Jose Mourinho says defensive spirit is boosting Chelsea

By Mark Ashenden

Image: Jose Mourinho optimistic his team can reverse their fortunes

Jose Mourinho believes a willingness to battle and defend as a unit are helping the team to overcome their early-season jitters.

The Premier League champions have had a miserable start to their domestic campaign, but head to Leicester for Monday Night Football with their manager in better spirits.

Four clean sheets in five games - against Norwich, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Tottenham and FC Porto - have revived Mourinho's confidence, with the Bournemouth loss last weekend considered a blip.

He said: "The tactical adjustments are minimal compared with the global attitude. I always say the same: you defend with 11 players, you have more chances to defend well.

"In this moment our team is working well and hard defensively, the attacking players are doing their job.

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"When I say everybody has to defend, I'm not saying my striker has to defend a cross in the face of my goal.

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"I expect my striker to put pressure on the players that are trying to make the build up. Everyone has a job to do and when everybody does their job, it's easier."

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Mourinho says it is not down to specific personnel, as individuals in the starting line-up have changed in recent weeks.

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"You cannot go to the faces, because the faces change and the performances are still there," Mourinho added.

"We changed the goalkeeper (to Thibaut Courtois), but (Asmir) Begovic also had a clean sheet against Tottenham.

"You change (Cesc) Fabregas for Ramires, but with Fabregas we also had a cleansheet. You change (Gary) Cahill with John (Terry). With Cahill we also had cleansheets.

"So it's not about the faces. It's about the global attitude.Small tactical adjustments, but the attitude I think is the most important thing."

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