In a typically bizarre analogy, Mourinho admits that without his
best players, it is like trying to make an omelette without the
best eggs money can buy.
Mourinho declared: "The style of how we play is very important. But
it is omelettes and eggs. No eggs - no omelettes! It depends on the
quality of the eggs.
"In the supermarket you have class one, two or class three eggs and
some are more expensive than others and some give you better
omelettes.
"So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go
there, you have a problem.
"When you have Drogba, Lampard, Michael Ballack and Ricardo
Carvalho injured you are speaking about 40% of the team. You are
speaking about the spine of the team - one central defender, two
midfield players and one striker.
"After that you go to Claudio Pizarro. He is the second target man
on the team and should be the direct replacement for Drogba. He is
out too. But Wayne Bridge is also out and so Ashley Cole is the
only left-back we have.
"He is playing games, every minute for Chelsea and the national
team. The problem is not the number of injuries but which players
they are and their importance for the team.
"That is the problem. In this moment when you speak about Lampard
and Drogba, you are speaking about more than 50% of the goals the
team scores.
"They are important injuries for us. That is the reality. I don't
want to cry about it. I want to work with the players I have
available, try to play the best and try to get results."