Jose Mourinho blasts PFA Team of the Year: 'It should have been 11 Chelsea players'

The team contained six Chelsea players, but Mourinho wanted more

Jose Mourinho reacts on the touchline during Chelsea's draw with Arsenal (GETTY IMAGES)

Jose Mourinho said this afternoon that he does not rate the PFA’s team of the year, and that Chelsea’s full team would be stronger.

Even though there were six Chelsea players in the team – John Terry, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Nemanja Matic, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa – Mourinho said that the selection was unbalanced, and said that a wholly Chelsea team would be stronger.

“I think it should have been the Chelsea team” Mourinho said at his press conference, ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League game at Leicester City. “But I know this is the Chelsea manager speaking, and obviously I respect every one of the players in that team, and everyone that chose. Great players were in that team, and great players were outside that team.”

Mourinho pointed at the example of Cesc Fabregas, one of his players whom he believed ought to have been in the PFA side. “Just as an example,” Mourinho said, “the season Fabregas is doing, the number of assists [16], and quality of his game, [for him] not to be there is a bit strange.”

Mourinho, the master of tactically balancing a side, also pointed out the PFA side would be top-heavy and likely vulnerable on the break.

“I think that team wouldn't win the Premier League,” Mourinho said. “Because that team is four defenders, Matic and five to attack. So it's a team without any balance. That team is missing a midfield player, and I think that midfield player should be Fabregas. But this is not important. I look now as a fan not a manager.”

Fabregas was a notable omission from the PFA team (GETTY IMAGES)

Chelsea were accused of being “boring” by Arsenal fans at the Emirates yesterday, prompting Mourinho to say that Arsenal’s 11-year Premier League title drought was “very boring”. Mourinho confirmed at this afternoon’s press conference that one Arsenal fan he met had agreed with him.

“I met this morning an Arsenal fan, a gentleman who lives almost next door to me, an Arsenal fan of more than 50 years,” he said. “And he congratulated me for my press conference, saying I was 'spot on'.”