José Mourinho believes a new core of experienced players is emerging at Chelsea, taking over from such as the departed Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, though the manager insists he provides the only true leadership at Stamford Bridge.
The champions-elect travel to Leicester City on Wednesday seeking to move 13 points clear at the top and to within one win of their first title in five years. Mourinho has relied on a relatively small pool of players in establishing that lead, with 11 of his squad having started at least 23 Premier League matches this season and three –John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Eden Hazard – ever-presents.
Terry’s display in the goalless draw at Arsenal on Sunday was rated his “best ever” by Mourinho, with the visitors ending with Didier Drogba on the pitch and Mikel John Obi and Petr Cech included on the bench. Cech could start at Leicester because Thibaut Courtois has a slight hip problem.
“For those older guys it’s nice to belong to two different generations,” Mourinho said. “If we are champions this season then Petr, Didier, John and Mikel will have belonged to two generations of title winners. The same as me. It’s nice to belong to the history of a club in different moments, so it’s good for these older guys.
“They’re all very experienced, and these guys are special players but we have others coming through. Ivanovic is experienced. [César] Azpilicueta is gaining experience. Hazard is here now for three years. [Nemanja] Matic is getting experience. This is a natural process, and the years count for everyone. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is 19 now and has just arrived. But, in five years’ time, he will be 24 and experienced. Chelsea lost, at the end of last year, what I consider, for sure, to be one of the five most important players in the history of Chelsea FC: Frank Lampard.
“We lost that player but life goes on. You have to think about the future and to build, and you have to go with that. In Frank Lampard, Chelsea lost a match-winner with a number of goals he scored, a big character, a player without injuries who played every game, a player who beat every record in the Premier League – playing time, number of goals, goals from midfield – an absolutely amazing player. We lost him but life goes on.”
Lampard, like Cech, Drogba and Terry, had been a member of a group of players whose influence was established during Mourinho’s first tenure at the club, and who continued to exert considerable sway under his successors.
While Terry, in particular, remains an icon, Mourinho said the power base within the dressing room lies with him. “Chelsea leadership is my leadership. For good and for bad. It’s not the players’ leadership – even on the pitch.”
Mourinho will win his third Premier League title for Chelsea, quite possibly on Sunday, though his club’s ability to dominate domestically – as his first title winning team at Stamford Bridge arguably did – thereafter will be severely tested in what he considers to be a far more competitive environment. “It’s even more difficult to dominate than before,” he said. “How can you speak about domination when everyone knows what will happen next summer?
“Arsenal have a phenomenal squad. Thierry Henry said they need four top-class players but give to Arsenal four top-class players and I think they will again be The Invincibles. Manchester United have a phenomenal squad, including the most expensive player in the history of the Premier League, Ángel Di María, who is not even playing. That shows the quality of the squad. They are a club where financial fair play doesn’t make a big difference and they will invest hugely again in the summer.
“City have done phenomenally well, winning two titles in three years and people say they will invest hugely again. Liverpool can be fighting for the title, too. So, next year, it will be even more difficult for everyone than this year. At this moment, it’s very difficult in the Premier League for a team to be dominant. This is not Germany with Bayern Munich. This is not Switzerland with Basel. Not Scotland with Celtic. It’s very difficult.”