Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho today decried the tactics of his rival Sam Allardyce tonight in the 0-0 Chelsea draw with West Ham at Stamford Bridge.

“[West Ham’s style of football] is not Premier League, this is not the best league in the world. This is football from the 19th century.

“The only thing I can bring more to win was a Black and Decker. A Black and Decker to destroy the wall.”

Mourinho’s comments were laughable given the track record of the Blues manager in big matches this season away to Manchester United and Arsenal. Chelsea in both matches played with several men behind the ball at all times and snuffed out any opportunities the opposition had. For me personally, defensive soccer is pragmatic smart soccer if you sit where West Ham does in the table or, like Chelsea, when you’re outgunned when playing away to Arsenal.

Negative commentary about Allardyce’s tactics has been around for years, but Jose Mourinho took it to another level considering his own reputation when it comes defensive soccer.

Going forward it will be interesting to see if Mourinho’s teams play more openly given his anger at West Ham’s tactics today. The Special One could take lessons in humility and honesty from Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood with whom he will face off against in a few weeks at Stamford Bridge.

Sherwood showed a touch of class tonight that will serve him and Tottenham Hotspur well in the future. When asked about the controversial officiating calls in today’s 5-1 loss to Manchester City at White Hart Lane, Sherwood didn’t take the bait from the BT Sport reporter. Instead he dismissed any attempt to create controversy over Michael Dawson’s chalked off goal and, while he disagreed with the Danny Rose red card, he quickly said he didn’t think it would have made a difference in the match.

Sherwood’s humility is contrasted with the types of self-pitying, whiny and sometimes narcissistic post match comments we have become accustomed to from Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.

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