Didier Drogba: Jose Mourinho stung Blues into action

Didier Drogba admitted manager Jose Mourinho’s half-time pep talk inspired Chelsea to put one hand on the Barclays Premier League title.

They will win the league with victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday following a 3-1 success at Leicester on Wednesday.

But Chelsea needed a half-time rallying call to come from behind following a sloppy first half and Marc Albrighton’s opener at the King Power Stadium.

Drogba, John Terry and Ramires scored to move Mourinho’s side 13 points clear of Manchester City and Arsenal.

And Drogba, who levelled just three minutes after the break, admitted they needed some strong words to help them recover.

“A lot of things (were said), a few things you don’t want to hear but a few things which were very good for us to hear,” he told Chelsea TV.

“You could see in the second half there was a change, a reaction, and that was the goal of the speech, to create a reaction.

“It’s important to show the way and show reactions and I’m really happy I managed to do it.

“The game didn’t look good in the first half, the way we played and started. We are really happy with three good goals, we played very well in the second half.”

Petr Cech replaced Thibaut Courtois in goal with the Belgium international failing to shake off a hip injury.

Cech, 32, has won the title three times with Chelsea and is eager to clinch another in front of their home fans at the weekend.

“This team has a very good balance, that’s why everything is working and we have overcome difficult moments this season so hopefully we can wrap it up at home,” Cech said.

“It’s amazing when you win a title but if you win it at home it puts the icing on the cake.”

Cech hopes a first Premier League title in five years for champions-elect Chelsea is just the start of greater things to come for the club’s younger generation of talent.

“It’s always nice to be there and make a contribution to the success,” Cech said.

“We cannot deny that at certain stages of this season we all contributed with moments that help us to be in the position we are.

“It’s been 10 years on and we’re still here. It is a great feeling to have another chance to win another title.

“The last title we won in 2010 so it has been a long time. This one is hopefully the start of a new era, another generation of players. There is only me, Didier and JT who have been here for the last decade.

“You can say this is a new generation of Chelsea. Hopefully we will confirm the title on Sunday and this team will continue on.”

Whether Cech will be part of the future remains to be seen.

The Czech Republic goalkeeper, who has a year left to run on his current contract, in March hinted he would seek a move from Stamford Bridge after being displaced as number one by Courtois.

He expects the likes of Eden Hazard to take confidence from a first Premier League title, which appears imminent.

“You can be a great player but this moments to play difficult games under pressure, being champion gives you another step, another dimension,” Cech added.

“You can see in difficult moments this season this team has a lot of experience to overcome them, that is why we are in the position we are.

“The new players came in already with experience, winning the title elsewhere, which is important and it’s why everything clicked quite quickly.”

Meanwhile Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has leapt to the defence of Chelsea amid taunts that they are a “boring” side.

The Dutchman says other clubs should look at themselves for not being able to mount a better challenge.

“They were the best team, the strongest team mentally. I don’t agree with boring Chelsea because it is about winning, about winning titles,” said Koeman. They have an unbelievable spirit in the team and all the credit to Jose and the players.

“They have a difference of about 10 points. I think the other teams, they should not say anything because Chelsea is the best team of this season.

“We need a reaction of the rest of the teams because the distance is too much.”