Chelsea’s Mourinho believes ‘the DNA we want in our team’ is showing through so far

'We are a pass-and-move team when we have the ball, we are doing that, we believe in that' says Jose Mourinho, noting that his title-favourites side has shown the core of what he wants to see.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho stands on the sidelines during his side's Premier League match against Leicester City on Saturday. Carl Court / AFP / August 23, 2014

Manager Jose Mourinho is confident Chelsea have the DNA of a side capable of growing into title challengers this season.

Mourinho’s side made it two wins from two at the start of the new English Premier League season after eventually seeing off the challenge of Leicester at Stamford Bridge.

Although it was a somewhat laboured performance for the best part of an hour which Mourinho described as “lazy”, the Chelsea manager felt his side showed glimpses of what they are capable of, with Diego Costa’s close-range finish and Eden Hazard’s curling effort eventually wrapping up all three points with a 2-0 victory over last season’s Championship winners.

“Football is about adapting to everything, but the reality is that our way of thinking about football, the DNA we want in our team, is this one we are trying to show, maybe not for 90 minutes yet but we are showing in some moments,” Mourinho said.

The Portuguese coach accepts his men still have plenty of hard work ahead, but believes things are moving in the right direction.

He added: “Everything feels good yes, but it is only two matches out of 38.

“The reality is not just that you win but that you show things, maybe not for 90 minutes and continuously, I can’t expect more than that.

“We are also showing a different style of play, and we have the players to play that way, so it is good to have a certain identity.

“We started the second half at 0-0, but never lost our identity, we never started playing in a different way, we are a pass-and-move team when we have the ball, we are doing that, we believe in that.

“The players are enjoying it, obviously we need to be more intense, defensively as well, we need to pass more, attack the man with the ball more.

“We need to improve more in many details, but the basic things are there and we believe in that.”

Full-back Branislav Ivanovic impressed and was dangerous in attack, forcing a good save from Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel before his cross on 63 minutes was chested down by Costa and driven home from close range to break the tension around Stamford Bridge.

“He has been immense,” Mourinho said.

“Ivanovic is strong going forward and is strong defensively. I think that right now I expect this from him because he is one of the ones from our important days, from the mental point of view he belongs to that strong base.

“I don’t know if he has got the credit he deserves, but I don’t think he worries too much about it. He is about ‘select me to play, give me the right-back shirt and everything is good’. That is not a problem and for many years he has been performing at the highest level.”

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