• Premier League

Mourinho downplays goal drought

Chelsea's strikers have scored 13 goals between them this season © Getty Images

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has again played down the strengths of his striking options and claimed he does not expect them to score prolifically.

So far this season, Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba have scored 13 goals between them in all competitions, but Mourinho insists he will not sign reinforcements in the January transfer window.

He has now backed his three frontmen to score more, but not prolifically, saying after Chelsea's win against Crystal Palace: "We are not saying 25 or 30 because our strikers are not these kind of killers, but [five Premier League goals between them] is too short.

"They have to come - and they will - for different numbers."

Talking about Torres in particular, Mourinho added that the Spaniard must play to his strengths and work as a poacher as he is not skilful enough to bring midfielders into play.

"When he has the ball on his feet with the back to the goal, he's not a very skilful player, we know that," Mourinho said.

"In their goal, he lost the ball when he dropped back to the midfield. He lost the ball and they made a counter-attack on that. He's not that player.

"He was the Torres that we know, giving a hard time to the opponents. Without the ball he presses a lot and he's not a comfortable opponent. When the team has the ball he's the kind of guy that makes movements and tries to open space.

"He does his contribution and it's the kind of goal we demand from him. Goalkeeper saves the ball, he's there, pow, goal. And this is the kind of goal we expect from him."

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