Fox Sports EPL highlights made a subtle statement by reporting this game first in their program and ending with some Chelsea FC footage while they’re at it. There is no wonder as to why- with Jose Morhino returning to the club all eyes are on Chelsea this season – with Manchester Untied - the former champions - taking a backseat in the sporting coverage. Chelsea fans sported signs welcoming Morhinoback to the club and rejoicing his second era. Much is anticipated for the club under his direction. Chelsea did not disappoint in the first half with some impressive shots from Frank Lampard followed by some impressive saves from Hull keeper McGregor. Oscar scored first with an assist from De Bruyne – an impressive debut for youngsta. Lampard came in with the second goal, a relief for the frustration caused previously by McGregors impressive saves. The game ended Chelsea 2-0 Hull City Tigers.
Here is what Shingy Dee said about the game:
“The first half showed that Chelsea is a threat this year. They looked intensive and the football was exciting. The style Morhino is using is offensive – not the very defensive style some speculators were expecting coming from Morhino. Saying that, Chelsea showed solid defense in this game but they were also free when moving up forward. It was really dynamic and exciting play.”
Mouriho diverts the spotlight
After an exciting first match of the season Mourinho gave praise for his team for his their impressive first half performance which he described as creative and dynamic. Following this praise Mourinho said “hopefully the fans will forget me in the next game and put more focus on the team” – A somewhat surprising statement from the manager notorious for creating drama and speculation off the pitch. Mourinho’s antics usually divert attention from the team – a strategy that may enhance some player’s performance. It is clear from last season’s performance that Torres, for example, might benefit from the spotlight being diverted from him. By engaging in the media Mourinho works to relieve pressure from his players who are struggling under the weight of extreme securitization. Torres appeared to buckle under this pressure last year as fans became increasingly frustrated by his performance and claiming that he did not deserve the hype nor the price tag Chelsea paid for him. Hopefully under Mourinho, Torres might get back on form as fans divert their attention away from him and firmly onto Mourinho. This strategy may not work for every player although, as some players are motivated by such attention and pressure. This might have contributed to Mourinho’s difficulties at Real Madrid in which high profile; attention-grabbing players like CristianoRonaldo attract fans with their big personalities and appear to improve their performance under pressure. Mourinho may have learned from this experience and might be attempting to distance himself from the media spotlight this season. With the hype surrounding his return, Mourinho fading into the background is an unlikely scenario. We are yet to see how serious Mourinho is when he made this statement, only time will tell if he means it…