Title Run In

[Jase 43,479]

4. Another thing that is important is the off-the-pitch advantadges Jose gives us. He can manipulate the media attention to our favour, while Benitez was extremely bad at it. Just look at what he did to Pellegrini and Wenger and what that has given us. I doubt Wenger would've brainfarted THAT horribly had Mourinho not pressured him with the 'specialist in failure' quote.

Agree with all your points there and just to add on the one above, Mourinho also always defend his players and will often take the pressure off the players onto himself so that they can go out there to perform without any anxiety or tension. Unlike Benitez (or some of our previous managers), he doesn't do that and more often than not, leave the players hung out to dry in the public. Didn't defend Hazard after the ball boy incident last season or said anything to condemn Suarez after he bit Ivanovic and instead, did an impersonation of Arsene Wenger of "I didn't see it"!

[The only place to be 11,313]

I do sometimes wonder if people forget where we were just a year ago. Rafa's appointment was one of the worst moments I've ever had supporting this club and the Europa League really doesn't make up for that. The atmosphere at matches was toxic, we were directionless and really weren't going anywhere.

Now we not only have a manager that we all love, but we have a clear path laid out for us. There's a spine to this team being built with truly world-class talent stepping up and performing week-in and week-out.

This year was never about the title, but laying the foundations for the next 5 titles.

[Mr_President 404]

If we don't win a trophy this season...Rafa did a better job last season, Truth hurts!

Christ almighty, I hope you are a troll poster. Having read your posts that is what you must be.

If you're not a troll, seek help.

Finishing 2nd in the league to a much more advanced and experienced Man City will not be a failure nor will it be the end of the world. What would be a failure is if Mourinho failed to get the "evolution" in this team that he so demands. I think it is pretty clear for all to see how this team & the players have improves and developed.

He has built a very strong platform from which we will mount serious challenges on all fronts next season.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think it slipped, but Jose actually said for the first time today that we are fighting for the title in his PC.

[Jase 43,479]

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

City don't have anything else to worry about (i.e. no cup/European interests) and regarding the bold part, I think not getting Barcelona or Bayern helped.....

What does that matter? they still have to fine a way to negotiate 9 more league games to our 7. Its not that big of a difference... Also every game from here on out will require a great deal of focus and attention for both squads.

[boshman 1,073]

I do sometimes wonder if people forget where we were just a year ago. Rafa's appointment was one of the worst moments I've ever had supporting this club and the Europa League really doesn't make up for that. The atmosphere at matches was toxic, we were directionless and really weren't going anywhere.

Now we not only have a manager that we all love, but we have a clear path laid out for us. There's a spine to this team being built with truly world-class talent stepping up and performing week-in and week-out.

This year was never about the title, but laying the foundations for the next 5 titles.

Christ almighty, I hope you are a troll poster. Having read your posts that is what you must be.

If you're not a troll, seek help.

Finishing 2nd in the league to a much more advanced and experienced Man City will not be a failure nor will it be the end of the world. What would be a failure is if Mourinho failed to get the "evolution" in this team that he so demands. I think it is pretty clear for all to see how this team & the players have improves and developed.

He has built a very strong platform from which we will mount serious challenges on all fronts next season.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Christ almighty, I hope you are a troll poster. Having read your posts that is what you must be.

If you're not a troll, seek help.

Finishing 2nd in the league to a much more advanced and experienced Man City will not be a failure nor will it be the end of the world. What would be a failure is if Mourinho failed to get the "evolution" in this team that he so demands. I think it is pretty clear for all to see how this team & the players have improves and developed.

He has built a very strong platform from which we will mount serious challenges on all fronts next season.

I'm almost 100% he is... He's a Liverpool fan for sure.

[Strike 7,212]

They aren't as dominant away from home. If there is to be a slip up it will more likely happen away. They concede a lot of goals away

yeah. ofcourse they're not dominant away from home. who is?

the talk of city having an away hoodoo is atleast 4 months old now

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

yeah. ofcourse they're not dominant away from home. who is?

the talk of city having an away hoodoo is atleast 4 months old now

Yes and if there's gonna be a slip up it will be on the road, they concede a lot of goals away. Its not rocket science...

[Fernando 6,441]

Find it funny that people would be blaming that Villa defeat if we were to lose the title in the end...

Not just people but Mourinho himself as well:

Jose Mourinho believes referee Chris Foy's performance in the defeat at Aston Villa could cost Chelsea the title.

Premier League leaders Chelsea, who play Crystal Palace on Saturday, lost 1-0 at Villa Park in a match which saw Mourinho sent to the stands following the dismissals of Willian and Ramires.

Mourinho maintains Manchester City are title favourites and Liverpool have a strong chance, while he refused to rule out Arsenal despite hammering the Gunners 6-0 last weekend.

If the Blues are beaten by one or two points in the title race, Mourinho will look no further than this month's defeat at Aston Villa, which still leaves him seething at the performance of referee Foy.

Asked if the Villa match could be pinpointed as costly come the end of the season, Mourinho said: "Yes, because the other matches we lost because we didn't play well, because the opponent was better than us, because we missed big chances.

"If you go to the other matches you find the natural reasons for losing a match, if you go to the Villa match it's difficult.

"What happened in the defeat against Villa I never learn, I never accept.

"Somebody was very successful in putting a hurdle in front of us. And we crashed the hurdle against Aston Villa and we lost.

"Villa was not a normal football match and we always hope that football matches are normal."

Mourinho will face a personal Football Association disciplinary hearing at the end of next week to challenge his improper conduct charge issued following his dismissal at Villa.

"If you lose in the right way you have to move on and try not to lose again," said Mourinho, who faces a B£10,000 fine for his second sending-off of the season.

"The only thing I didn't learn is to lose with that kind of referee performance, because it's not a mistake, it's a performance.

"I learn to control my emotions and I learn to calm down in the moment like I did, but I don't learn how to accept that kind of performance."

[Strike 7,212]

Yes and if there's gonna be a slip up it will be on the road, they concede a lot of goals away. Its not rocket science...

that's natural. they're likely to drop points at Arsenal Everton or Liverpool but they don't have a problem away from home like some claimed

[BloodIsBlue 291]

If we don't win a trophy this season...Rafa did a better job last season, Truth hurts!

Nice one...

[Jase 43,479]

Not just people but Mourinho himself as well:

Jose Mourinho believes referee Chris Foy's performance in the defeat at Aston Villa could cost Chelsea the title.

Premier League leaders Chelsea, who play Crystal Palace on Saturday, lost 1-0 at Villa Park in a match which saw Mourinho sent to the stands following the dismissals of Willian and Ramires.

Mourinho maintains Manchester City are title favourites and Liverpool have a strong chance, while he refused to rule out Arsenal despite hammering the Gunners 6-0 last weekend.

If the Blues are beaten by one or two points in the title race, Mourinho will look no further than this month's defeat at Aston Villa, which still leaves him seething at the performance of referee Foy.

Asked if the Villa match could be pinpointed as costly come the end of the season, Mourinho said: "Yes, because the other matches we lost because we didn't play well, because the opponent was better than us, because we missed big chances.

"If you go to the other matches you find the natural reasons for losing a match, if you go to the Villa match it's difficult.

"What happened in the defeat against Villa I never learn, I never accept.

"Somebody was very successful in putting a hurdle in front of us. And we crashed the hurdle against Aston Villa and we lost.

"Villa was not a normal football match and we always hope that football matches are normal."

Mourinho will face a personal Football Association disciplinary hearing at the end of next week to challenge his improper conduct charge issued following his dismissal at Villa.

"If you lose in the right way you have to move on and try not to lose again," said Mourinho, who faces a B£10,000 fine for his second sending-off of the season.

"The only thing I didn't learn is to lose with that kind of referee performance, because it's not a mistake, it's a performance.

"I learn to control my emotions and I learn to calm down in the moment like I did, but I don't learn how to accept that kind of performance."

I knew somebody was going to put that up...

Like I said before, we were going to drop points at some point during this run-in, one way or another and it just so happened that it came in such controversial circumstances that everybody is talking about it. And of course, because the loss came the way it did and at such moment, it's easy to use that defeat as a reason for costing us the title. Maybe if we had done better before those red cards, create chances and score a few goals, we wouldn't be sitting down here talking so much about the Chris Foy debacle...

Also, you would be foolish to think if Mourinho doesn't view those other games against WBA, Newcastle, Stoke etc as a reason why we may end up not winning the title. Given what happened, I can understand the reasons he gave for us not winning those games. However had we approached some of the games better from the start, we would have won a few more and again, not sitting down here talking about the ifs and buts.

[Strike 7,212]

Agree with all your points there and just to add on the one above, Mourinho also always defend his players and will often take the pressure off the players onto himself so that they can go out there to perform without any anxiety or tension. Unlike Benitez (or some of our previous managers), he doesn't do that and more often than not, leave the players hung out to dry in the public. Didn't defend Hazard after the ball boy incident last season or said anything to condemn Suarez after he bit Ivanovic and instead, did an impersonation of Arsene Wenger of "I didn't see it"!

Benitez, in the six months here was trying his best to stay silent

[Caeruleus 1,148]

One wallpaper for the moral in this ''title run in'' race. London is Blue!

[Barbara 15,149]

No, in the position we're now, titles are simply expected. If Jose wasn't the coach people would be livid if we lose out on all trophies this season. We're one of the biggest clubs in Europe and winning nothing at all would be a failure.

LOL

If Jose wasn't here we wouldn't be fighting for the title at all in the first place, get a reality check...

For some people it seems like we're obliged to win titles, the opponents be damned as if it was easy. My words to them are just two: GET LOST!

How can people be livid for no trophies after what we've shown the last few years? At least we're competitive and if didn't win anything or won't, it's because there are serious contenders there... I can't with the idiocy of some things...

[didierforever 7,349]

LOL

If Jose wasn't here we wouldn't be fighting for the title at all in the first place, get a reality check...

For some people it seems like we're obliged to win titles, the opponents be damned as if it was easy. My words to them are just two: GET LOST!

How can people be livid for no trophies after what we've shown the last few years? At least we're competitive and if didn't win anything or won't, it's because there are serious contenders there... I can't with the idiocy of some things...

Get them BARB!!!!!