‘Head up, face the problems, speak, work’ Jose Mourinho tells his Chelsea squad

Chelsea cannot wait 'for the problems to be resolved by themselves' says Jose Mourinho ahead of a match on Saturday against Southampton beginning to take on a sense of urgency.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho shown at his pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of Saturday's Premier League match against Southampton. Alex Morton / Action Images / Reuters / October 2, 2015

Jose Mourinho has told his Chelsea players to face their problems head on and not to hide like ostriches.

Chelsea will bid to improve on their miserable start to the season – four wins in 11 games in all competitions, including two in seven in the Premier League – against Southampton on Saturday.

Amid talk of a crisis and suggestions of rifts within the squad, Mourinho is defiant, and he became the second Premier League manager in under a year after former Leicester City coach Nigel Pearson to make a reference to a certain flightless bird.

Read more: How will Chelsea fare against Southampton? Graham Caygill predicts the Premier League weekend

“There is an animal that puts its head in the ground ... an ostrich,” Mourinho said.

“In the bad moments, you cannot do that and just wait for a better moment to come, or for the problems to be resolved by themselves.

“Or waiting for the moon to change and give you better vibrations. You make mistakes, you are in a bad moment, no ostrich, head up, face the problems, speak, work. For me, this is the way.”

Pearson was forced to apologise for calling a journalist an ostrich during a tetchy press conference in April.

Mourinho says players shirking responsibility would be a poor response, but he believes the 2-0 win over Arsenal showed that is not the case with his players.

“Sometimes, players are on the pitch and they are hidden,” he added.

“It’s the worst thing, when you don’t want to be there. You lose two or three matches, the next match you play at home and you don’t want to be there.

“I think we showed against Arsenal that we don’t have that profile. We came against Arsenal in a worse run than now, after Crystal Palace and Everton.

“I don’t think we’ll be in trouble not to have the desire and personality to play.”

Mourinho defended his methods after suggestions some players were unhappy with his criticism, insisting it is imperative to rebuke players in front of their teammates.

“Of course in front of the other players, because I coach,” Mourinho said.

“When I criticise the mistake of my right-back and Ola Aina is present, it’s an education for him.

“When I criticise a mistake of Gary Cahill and John Terry is in the meeting, if he didn’t play he knows what I want.

“If I criticise Willian for his movement, Pedro is listening and learning.”

Even Eden Hazard, Chelsea’s standout performer last term, has not been immune, dropping to the substitutes’ bench for Tuesday night’s loss at FC Porto.

Mourinho had an explanation for Hazard’s sub-standard display in last Saturday’s draw at Newcastle – the Belgian had become a father for the third time the previous evening – and insists the forward remains the Premier League’s best.

“If we arrive in May and Eden Hazard doesn’t have a good period, we are in trouble and he is too because his season was very bad,” Mourinho added.

“He played very well against Arsenal. Against Newcastle he was all night without sleeping because his baby was born that night.

“He travelled on the morning of the game and wasn’t in the best condition. He’s in a period where he’s not at the top of his game, but he’s the best.”

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