'Youth is not an excuse' - Jorginho calls on Chelsea to stop being 'soft'

Posted Tuesday, December 31, 2019 by Goal.com

The midfielder's typically jovial personality was replaced by a firmer one and he called for improvements in his team's mentality

Jorginho has called on his Chelsea team-mates to rediscover their aggression after overcoming a poor first half to win 2-1 away at Arsenal and tailing off an inconsistent December run.

Frank Lampard's side struggled as they went 1-0 down to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's header at the Emirates Stadium, but ultimately turned the game around to defeat their London rivals.

Blues vice-captain Jorginho was brought on in a desperate 34th-minute substitution, with the west Londoners having been under intense pressure early on in the match.

Chelsea looked set to fall to a sixth defeat in eight matches but produced their first comeback points in the Premier League this season with two late goals.

Tammy Abraham was the match-winner but Jorginho's tap-in after a Bernd Leno mistake got a vital equaliser in the 82nd-minute.

The Italy international is growing tired of excuses at Chelsea and is looking for an improved mindset from his team in a bid to start matches with more intensity.

"I think when you play for Chelsea, we talk a lot about 'young, young, young, young' but we are in the middle of the season and every player has to take responsibility," Jorginho said post-match.

"Not just the older players. Of course, the younger players need more help but youth is not an excuse, you just have to be ready, prepared for the game, prepared to fight, because you are playing for Chelsea in the Premier League and that's it.

"[Beating Arsenal] was very important for us. It's quite hard to win away, especially when it's a derby, and the feeling is crazy. But now we need to change our mindset and win at home as well because we are losing too many points.

"I tried to push my mates [when I came on]. We were a bit soft at the beginning and I tried to change [that] because we needed to change our mindset. We were not fighting enough. I don't know why. Sometimes it can happen.

"Sometimes you go on the pitch and you are not right and, when you want to change because you realise you are not fighting enough, it's hard. Today we could change that but sometimes we can't so maybe we need to prepare ourselves better.

"I think what's important is that all the players talk and help. Today I came on from the bench and could help my mates. The most important thing is the result because we worked a lot and I think honestly we deserved it."

Chelsea's poor run since the November international break has seen them lose to reigning champions Manchester City, but also teams like Everton, West Ham, Bournemouth and Southampton, who have all been around the relegation zone.

Many of these defeats have been at home, with the Blues boasting better away form. Jorginho thinks that his side changing their 'mindset' will also be vital for improving their poor run at Stamford Bridge.

"You know you have to fight," he added. "Sometimes you go on the pitch and play a bit soft at home, I think is what we have to change. Sometimes we play against teams that don't want to play, just defend and make counter-attacks, and it's harder to find space.

"We need to work hard to break that. I think you should push and break the lines, run more behind the lines. Sometimes we don't do that, we want to play just ball into feet, and maybe we could change that. Again, it's mentality."

Jorginho was brought to west London on the day the club appointed Maurizio Sarri in a £57 million ($75m) move from Napoli.

The midfielder was regarded as Sarri's general on the pitch but he has adapted well to Lampard.

"I'm happy but the most important [thing] is the team," Jorginho said of being appointed as the vice-captain by Lampard. "If he thinks that's the best for the team, I'm happy. But I'm not changing myself.

"I'll be the same guy, I try to help and when I joke, I joke a lot and when we have to work hard, we have to work and I do that."