Win or lose, Chelsea are on the booze.So Jose says. Sort of:
The decision to abandon last year’s festive celebration, which had
initially been scheduled to be held just 24 hours after the cup tie last
December, had been born of concerns over the team’s form with the loss
to Gus Poyet’s team considered surprising given they were bottom of the
league at the time.
Yet Mourinho cited his players’ improved attitude and professionalism
in training and preparation as justification for the club to provide an
event – albeit geared more towards families – this time round.
“Probably, because of that, the club is preparing a little Christmas
party for them and their families,” said the Portuguese. “Maybe because
their families also deserve it. For good things, we’ll find the time.
The traditional hospital visits and charity stuff, we also have time for
that. And because this is a squad with lots of kids – young guys with
kids from a couple of weeks to 10 years old – I think it will be good
for them.”
One of the notable things about this Chelsea side is not just how good it is, but how settled it is.
With most teams there would be some debate about what their best XI is,
but anyone could pick Chelsea’s top side, and they’ve been relatively
free of injuries as well. Seven players have been ever-presents in the
league, another three have played ten of their 12 games, with the only
position that isn’t 100% set in stone being whoever plays with Oscar and
Eden Hazard in that attacking three. Willian’s there today, but Andre
Schurrle is prepped to
“They are unbeaten in the Premier League
and the best team in the country by far. They were strong title
favourites before the season started and now they’re even bigger
favourites...It (Chelsea’s win over Schalke in the week) was a perfect
Chelsea performance. Let’s hope they’re not perfect against us. It’s
going to be difficult but it’s a great chance and we’re the ones with
the opportunity to end their unbeaten League run this season. Let’s
try.”
Well, quite. The thing that Sunderland have in their favour/have to cling to is that they somewhat improbably beat Chelsea twice last term,
knocking them out of the Capital One Cup and then somehow pulling off
that lunatic result in the closing stages of the season that not only
kept their survival hopes alive, but actually saw them stay up
relatively comfortably in the end, when Poyet had rather openly given up
a few weeks earlier. The chances of a repeat in this one rank somewhere
near both managers deciding to sack off the football and decide the
destiny of the three points by wrestling nude on the touchline...but it
could still happen. Scrappy Doo, held back by Scooby and the gang, in this game last season.Photograph: Tony O'Brien/Action ImagesThis is, after all, the season of chaos in the Premier League. Nobody
knows what’s going on, nobody is really any good, and anybody can beat
anybody. When several very moveable objects collide then they are wont
to go everywhere, which of course makes all of this terrific fun. Let’s
hope some of that saunters into town this evening. Kick-off: 5.30pm
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