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Mourinho denies Wenger snub, admits difficult title defence

By Editor
03 August 2015   |   2:42 am
JOSE Mourinho denied avoiding shaking Arsene Wenger’s hand but insisted the best team lost after Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. The Gunners claimed the Community Shield at Wembley thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first half winner.
Arsenal

Arsenal’s Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta (middle) lifts the trophy as Arsenal players celebrate after beating Chelsea in the FA Community Shield match at Wembley Stadium… yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

• Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 

JOSE Mourinho denied avoiding shaking Arsene Wenger’s hand but insisted the best team lost after Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. The Gunners claimed the Community Shield at Wembley thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first half winner.

And Mourinho said, when asked if, as had been widely reported, he ignored Wenger’s handshake, that “it’s not true, you have to look at it. I shake the hands of everybody who left the stairs, right in front of my direction.”

Regarding the match itself, the Portuguese tactician told reporters: “The best team lost, the team with more initiative, that wants to create more lost.

But that’s football. “But the team that defends very well, accumulates nine players in front of the box and the team that plays well defensively deserves much credit. “

At half time I told my players the best team is losing, so we made some changes tactically, we brought Falcao on, we changed Oscar, we played three at the back. “But defensively Arsenal were very good.

I have to say they were very well organised, because of that total credit to them. “When a team is behind, the energy and intensity to turn results around is more difficult because people are not sharp.

Arsenal defended with 10 players, they put everybody in front of their own line and they had good organisation, congratulations to them. “They had a couple of chances in counter attacks but we had ours in organised football. They played their game tactically and found themselves one goal in front without any reason, and they did well.”

The Chelsea boss also elaborated on his decision to play Loic Remy before bringing Radamel Falcao on at half time, and Cesar Azpilicueta’s withdrawal for Kurt Zouma.

He explained: “Falcao is one of our three strikers. Diego Costa is injured. We started with Remy because he started pre-season whereas Falcao only has one week of work so he’s behind. “I bought Zouma on because we want to finish without the risk of a red card so we took Azpilicueta off after his yellow card. He is our only left-back.”

The former Real Madrid manager also thinks it will be hard to retain the Premier League crown this season. He continued: “This season the Premier League title is very difficult but it is very difficult for everyone. “The way other teams are spending they have big power in their hands while we are the same as last season. And with that we are going to try.”

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