This Chelsea team is ‘still fragile’, says Holland

Scott Anderson
Steve Holland: Had a "responsibility" to take charge

Steve Holland: Had a "responsibility" to take charge

Chelsea coach Steve Holland says that the team is “still fragile” after they secured a 3-1 win over Sunderland in the first game since Jose Mourinho’s sacking. 

The Blues secured only their fifth win of the season in a tense affair at Stamford Bridge, just two days after Mourinho was sacked.

The Chelsea supporters were unanimous in their support for the ‘Special One’, and vented their frustration by booing certain players before the match.

Chelsea coach Steve Holland admitted that he had a “responsibility to the fans and the club” to stand in for the match.

Speaking after the game, Holland said: “The situation today for me is one that comes with my role as a club man.

“You get close to the people you work with, and it’s sad when that changes, but we had an important game two days after and I had a responsibility to the fans and the club.

“I am happy with the result but it is raw. I feel the way I feel.

“The first half they played well in general. The early goal gave the players a boost of confidence, but the team is still fragile to an extent.

“They are used to setbacks in recent weeks so we wobbled a bit in the second half.

“In the end I thought they saw the game out fairly comfortably.”

Meanwhile, the defeat for Sunderland leaves them 19th in the Premier League, five points off safety.

Manager Sam Allardyce says that his side failed to “carry out instructions” in the 3-1 defeat.

We looked frightened of going out to play,” said Allardyce. “We didn’t get to grips in midfield and we didn’t go up against them.

“We picked a team to put them under pressure but we didn’t really do that.

“When we gave them the first goal early it lifted the whole stadium. Right from the start we made life very difficult for ourselves. I was happy to get in at half-time just 2-0 down.

“The worrying thing for me is that again the personnel haven’t carried out instructions and again I have had to change things.

“It’s not what you want to do but you have to react and for a time we were a little better, but then we did the most stupid thing of all which was to give them a penalty.

“Every game that goes by without a point puts you deeper and deeper into the pressure pot.”