MISSING the suspended Diego Costa – who has netted 11 goals in as many Premier League matches this season – Chelsea were still convincing winners at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, despite a slow start.
Eden Hazard and Didier Drogba, the latter leading the line in place of Costa, scored in the first half before substitute Loic Remy capped the win 17 minutes from time.
When jokingly asked if his side still needed Costa at his post-match press conference, Mourinho responded: “We need [him]. But I think our mentality is the right mentality.
“We don’t have a player, we don’t cry about it. We give confidence to the others and the others responded in the best way.
“Obviously he [Drogba] did very well, Remy the same. I think I prefer to speak about the team, [though], in a very difficult match in a very good Tottenham.
“Against a Tottenham that was better than us in the first 20 minutes. And the team was able to face a difficult moment, to be stable, to score and after that, to manage the game in the best way.
“[It was an] important victory against a very good team.”
When pressed for further comment on Drogba – who also set up Hazard’s opener – Mourinho was quick to praise the Chelsea legend.
But instead of lauding his performance, Mourinho wanted to highlight his attitude and enthusiasm to the Chelsea cause.
“Yes. It’s remarkable [what Drogba can do at 36],” he added.
“First of all, he is a team player. After that, he is one of these ‘old-days’ mentality [players].
