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MANCHESTER. — Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini criticised Chelsea’s “small team” mentality and said they played like Stoke City during their tense 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.Much like last season’s masterful 1-0 win at the same venue, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho opted to play three midfielders to negate City’s array of attacking players.

Ramires replaced Oscar and started alongside Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas to counter the hosts midfield which contained powerhouse Yaya Toure, the creative David Silva and the energetic pair of James Milner and Fernandinho.

Pellegrini, however, was critical of Chelsea’s tactics after Frank Lampard rescued a late point for the champions against his former club following Andre Schuerrle’s opener.

“It is not a result that I want, not what we deserved but the game was very similar to the game against Stoke,” the Chilean told the BBC.
“Ten players defended their own half, they scored a counter attack and they continued to defend until the end.

“The result is not what both teams did during 90 minutes. I am happy because our team played in one way, we continued playing with 11 players, trying to score, and with one player less trying not to have another counter attack and concede a goal. I am very happy with the mentality of our team,” he added in reference to Pablo Zabaleta’s 66th-minute dismissal.

“It is so important to play like a big team, and not like a small team. I would not be happy to play that way. We continue with the same ambition, teams will find it hard to beat us. The team performance was very good.”

Meanwhile, Pellegrini predicted more to come from Lampard who scored against his former club in a tense 1-1 English Premier League draw on Sunday.

Lampard (36) has joined City on loan from MLS side New York City until the new year after ending his 13-year stay at Chelsea in pre-season.

The midfielder, who called time on his England career last month, was a substitute at half-time as he made his debut in the 2-2 draw at Arsenal last week.

But after he scored a goal that prevented City from falling eight points behind in the title race, Pellegrini was expecting more of the same in the next three months.

“When I spoke with Lampard, it was not to make him a favourite to stay at Manchester City, it was because I was absolutely sure he will be a very useful player for our team,” the manager explained.

“He has nothing to do in New York until January when they start the season there. It was very important for him to continue working every day and playing in our team but also it was very important for our team to have a player with the experience and quality of Frank Lampard.”

Chelsea looked set to pick up an important win when substitute Andre Schurrle turned in from Eden Hazard’s cross shortly after City’s Pablo Zabaleta had been sent off at Eastlands on Sunday.

But seven minutes after coming off the bench, Lampard scored with a typical late run into the box as he turned in James Milner’s cross to earn a point.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho refused to rise to the bait and, after seeing his team drop points for the first time this season, declared himself happy with his team’s position at the top of the table.

“It’s one point won because we arrived here leaders with two points more than second and we leave the stadium with a three-point lead.
“I don’t look to direct opponents, I don’t look to other clubs in a special way.  I look to the table and we are leaders by three points,” the Portuguese manager added.

“We come here to a super-difficult stadium and a super-difficult opponent and we leave to better conditions than we arrived, so good.”

Mourinho has regularly criticised Pellegrini since taking over from the Chilean at Real Madrid in 2010 and, as well as mispronouncing his name on two occasions, he hit back at the City manager.

“Pellegrino, many times he says he never speaks about me and my team but he keeps doing the same thing. I am the one that does as he says.

“I don’t comment on his words. Don’t ask me about his words, I am not interested in that.”

Pellegrini added he has no concerns about City’s start to the season despite the club going four games without a win for the first time in four-and-a-half years.

The English Premier League champions are five points behind Chelsea.

City, who were beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich in their opening match of this season’s Champions League match last week, have lost ground in the English title race with a 1-0 defeat by Stoke and a 2-2 draw with Arsenal preceding their point against Mourinho’s table-toppers.

“I think that in the way we played (against Chelsea), maybe we are not taking the points that we deserved but I am not concerned about the way we played,” said Pellegrini.

Sky Sports UK pundit Gary Neville said master-tactician Mourinho was right to change Chelsea’s approach and thinks their adaptability will see them win the Premier League title.

“They’re adaptable and they have to be. They’ve come here today and they pay respect to their opposition, they change.  That’s what the top sides have to do. They have to go to grounds and adapt to how they play.

“Mourinho does that and Chelsea are able to take their instructions on board.  They’re experienced enough and intelligent enough to be able to do it and that’s what the top teams are.

“They don’t just go out and play their same game every week. That’s why they are a top side and that’s why I think they will win the league.” — AFP.