Chelsea Find Perfect Blend
Oscar has revealed how Jose Mourinho and Didier Drogba have formed a dressing-room double-act in order to keep Chelsea on track for a record-breaking season.
The Premier League leaders travel to Newcastle United tomorrow looking to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign and to make it 24 games without defeat since April.
That would be a club record but it is one that will mean nothing if Chelsea falter when it really counts. And a combination of Mourinho caution and Drogba inspiration is proving to be the perfect blend to guard against that.
"Mourinho speaks before the games and makes sure our feet stay on the floor, because you don't win the league or the Champions League at the start of the season, or in the middle of the season," Oscar said. "We have so many games to play and we need to continue to win them.
"Of course, he wants us to stay confident. But not too much because that can be dangerous. He tells the attacking players to go for goals, to play our football, but when you don't have the ball, you have to defend. That is the way we have been winning games."
Drogba is being groomed for a coaching role at Chelsea following his summer return to the club and is already behaving as such before games. "Ah Didier - he is fantastic," said Oscar. "Fantastic player, fantastic person, and I am so happy he is a part of the team. He speaks before the game for the attacking players.
"He speaks not just with me, but with the attacking players. He scored so many goals for Chelsea. He pushed so much the young players."
Drogba filled in brilliantly for the suspended Diego Costa in Wednesday night's victory over Tottenham. The Spain striker is expected to return at Newcastle, where Chelsea's unbeaten run faces another test.
"The run is on our minds, but the team just starts again every time and plays for a win," Oscar said. "If we draw, it is OK. What is important is that we don't lose."