Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas has admitted that it is hard to be critical of Chelsea due to their record over the last decade.
The Blues have won every major trophy except the Europa League - a final they will play in this month - since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003, and Villas-Boas has said that it is difficult to say that they are not a successful outfit.
"They have won the biggest competition in European football (the Champions League last season), and every single trophy they wanted in the last 10 years," the Portuguese is quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. "They have the most amazing record, so it's very hard to say anything [negative]. Sometimes success is what matters in football, independent of style.
"The team of 2004 was an absolutely deadly machine of football, but in a different way. They played great counter-attacking football and were one of the great teams in the country.
"There are various types of teams. There are teams built on great creative players. Barcelona are probably the best in recent years. This Chelsea team have the ingredients to play this type of football."
Villas-Boas spent nine months in charge at Stamford Bridge before he was sacked last season.
Paul Gorst
