Football
ESPN staff 9y

Jose Mourinho: Chelsea controlled Community Shield despite defeat

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he believed his players "were the best team" in their 1-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal at Wembley.

A superb first-half strike by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain won the game for the north Londoners, while Premier League champions Chelsea were left to rue missed chances for Ramires and Eden Hazard.

Mourinho told BT Sport: "We were the best team. We had more initiative, we controlled the game by having ball possession.

"But when a team is behind, the energy and intensity to turn results around is more difficult because people are not sharp.

"Arsenal defended with 10 players, they put everybody in front of their own line and they had good organisation -- congratulations to them.

"They had a couple of chances in counterattacks, but we had ours in organised football."

Mourinho later said Arsenal were "a team that leaves their philosophy in the dressing room" and called his previous 13-game unbeaten streak vs. Wenger an "eternity.

The Chelsea manager added that winning the Premier League title again would be "very difficult, but it is very difficult for everyone."

"The way other teams are spending, they have big power in the hands while we are the same as last season. And with that we are going to try," he added.

Mourinho, whose side begin their title defence against Swansea and may again be without Diego Costa, who missed Sunday's game with a hamstring problem, threw his runners-up medal into the crowd.

He said: "I don't want the medal. I don't keep the ones when I win, imagine the ones when I lose.

"The kid was there, an Arsenal kid and I think it's a good memory for him. His team wins and he takes a medal from the losers."

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