It’s all one big pyschological war. Jose Mourinho admits to that, and it seems that on his second term as Chelsea manager it’s even harder for him to rest it than before. Maybe it’s because his skills as an instigator and adgetator are more necessary than before to mask how badly his team is playing, even through their wins. His latest targets have been hints at Liverpool, his continous “obsession” with Manchester City and now mentioning about signing a striker.
We all know Mourinho isn’t happy with the Ba-Eto’o-Torres combination, even if he got goals from two of them in the 4-0 win over Tottenham, including a wonderful celebration from Samuel Eto’o. But for a manager who wants to win everything and crush everyone in his path along the way, instability at the position and not because of quality of competition, getting someone better than what he has right now is a must.
So he released a statement mentioning that in the summer everyone will find out why Chelsea didn’t sign a striker in the summer. The truth being they failed in the negotations they were involved in. Falcao was snapped up too soon, and Edinson Cavani cost too much before going to PSG. It might have worked out for Chelsea and it’ll leave them free to sign someone else in a few months, but it’s not like Chelsea didn’t try to sign someone.
Mourinho operates in the same way Alex Ferguson did. He realizes who his rivals are and targets them directly with his mind games. Liverpool, where Chelsea have to play before this season is over, are a threat to the throne, so as another one of his players gets bashed for diving (Eto’o and his dramatic fall in the box that ruined the derby against Tottenham) Mourinho deflects the fire elsewhere.
We’ve seen Oscar, Hazard, Ramires and Eto’o do their best to fall with little or no contact at all. Mourinho defends them vehemntly, without remorse or thought. That is what a manager should do, probably. It works for him. He didn’t say one name, but everyone assumes he meant Luis Suarez, who was robbed of a penalty kick against Chelsea in their previous encounter, and again against Arsenal in the FA Cup. He does make spectacle of every foul on him, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t fouled.
And Mourinho hasn’t relented when it comes to Manchester City, something of a pet peeve of his. No more talking about the little horse or underdogs, but remaining with a train of thought that it’s better to be Pellegrini than him, with all those games in hand and the “better” team with more money to spend. Maybe when this season ends we’ll have one honest quote from him, and hear how much he actually disregards everyone else withotu any hints or masks.