Chelsea ‘now in a level that is more their level’ says Jose Mourinho after draw

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he saw resuscitation in his side despite a meagre 0-0 result with Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday night in the Champions League.

The club have had a flat start to the season, at 12th in the Premier League with just 11 points from nine matches and a minus-3 goal difference. Their form in Europe has been little better, where they are third in Group G halfway through the stage, with one win, one draw and one loss. Chelsea are a point behind Kiev after Tuesday's draw and three off the lead pace set by FC Porto.

Nonetheless, Mourinho said he sees “progress” form his side, and that they are slowly returning to the level that saw them sail to the English top flight title last season.

“Good, solid performance, second clean sheet,” after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa, said the Portuguese, whose side are currently 10 points off the pace in the Premier League.

“Everybody fighting for each other and trying to give each other the tactical discipline the team needs.”

He added: “I see progress. I see progress individually, because when I look to some players, I seem them now in a level that is more their level.

“Collectively, we kept some collective qualities that were important. Concentration was phenomenal, the team was really solid.

“If you ask me before the game, I want to win and I think we showed that the way we started the game, but the reality is that it’s a very difficult game from the mental point of view because to win would be great, but to lose would be very, very bad.”

The rambunctious Purtuguese also resumed his hostility towards referees and his Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger after his team’s draw, which side hit the woodwork through the recalled Eden Hazard and Willian.

Mourinho was fined by England’s Football Association and given a suspended one-game stadium ban for saying a referee had been “afraid” to give his side a penalty during their recent 3-1 loss at home to Southampton.

But the suspended ban does not extend to European competition, enabling Mourinho to return to the theme after referee Damir Skomina denied Cesc Fabregas a spot-kick during the first half of the match in Kiev.

Echoing recent remarks by Wenger – for which the Frenchman avoided punishment by the FA – Mourinho told British television channel BT Sport: “The referee was weak and naive.

“Big penalty. I cannot understand what the goal referee does, because he doesn’t make a clear decision, too. And when the result is 0-0 and such a penalty is not given, it is a crucial moment in the game.”

The penalty incident saw Fabregas break into the Dynamo box from the left before stumbling over Serhiy Rybalka’s outstretched leg and then being caught from behind by Yevhen Khacheridi.

As Mourinho dragged Wenger’s name into the conversation, the Arsenal manager was over 2,000 kilometres away in London, celebrating his team’s 2-0 win over Bayern Munich.

Mourinho was referring to Wenger’s comments that referee Mike Dean had been “weak” and “naive” for sending off Arsenal defender Gabriel during the North London club’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea last month.

Gabriel’s red card, which he received for flicking out a foot at Chelsea striker Diego Costa, was subsequently rescinded by the FA on appeal.

Chelsea ‘now in a level that is more their level’ says Jose Mourinho after draw

'I see progress' declared Jose Mourinho on Tuesday night after Chelsea draw with Dynamo Kiev 0-0 in Ukraine, 'everybody fighting for each other'.