'Teams aren't scared of Chelsea' - Jose Mourinho admits the champions have lost their fear factor

Fear factor: Mourinho says teams aren't scared about the prospect of facing Chelsea anymore
Simon Johnson16 October 2015

Jose Mourinho today admitted that Chelsea have lost their fear factor and opponents are no longer scared of playing the champions.

Chelsea take on Aston Villa at home tomorrow having lost four of their first eight League games, including two shock losses at Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace and Southampton.

That has not only helped put them 10 points behind leaders Manchester City in 16th place, but led to increased speculation about Mourinho’s future.

Chelsea lost only four matches in all competitions last season and were unbeaten at home in the League, but Mourinho conceded they have lost their aura of invincibility.

He told Standard Sport: “I believe teams come to Stamford Bridge not fearing us and believing they can get a result.

“It's normal. One thing is to go to a stadium where you know there's a huge percentage of defeats for the away team, and another where you go knowing they've won only once in four matches.

Ranking Chelsea's signings so far this season

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“So it's normal that confidence levels and belief in getting a good result are higher for visiting teams.”

Despite Chelsea’s problems, Mourinho remains convinced he will stay in charge and lead the side back up the table.

But he concedes they must start their recovery with three points against Aston Villa and added: “Every game is a must win game for different reasons.

“When we don't win it's always a disappointment and a frustration. Every game is a must win. But we cannot run away from the reality of the table in the Premier League.

"Obviously we know that we are not going to be relegated. Obviously we know that, in a couple of months, we will be a position when we normally have to be.

“But the reality now, today, tomorrow, before the game starts, is the reality of the numbers, and the numbers are very cruel but objective. We need points.”

The majority of the squad spent an most of the past two weeks away with their respective international teams.

Yet Mourinho doesn’t feel that has made much of a positive impact. He explained: “I don't see the players unhappy when they are together, so I don't think the national team time is good for them.

“I don't think it's bad, either, because to be in the national team is always an honour for a player and every player likes to go. So when they have a chance to go, they go very positively. They like that.

“Your question maybe has a relation to some questions I put to myself. One of the reasons why these two fixtures for the national teams we had special attention with them was exactly to try and understand things.

“This time, the first fixture, I watched every match of my players: some live, some later, but all of them.

“The second fixture I went to the Spanish game, Silvino (Louro) went to Serbia, Jose (Morais) went to Belgium, Rui (Faria) controlled South America, Steve (Holland) was with the FA and the England U21s.

“And what I analysed in this period was no player was better in the national team than they are with us.

“So it's not the habitat that is making them play better or worse. They are where they are, in the situation where they are, which gives me total confidence that we have to improve them, they have to improve, and they have to go back to their reality.

“Now we have almost one month together, a great month because you play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.

“If we are not very well individually and collectively, then play, play and play again is the best thing than can happen. Obviously you don't need to lose, lose and lose because then psychological issues come into the game, but getting normal results? Wins, draws, the odd defeat, then it's a great month.”

Branislav Ivanovic has been ruled out with a hamstring injury and Mourinho confirmed he is considering a number of options at right back.

He said: “I have four solutions. I have Cesar Azpilicueta. I have the adaptation of Kurt Zouma or Ramires. And I have Ola Aina, an 18-year-old who never played a game in the Premier League, but a boy with lots of potential. It depends on the match, on the opponents, on our moment. But we have solutions.”

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