Jose Mourinho: Chelsea boss delights in win over West Brom
Last updated on .From the section Chelsea
Jose Mourinho said his side's first-half display in the 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion was one of the best he has seen in his time as Chelsea boss.
The Blues moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League through goals from Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.
"I don't remember seeing football of that dimension many times at Stamford Bridge," Mourinho told BBC Sport.
"In the first half we played amazingly well. For me, an amazing first half. We played really, really well.
Mourinho, who is 18 months into his second spell as Chelsea boss after previously being in charge from 2004 to 2007, added: "In the first half we could have been 3-0, 4-0, 5-0 up. But the quality of our football was there."
| Chelsea's club-record start to the league season | |
|---|---|
| 18 Aug: 3-1 v Burnley (A) | 5 Oct: 2-0 v Arsenal (H) |
| 23 Aug: 2-0 v Leicester City (H) | 18 Oct: 2-1 v Crystal Palace (A) |
| 30 Aug: 6-3 v Everton (A) | 26 Oct: 1-1 v Man Utd (A) |
| 13 Sep: 4-2 v Swansea City (H) | 1 Nov: 2-1 v QPR (H) |
| 21 Sep: 1-1 v Man City (A) | 8 Nov: 2-1 v Liverpool (A) |
| 27 Sep: 3-0 v Aston Villa (H) | 22 Nov: 2-0 v West Brom (H) |
Chelsea's 12-game unbeaten run at the start of the season is a club record and attention will now turn to Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Schalke, where a win will take secure progress to the last 16 with a game to spare.
"We are playing well," Mourinho added. "We are getting the results that we deserve and I'm pleased."
Mourinho also praised the impact of 11-goal striker Costa, who he declared as "totally recovered" from nagging groin and hamstring injuries in midweek following a period of rest and recuperation during the international break.
"It's easy to see the difference in him now. He can run, he can sprint, he can get behind people, he can challenge for every duel," Mourinho said.
"It was very important for him to have these two weeks to recover properly."
The match was the Blues' first at home since Mourinho criticised the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, following the 2-1 win over QPR.
"It improved a lot, a lot," he said. "There is no comparison.
"I don't want to speak about it again. They pay me to win matches, they don't pay me to be critical of the crowd, so I feel sorry for my comments a couple of weeks ago."