Jose Mourinho 'calm and happy' with his Chelsea squad

 
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Standard Sport25 July 2013

Jose Mourinho expressed satisfaction with his Chelsea squad after completing the three-match tour of Asia with an 8-1 win over BNI Indonesia All-Stars in Jakarta.

Chelsea began the journey home after the comprehensive rout - during which Romelu Lukaku scored twice to take his tour tally to four - with no developments on their pursuit of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, for whom they had a bid rejected last week.

"At this moment we have made what you know; that bid which was public and official and after that nothing else," Mourinho said.

"But we are calm as we told you that we are calm because we are happy with what we have."

Mourinho was without six senior players for the tour to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta who will join up with him for the first time in the next few days.

Spain trio Fernando Torres, Juan Mata and Cesar Azpilicueta, Nigeria's John Obi Mikel and Brazil duo David Luiz and Oscar had a break following the Confederations Cup and will now join the squad for four matches in the United States.

With Lukaku's goals, plus one for Demba Ba and the pursuit of Rooney, Mourinho was asked if Torres' position is under threat.

The Portuguese added: "I think Fernando should be happy because we have competition in the team and I think that is good for everybody in every position.

"Fernando I think will be pleased because during his time at Chelsea he was basically the only striker and then after that there was the arrival of Ba in January.

"Now the team has three strikers and I think that is good."

Frank Lampard will resume training in earnest, having toured Asia without kicking a ball against hostile opposition due to an Achilles problem.

Andre Schurrle missed tonight's game with a knock and Kevin de Bruyne returned to London following last Sunday's Malaysia match due to a knee problem, but both will train with the squad next week, too.

"We protect every little situation," Mourinho said.

"Today we protected Schurrle. De Bruyne went home. Lampard did not want to go home so he stayed with the group.

"There is nothing big. On Monday we are waiting for them, they should all be training with the team plus the six guys who will arrive."

Captain John Terry struggled for full fitness for periods of last season, but started all three games in Asia.

Mourinho added: "He played well and trained very well and never missed one minute of any training session.

"That is very important because he is a very important player for us. I am very happy with him."

It was confirmed today that Chelsea's Barclays Premier League match at home to Aston Villa has been brought forward to August 21 due to the Londoners' involvement in the UEFA Super Cup.

It means the Blues, whose season begins at home to Hull on August 18, play two games in four days at the start of the campaign and could get a head start in the title race ahead of a trip to Manchester United on August 26.

"It is a difficult week of three matches in a row which is never easy, especially at the start of the season, but I think it is fair," Mourinho added.

"It would not have been fair to play this game one month or two months later. It is logic to play it the start of the season, even though it is difficult for us and Villa.

"We have to play every game against everybody . I am never that bothered about the fixtures and the calendar - when we play home and when we play away - against our rivals.

"We will try to win against Hull and then against Villa and then take things match by match."

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