Defensive lapses trouble Chelsea manager Mourinho
Sunderland (dpa) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said Wednesday that he is concerned by how many goals his team is conceding, after they drew 2-2 with Reading to slip four points behind Premiership leaders Manchester United.
Chelsea have conceded six goals in their last three league games, a run that has coincided with the absence of centre-back John Terry with a back injury.
With both his first-choice goalkeepers, Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, also out, Mourinho admitted he was running with a patched- up side.
"To lose Petr and John at the same time is a very difficult problem to solve, especially in a squad without more central defenders," he said.
"We sold William Gallas and Robert Huth in the summer. We don't have enough cover so at this moment in time we are having problems.
"Normally for Chelsea three consecutive matches would mean three clean sheets but at this moment in three consecutive matches we have conceded six goals," he said.
"So for us to win matches right now we need to score three times. Sometimes we'll do it, sometimes we won't," he added.
They managed three against both Everton and Wigan, but only two on Tuesday, conceding an equaliser with five minutes to go as Ashley Cole's clearance cannoned off Michael Essien and into his own net. // © 2006 DPA
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