Jose Mourinho has heaped strong criticism at Mohamed Salah and Andre Schurrle, among others, for failing to produce performances that trouble his team selection for Saturday.
The Chelsea manager was upset his reserve players did not dominate the game against a League two side and said Shrewsbury was outdone by Didier Drogba’s display.
Salah and Schurrle started the game, while Nathan Ake, Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen were also given starts.
Mourinho said he was disappointed by the performance of certain players and knew his team to face Queens Park Rangers at the weekend, adding: ‘If players that played 90 minutes two days ago were fantastic, I expect people who are not playing a lot to raise the level to create me problems.
‘I love problems of choices, and it is easy to choose my team for Saturday.’
Asked specifically if Salah and Schurrle had disappointed him, Mourinho replied: ‘Yes.’
Shrewsbury equalised through Andy Mangan before Mourinho made two substitutions immediately, replacing John Obi Mikel with Nemanja Matic and Salah with Willian.
Willian produced the cross that Jermaine Grandison diverted into his own net under pressure from 36-year-old Drogba.
‘When you have the possibility of extra time you have to control the emotions as a manager,’ Mourinho said. ‘I had to make two changes to give a new blood and new kind of qualities to the team.’
He added: ‘I was worried when they equalised but we go through and Didier played a massive part in that.
‘Hopefully he will be good for the weekend but we will have to see because right now his character is stronger than his body.
‘Maybe what he has done is through his character – not his body.
‘That’s what makes players special and if I was a kid player and I play with this guy on my side, 18, 19, 21, 22, what can I wish more? For the kids it is a privilege and they have to learn by example.’
Asked whether he was the Special Drog, Mourinho said ‘Yes’ and gave a thumbs up.
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