ARSENAL 0 – 0 CHELSEA
Jose Mourinho hit back at the Arsenal fans who chanted ‘boring boring Chelsea’ during their goalless draw at the Emirates.
The scathing chants came during a hotly-contested London derby, with the shared honours meaning the Blues will win the Premier League if they beat Leicester City and Crystal Palace in their next two games.
Citing Arsenal’s last league title, which came in the 2003-2004 season, Mourinho suggested the hosts were the boring ones.
“I think boring is 10 years without a title – that’s boring,” he said.
“If you support a club and you wait, wait, wait for so many years without a Premier League title, then that’s boring.
“Maybe Arsenal’s fans were not singing to us.
“When you want to win the game and you take your striker Olivier Giroud off maybe they want more, maybe they want Giroud and Theo Walcott up front.”
Mourinho was also quick to point towards Chelsea’s goal-scoring record this season, his side having scored 65 goals in 33 games.
“This boring team has got the second highest number of goals, has the best goal difference – only Manchester City have scored more goals than us,” he said.
Without a centre forward in his starting line-up, Mourinho’s defensive priorities were clear from the off and his back four didn’t disappoint.
A pulsating first half saw four penalty appeals turned down by referee Michael Oliver, while a collision with Arsenal keeper David Ospina saw Oscar replaced at half time and taken to hospital.
He was replaced by Didier Drogba who, like every other attacking player on the pitch, could find no way of breaking the deadlock.
That fact that this was the first time Arsenal have dropped points at home since November and the first time they failed to score at home since last February is testament to the calibre of Chelsea’s defensive line.
Cesar Azpilicueta, Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill and, most of all, John Terry, were jubilant after the final whistle.
The Chelsea captain’s performance, which raised questions over his absence from this year’s PFA Player of the Year shortlist, prompted high praise from Mourinho.
“John Terry was amazing,” he said.
“He’s had fantastic performances in the five or six years we have worked together but today everything was clean.
“The team was phenomenal but John was one step ahead of every player.”
Arsene Wenger bemoaned his side’s cautious performance while admitting the inevitable – that Chelsea will win the title.
“I believe that we played with the handbrake on at times. We were conscious of being hit on the counter attack and it was important not to lose,” he said.
“Chelsea will be champions. We know that. It is impossible to lose it now.”
Image courtesy of Sky Sports News via YouTube, with thanks
