Mourinho: Full of faith

 
Jose Mourinho believes the fact there hasn’t been a high number of new arrivals over the summer will work to our benefit during the coming season.
The new campaign, and the defence of the title we secured in May, begins later today, with the visit of Swansea City to Stamford Bridge.
Only Asmir Begovic and Radamel Falcao have been brought in to the squad, replacing departed club legends Petr Cech and Didier Drogba respectively, and Mourinho has full faith in the players who served him so well last season, winning not only the Barclays Premier League but also the Capital One Cup.

‘The advantage I hope is for them to say, or think, my club and manager trust me so much, they were so loyal to me and want to show me they have a good memory, and they don’t forget what I did last year, that they didn’t spend a lot of money, so now it’s our time to give it back, give my manager, board and club a proper answer,’ said the Portuguese.
‘They deserve our confidence and we deserve for the players to give everything they have and keep the same level of ambition and motivation.
‘That’s the first thing, the second is that the team has some routines and tactical mechanisms which are based on stability, not a quick improvement, which bringing new players can do.
‘It’s dangerous, but the same players can move forward. You don’t need to buy 10 players to be a better team, you can be a better team with one or two new players. You can be a better team with the same players.’
Our opening fixture last season saw the Blues produce a fantastic performance away at Burnley, coming from behind to win 3-1.
Like every manager, Mourinho is eager for his side to start well, although he doesn’t expect the outcome of the opening matches to have any impact on how events unfold later in the season.
‘I don’t think it’s more important than match numbers 14, 15 or 16,’ said the Blues boss. ‘I hope I win but in the two seasons where I did the treble, at Porto and Inter, I didn’t win the first matches.
‘I drew two matches at home, not even away, against newly-promoted teams. Porto wanted to be champions and started the season with a draw against a newly-promoted team, and Inter wanted to be champions and started the season with a draw against Bari, also newly-promoted, at the San Siro. So in my two best seasons ever I started badly, but I want to start well, that’s normal.’