we celebrate. Until that moment, no."

[...]

"Every point we get now, every victory we get, is one step in the title direction, but no more than that. If the celebration is because we beat one of the biggest clubs in the world I understand that. If the celebration is because the players gave everything to win that game and they feel the result of the work they did all week to prepare for this game, I understand that. If they are celebrating something more than that, not at all.

"I am too old on this. And I think I will be ready to work again next week and to make the players feel that there is still a long way to go."

-Jose Mourinho; source: Get West London

We shouldn't mistake Mourinho's words for disappointment or frustration or anything of the sort.  On the contrary, Jose was beyond pleased with the result and the play of his players.  It was they, after all, who executed his game plan to near perfection on such a fine Saturday afternoon.

"The team were fantastic. I'm the one that knows how fantastic they were because the game was exactly what we wanted. When you manage to play the game you want to play, it's fantastic. The players were magnificent, on top of that Eden had that magic the top players have, especially in big matches."

-Jose Mourinho; source: Chelsea FC

Hazard was of course "fundamental," but the manager made sure to give words of praise to each and every starter and substitute.

"...Cahill made an amazing block on Falcao, John Terry was amazing, the keeper was there for us all the time, Azpilicueta was for me the best player on the pitch and Ivanovic was fantastic. Matic worked like an animal, Zouma put Fellaini out of the game, our number 11 [Drogba] was another animal, fighting against two kids young enough to be his sons. Hazard was what you know, Oscar worked fantastically well, Ramires came in and gave us what we needed, Mikel came in for two minutes and held the ball. Willian [has] been in bed for two days and today he came straight from his house, making himself available to give us some help, he was fantastic."

-Jose Mourinho; source: Chelsea FC

Chelsea are now unbeaten in eight straight against Manchester United.  Let the good times roll!

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