Jose Mourinho tells Chelsea critics to 'Go play on the moon'

Manager defends 'boring' side and Terry attacks 'tippy-tappy' football

Jack Pitt-Brooke
Tuesday 28 April 2015 00:41 BST
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Jose Mourinho warned that the growing use of possession statistics in football would eventually lead to “the football they play on the moon”, without goals
Jose Mourinho warned that the growing use of possession statistics in football would eventually lead to “the football they play on the moon”, without goals

John Terry and Jose Mourinho have both fiercely defended Chelsea’s results-driven approach as they close in on the Premier League title.

While Chelsea were mocked by Arsenal fans at the Emirates on Sunday night for “boring” football following their goalless draw, their captain and manager both suggested that the critics were divorced from the simple realities of the game.

Terry responded caustically that “tippy-tappy football” did not deliver trophies. Mourinho again pointed to his side’s record this season, and warned that the growing use of possession statistics in football would eventually lead to “the football they play on the moon”, without goals.

Mourinho was speaking at his press conference ahead of Tuesday night’s Premier League game at Leicester City, which if Chelsea win will move them within two points of the title. While Mourinho did not directly criticise Arsenal – as he did on Sunday evening – he was insistent again that his side are entertaining and said that criticising them for their lack of possession was to misunderstand fundamentally the game.

“It cannot be true,” Mourinho said. “If we are boring, and if the number of goals is what decides if a team is good or bad, boring or not, then we have in the Premier League 18 teams who are more boring than us. If this is the criteria, then [Manchester] City are the best team and Chelsea the second best.

“If a good team is the team with more points, we are the best team. If a good team is the team with most victories, we are the best team. If the best team are the side with fewest defeats, we are the best team. In any point of analysis, in any criteria you can find, we are the best team or the second best team. So it’s as simple as that.”

When asked why Chelsea were criticised by those who thought they were insufficiently stylish, Mourinho argued that simple ball possession did not automatically equate to style.

“The way people analyse style and flair is to take the goals out of the pitch,” he said. “It’s the football they play on the moon.”

Mourinho said that this modern obsession with possession was due to the media, or to “some managers who can only teach their guys to keep the ball”.

The day after the Professional Footballers’ Association Team of the Year was announced, Mourinho said that it should simply have been his Chelsea side in its entirety and pointed out that the XI was unbalanced. “Just as an example, “the season [Cesc] Fabregas is doing, the number of assists [16] and quality of his game, [for him] not to be there is a bit strange,” Mourinho said.

“I think that team wouldn’t win the Premier League, because that team is four defenders, [Nemanja] Matic and five to attack. So it’s a team without any balance. That team is missing a midfield player, and I think that should be Fabregas. But this is not important.”

Cesc Fabregas was not named in the PFA Team of the Year

Terry, the Chelsea captain, who gave the best performance of his Stamford Bridge career on Sunday according his manager, agreed with Mourinho that results were most important and that his club, rather than a possession-oriented side, were best at delivering them.

“We are definitely not boring and if we do go on to win it, nobody’s going to remember the performances when perhaps it’s not been that exciting,” Terry said. “But we’ve dug deep and other teams haven’t done and that is why they are so far behind us.

“Possession is great, we could see that from the Manchester United game last week. Possession and tippy-tappy football is great, but if you are not winning games, you’re not going to win the league.”

Terry pointed out that, before Christmas, Chelsea had played good football and only injuries and suspensions had held them back.

“Let’s not forget the first half of the season, up until Christmas, we were the best side by far,” he said. “The football we played with Cesc Fabregas and his assists, the goal at Burnley [scored by André Schürrle] and goals after that. The play was different class.

“Things then went against us and the manager came up with the way to get us through games. That’s where he’s at his best. Let’s not forget we were the best side up until Christmas, for sure, and we have actually beaten the teams who have made things difficult for us.”

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