Jose accepts Cardiff defeat
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Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho accepts his side were second best in falling to a Community Shield defeat to Liverpool at The Millennium Stadium.
A header from Peter Crouch ten minutes from time was enough to win Liverpool the first silverware of the season after Andrei Shevchenko had earlier cancelled out John Arne Riise's opener.
Liverpool were the better side for long spells in Cardiff and Mourinho feels that a pre-season interrupted by players reporting back late following their World Cup exertions proved to be a major factor.
The Portuguese tactician is well aware that his side need fine-tuning in terms of fitness and was magnanimous in defeat in conceding Liverpool deserved their victory.
"If I look at the game as a pre-season game, I think it was fantastic for us because we played against a team in much better condition than us," Mourinho told Sky Sports.
"Because of that it was very very good. If I look at the game as a minor trophy of course you don't like to lose but if you don't think about the difference of condition of both teams they deserved to win because they were better than us.
"They are a very difficult team to beat. When you play them you can win, lose or draw.
''They defend well and they are well-organised.
"This season they have more solutions. They can play with Crouch or play a different way with [Craig] Bellamy. Or play with both.
"But a competition of 10 months is different to a game of A against B. If I play them again tomorrow, it will be difficult but over 10 months I believe we can do it."
A disappointing day for the champions was compounded by an injury sustained by new boy Michael Ballack, who was making his competitive bow in Chelsea colours.
The German schemer pulled up sharply early in the first period and had to be replaced, with his new taskmaster admitting that he feared the player could be ruled out of their Premiership opener.
''Ballack is injured, that is obvious. I'm not sure if he will miss the start of the season," he added.
"I hope it is nothing big because we have Joe Cole, Claude Makelele and Petr Cech injured - we have to try to start the season as best we can.
"Every team will try to improve to catch us but I think we will be the best team."
While Ballack was denied the opportunity to stamp his class on proceedings, fellow new signing Shevchenko was excellent all afternoon and his goal was testimony to an impressive display.
"The goal was great,'' concluded Mourinho.
''It was one of the rare moments of possession where we took the ball with penetration and movement and it was class how he took his goal.
"He can't get the ball from Cudicini's hands and score a goal at the other end.
"He needs the team to have the sharpness and condition and technical structure to play in the last third.
"In the last third he is fantastic. He had two situations. He almost scored a goal with a finish from a corner and the other was a wonderful goal.
"He needs the team behind him to be what he is - an amazing player."
A header from Peter Crouch ten minutes from time was enough to win Liverpool the first silverware of the season after Andrei Shevchenko had earlier cancelled out John Arne Riise's opener.
Liverpool were the better side for long spells in Cardiff and Mourinho feels that a pre-season interrupted by players reporting back late following their World Cup exertions proved to be a major factor.
The Portuguese tactician is well aware that his side need fine-tuning in terms of fitness and was magnanimous in defeat in conceding Liverpool deserved their victory.
"If I look at the game as a pre-season game, I think it was fantastic for us because we played against a team in much better condition than us," Mourinho told Sky Sports.
"Because of that it was very very good. If I look at the game as a minor trophy of course you don't like to lose but if you don't think about the difference of condition of both teams they deserved to win because they were better than us.
"They are a very difficult team to beat. When you play them you can win, lose or draw.
''They defend well and they are well-organised.
"This season they have more solutions. They can play with Crouch or play a different way with [Craig] Bellamy. Or play with both.
"But a competition of 10 months is different to a game of A against B. If I play them again tomorrow, it will be difficult but over 10 months I believe we can do it."
A disappointing day for the champions was compounded by an injury sustained by new boy Michael Ballack, who was making his competitive bow in Chelsea colours.
The German schemer pulled up sharply early in the first period and had to be replaced, with his new taskmaster admitting that he feared the player could be ruled out of their Premiership opener.
''Ballack is injured, that is obvious. I'm not sure if he will miss the start of the season," he added.
"I hope it is nothing big because we have Joe Cole, Claude Makelele and Petr Cech injured - we have to try to start the season as best we can.
"Every team will try to improve to catch us but I think we will be the best team."
While Ballack was denied the opportunity to stamp his class on proceedings, fellow new signing Shevchenko was excellent all afternoon and his goal was testimony to an impressive display.
"The goal was great,'' concluded Mourinho.
''It was one of the rare moments of possession where we took the ball with penetration and movement and it was class how he took his goal.
"He can't get the ball from Cudicini's hands and score a goal at the other end.
"He needs the team to have the sharpness and condition and technical structure to play in the last third.
"In the last third he is fantastic. He had two situations. He almost scored a goal with a finish from a corner and the other was a wonderful goal.
"He needs the team behind him to be what he is - an amazing player."
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