Mourinho stands by Eto’o after shock loss

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has admitted Samuel Eto’o is lacking sharpness but has backed the Cameroon striker to come good.

Eto’o, recently signed from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, has looked below par in his opening two matches against Everton and Basel.

He struggled to make an impact as Chelsea opened their Champions League campaign with a shock defeat at home to the Swiss side.

Mourinho said: “Maybe there is no sharpness and maybe this is something that doesn’t surprise me really.

“When you are two-and-a-half years in a place that doesn’t motivate you and are out of the big stage – and maybe you are not there for the right reasons – you lose the appetite.

“Now he has that back. He has that motivation and wants to succeed and play and he is happy to be at this level.

“He is participating a lot, in Everton and today, in the collective game. Maybe we have to wait for the sharpness, but he is a great player and he will score goals.”

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