Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho reveals half-time team talk in Leicester City game
Chelsea may have won both their Premier League games so far – against newly promoted sides Burnley (3-1 at turf Moor) and Leicester City (2-0 at Stamford Bridge).
But Blues boss Jose Mourinho is far from happy with his team’s performances.
Speaking after the performance against Leicester, he said: “The team was lazy in the first half and I didn't like it, but in the second half we improved. The most important thing is we won,
“This weather pushes players to be a bit lazy, lose a bit of tension and sharpness in their body. When that happens you pass slow, you move slow and you don't react to the ball.
“At half-time we had to be a bit emotional with them and make them realise.
Mourinho’s half-time team talk
“I told them 'If you have the same feeling and vision that I have, we are not in trouble, because we can change. If you don't agree we are in trouble, because if we don't change we won't win this game',” he explained
“They understood, they had the same feeling and the second half from minute one was immediately different.
“I told them the way we were playing was not good enough to win the game and we were at risk. Basic things but important things.”
Leicester looked to be competing toe-to-toe with Chelsea in the first half and had a number of opportunities to score, one in particular falling to David Nugent who was one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois who made a fine save to deny them a goal.
But the Blues picked up the pace in the second half with Diego Costa and Eden Hazard scoring to seal the three points.
“In the second half we were much more aggressive, won more second balls and made it fast and difficult for them,” he said.
“We were too strong for them but I don't forget that with the score 0-0 they had a face-to-face situation with Courtois. But I think it was their only chance of the second half.
“It's important not to lose points against teams you have to beat. But I have to say well done to Burnley and Leicester because they played to win, not with negative thinking.