The Special One responded spikily to the
Dutchman's suggestion that he has fallen out with
the Spaniard, while challenging his No.10 to prove
himself against Swindon
By Liam Twomey at Stamford Bridge
Jose Mourinho has issued a withering response to Ruud
Gullit's suggestion that Juan Mata's Chelsea exile is the
result of a personal feud.
Speaking on Sky Sports, former Blues boss Gullit
criticised the style of Mourinho's team so far this
season and blasted the Portuguese's refusal to even
include Mata in his squad to face Fulham, saying: "He
was one of the best players last year, therefore it's
something personal."
In Mata's absence, goals from Oscar and Jon Obi Mikel
wrapped up a routine win which takes the Blues back to
the top of the Premier League and ends a run of three
consecutive defeats.
And when Gullit's theory was presented to Mourinho
after the match, the Special One responded spikily.
"Gullit is a different type of pundit, because he is also a
manager, and he shouldn't be a very proud manager
for what he did in the past years," Mourinho said. "So I
don't want to comment."
Mourinho also confirmed that Mata will play against
Swindon in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday evening,
along with several other players who did not feature
against Fulham.
"Tuesday he will play from the beginning against
Swindon, and the people who were not playing [against
Fulham] are going to play - Juan, David [Luiz], Michael
Essien, Bertrand, Azpilicueta.
"And I hope he tells me on the pitch 'You are wrong,
I'm the best and I have to play every game'. I would
love that.
"This is to be professional, and he's a top kid and a
very good professional, so I'm waiting for a
professional reaction."
Martin Jol, meanwhile, lamented his team's inability to
trouble Chelsea more often during a first half in which
they effectively stifled the Blues' attacking intentions.
"In the first 15 minutes they were very worried," he
insisted. "They couldn't find any space, and couldn't
find a solution, and that is the moment you have to
punish them.
"In the second half we tried to do the same, but they
stepped up a gear. They were more aggressive than us,
and that showed in the first goal. We gave the ball
away, and the second goal was a corner kick."
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