Source: Daily_Mail
Andre Villas-Boas: Chelsea start has been 'okay' but competition is tough
Andre Villas-Boas is satisfied with Chelsea's start to the season but admits that the Barclays Premier League is a tougher competition now than back when he was Jose Mourinho's assistant. [LNB] The Portuguese has guided the Blues to third in the table after seven games - three points behind leaders Manchester United - but conceded that position is at least what would be expected of him by Roman Abramovich. [LNB]Villas-Boas, at 33 younger than some of his players, also admitted that the 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford was the low point of his return to English football so far. [LNB] Tough at the top: Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas (right) [LNB]'I think things have been going okay. We had a good start up to the Old Trafford game where we had a good performance but were unlucky with the result,' Villas-Boas said.[LNB] 'Bearing in mind the performance, normally with so many opportunities you come away with a win but it didn't go for us in the first half in terms of efficiency and the scoreline was difficult to recover at half-time.[LNB] 'We are doing nothing else than what we need to do. We are expected to win every game and that's the challenge that we have. Some results have gone our way a little bit better and others haven't.' [LNB] Frankly speaking: Chelsea are meeting expectations in the Premier League[LNB] Villas-Boas said that life is tougher these days than during Mourinho's spell from 2004-07 because Chelsea now face competition from more than just the other members of the traditional 'Big Four' of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. [LNB] 'The main difference from a couple of years ago is that there are much more teams competing for the Premier League title, and more teams are also competing for the Champions League spots,' he said. [LNB] 'I think money has a part to play, a lot of new players have come across for various teams. [LNB]'Tottenham look different from before, Liverpool the same, Stoke City will be a threat for the European places and Newcastle are back on top form.' [LNB] Bad memories: The low point of the season so far was the defeat at Old Trafford[LNB]But despite the increased competition, Villas-Boas also has no doubts that Chelsea will remain a force to be reckoned with in future.[LNB] 'We have evolved in the different departments,' he said. 'The most important thing for us is to make the necessary judgements for the things that we need. [LNB]'We made a couple of changes to a couple of staff to satisfy our needs. Not that the ones before were not competent - just that it's important for us to have everything at our disposal that we like - so we made changes to the medical department and a couple of structures at the club.[LNB] 'The club has evolved naturally to an even more powerful club, a more powerful brand commercially, and is on the right track.' [LNB] Buck-ing the trend! Chelsea chairman backs Villas-Boas to remain in charge for 15 yearsUnhappy Chelsea supporters plot campaign to save Stamford BridgeLeo's London: Can Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham really support bigger stadiums?All the latest Chelsea FC news, features and opinion[LNB]
