{"id":3696,"date":"2014-04-23T02:16:35","date_gmt":"2014-04-23T02:16:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/africanexaminer.com\/sports\/?p=3696"},"modified":"2014-04-23T05:27:59","modified_gmt":"2014-04-23T05:27:59","slug":"chelsea-manager-chooses-the-boring-game-he-criticises-others-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/africanexaminer.com\/sports\/football\/premiership\/chelsea-manager-chooses-the-boring-game-he-criticises-others-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea Manager Chooses The Boring Game He Criticises Others For"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Jose Mourinho’s containment plan paid off for Chelsea in Madrid Tuesday night as\u00a0Chelsea put in a dogged defensive display and Atletico could not trouble the visitors.<\/header>\n
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The visitors ran out dressed in black and proceeded to kill the game.They \u2018aparco el bus\u2019 in front of the goal, as you might say in Spanish.That was what the Portuguese coach had accused Tottenham of doing – in his first spell and West Ham this season.But with Mourinho it\u2019s often a case of \u2018do what I say, not what I do\u2019.<\/p>\n

Few Chelsea fans will mind how their team ground out a goalless draw which sees them hot favourites to reach a third successive European final ahead of next Wednesday\u2019s second leg.<\/p>\n

This was not pretty and was in sharp contrast to The Beautiful Game so beloved of Bayern\u2019s ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola – who was also in town for his team\u2019s clash with the thrilling Real Madrid on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Chelsea\u2019s thick black line – with ex-Altetico star Fernando Torres \u00a0was isolated up front.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

Their back four of Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, John Terry and Ashley Cole – making only his second club start in over three months – were solid.Even the loss of keeper Petr Cech to an elbow injury, sustained in the 16th minute, did not deter them from the defensive tactic they adopted\u00a0to stop free-scoring Atletico who have notched 111 goals in all competitions this season.Replacement Mark Schwarzer, 41, was not fazed one bit. In holding midfield – well more often than not defence! – Frank Lampard, John Obi Mikel and David Luiz worked those black socks off.<\/section>\n
So too did Willian, Chelsea\u2019s best hope of launching a breakaway attack, and Ramires, and when the inspirational Terry hobbled off in the 73rd minute, Luiz went into defence and Andre Schurrle came on to do his bit too.Of course, Mourinho will have his critics and cannot repeat this approach at Stamford Bridge.Diego Costa, the striker he is said to want, did not have a great night, ending the match by producing a weak header straight at Schwarzer and then an even worse shot.It is hard to say much about Thibaut Courtois, the Blues keeper on loan\u00a0at Atletico. He had precious little to do.<\/p>\n

The only setbacks for Chelsea were bookings for Lampard and Mikel, which rule them out of the return leg.<\/p>\n

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