There will come a time, hopefully soon, when Jose Mourinho accepts that the role of the television analysts and newspaper columnists is to pass comment on key decisions
Here at Stamford Bridge there were four moments - minute 18, minute 23, minute 46 and minute 56, as Mourinho refers to them - that affected the direction of this game.
‘Pundits are pundits and managers are managers,’ explained Chelsea’s manager after his team had been held to a 1-1 draw by an engaging and adventurous Southampton team at Stamford Bridge.
‘Pundits are paid to wear my suit, but I’m not paid to wear their suit or comment on their comments.
‘If one day I become a pundit I will wear a manager’s suit and win every game because that’s what pundits do. I can be phenomenal, like they are.’
He really has a bee in his bonnet over the role of Jamie Carragher, Graeme Souness or Jamie Carragher, gravely offended that anyone could dare to criticise his tactics or his team. And so it goes on.
This is Yawnsville and as unappealing as this will sound to Chelsea’s manager, the match officials are also tiring of his constant complaints.
Here Mike Dean, the latest poor sap given the onerous duty of refereeing the Barclays Premier League leaders, was pretty much spot on.
He made honest decisions, not judgements designed to haul Manchester City, Arsenal or Manchester United back into the title race for heaven’s sake.
Chelsea were a goal to the good through Diego Costa when Mourinho’s faithful servant Rui Faria was sent down the tunnel to watch the television replay of the decision to award Southampton a penalty when Nemanja Matic fouled Sadio Mane.
A few days ago, in the boisterous atmosphere of the second leg of their Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea’s players were guilty of kettling Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers to get Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off.
Here they largely kept their cool, with captain John Terry the only player in a blue shirt to contest the decision to award Saints with the chance to level.
‘My view is not important because what is important is the referee's view,’ claimed Mourinho. In any event, Dusan Tadic equalised.
The biggest bone of contention was the failure of Dean to spot the delicate tap on Ivanovic inside the penalty area when Southampton’s goalscorer Tadic flicked out a boot.
‘Graeme Souenss says it’s worse if a player asks for a yellow card than if a player kicks someone in the chest - that’s what he says - so my opinion is not opinion,' says Mourinho.
‘What is important, is Mr Mike Dean and his decision was no penalty on Ivanovic.’
There was, to Mourinho’s credit, a weary sigh when he was asked whether the decision to replace the sluggish figure of Matic with Ramires was to avoid an inevitable dismissal.
Matic was booked in the first half for his challenge on Mane and he should have been sent off when he clattered into Southampton’s deep-lying striker in the 46th minute. As ever, there was a sting in the tail.
‘When that penalty is given you have to believe that the second yellow would come,’ admitted a doleful Mourinho.
‘With fast players like Mane coming out of midfield, driving the ball, that could happen. If you remember Ramires' red card against Villa, obviously you are afraid of it.’
It is these comments, designed to twist the knife that get on the goat of people. There is no agenda and no-one is out to get Chelsea.
As for the 56th minute incident involving Southampton captain Jose Fonte and Costa, you can make a case for either. ‘You have to control me here...’ claimed Mourinho.
He made no mention of Costa’s reaction, shoving Fonte in the chest as the pair waited for a corner kick to be taken in front of the Matthew Harding Stand.
‘Sky told me their pundits said it was a penalty, then I went to BBC and they said it wasn’t a penalty.
‘I went to do the radio and they said it wasn’t. Now I come here and I think you’re saying it’s not a penalty.
'I’m not jumping with happiness and not crying with disappointment.’
Instead, it was just more of the same.
Source: dailymail
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