Jose Mourinho will prioritise winning over remaining undefeated as Chelsea go in search of silverware this season.
#360debate: Will Manchester City catch Chelsea?
The Blues are unbeaten after 20 matches in all competitions this term, leading to suggestions of a Premier League campaign without defeat.
Chelsea – prevented from scoring for the first time last Saturday at Sunderland – face Spurs tonight and Mourinho knows silverware is the target, not matching Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ of a decade ago.
“One thing is that I don’t think it’s possible. The other thing is that we are not playing for that,” he said.
“If against Spurs we have a 0-0 with 20 minutes to go, we are not going to play for the 0-0 to be undefeated after 21 matches. No way.
“If you play for that, if that is one objective, maybe you draw so many matches, you don’t take risks to try and win matches. You are happy just to be undefeated.
“If you get 10 draws, you get 10 points. If you win five and lose five, you make 15 points. We are going to play matches to win. And,sometimes, we will lose. I’d prefer 15 points and lost matches than 10 points and being undefeated.”
Chelsea have been scintillating at times, leading many to speak of the Blues as champions elect.
The soaring Blues were checked at the Stadium of Light and even had to make the return journey from Wearside by road.
“We couldn’t even fly back to London by plane because of the fog. We had seven hours by bus to get back,” Mourinho added.
That gave the Portuguese time to reflect as he bids to secure his third Premier League title and Chelsea’s first since 2010.
“We have to play, we have to win matches and must get points,” Mourinho continued.
“The measure of success in football is made by the trophies you win. We have to try to transform the quality of our work and performances into cups.
Normally, the best team and best squad wins a league championship. But you cannot choose to try to win this competition
or that one.”
Some consider only Manchester City capable of catching and overhauling Chelsea, but Mourinho said: “There’s a long way to
go. Teams with 10- 12- 14-, 15-point difference, they are not out of the title race. I don’t think so.”
Spurs have not won at Stamford Bridge since a late goal from Gary Lineker secured a 2-1 victory in February 1990.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino, said: “For us it is important to go and feel the same mentality which we showed against Everton and forget the past.
“We do not need to let the past affect our present.”
