Grant lashes out at Mourinho's 'long-ball' tactics

Last updated : 12 January 2008 By Paul Lagan

Avram Grant made an astonishing attack on former boss Jose Mourinho following his side's 2-0 over Spurs.

Grant who took over from the mercurial Portugal man in September blasted Mourinho's supposed long-ball tactics.

Asked what was the new style he wanted to bring to the Blues, The former Israel national manager said.

"We don't play long balls.

We now play with a lot of combinations and short passes.

"If you look at the games we create two or three times more chances than the opposition.

"We try to be organized between our defence and midfield and our forwards."

The attempt to re-write Chelsea's play during Mourinho's career at SW6 is lamentable from Grant.

Any review of the championship winning seasons will see the Blues playing some of the most attacking and sophisticated football since the times of Rued Gullet's 'sexy football'.

This comment from grant must be of the worst kind of revisionism.

And this comes from the mouth of a man who did not realize that a two-footed challenge in football was illegal - quite bizarre.

Grant was also reluctant to talk about his new £15m signing Nicolas Anelka.

When pushed to speak about his first signing for the Blues, Grant said: We did not plan to use him. He has not trained with the players. But Pizarro got injured and we have no other strikers. Shevchenko is out for another four weeks.

I could not ask for more from him."

Grant added about the game: "I am pleased we win so many games. and especially about the style we play - attacking, positive play.

"Some players are not playing in their original positions and I like Spurs.

Shaun Wright-Phillips was excellent. He played in midfield and then upfront too."

When asked if Chelsea can win the title he said: "We can do it. It's not easy to chase teams but it's not easy for them either."

With this piece of illumination Grant then talked about transfers and said the club don't take decisions based on just six weeks but for the future and if a suitable player becomes available, they will take them.

Juande Ramos, speaking through an interpreter said that the balance of the game was not reflected in the result.

"It was an evenly balanced game," said the Spanish boss of Spurs.

"There was no one to blame for the goals. The ones conceded were the responsibility of the whole side.

He also went on to say how happy were the players but if we wanted to know if Paul Robinson was happy we would: "have to ask him ourselves."

He also confirmed that there had not being a bid for Jernain Defoe.

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