Size does matter in Mourinho glory hunt

How, Mourinho stated, brushing aside the brilliance of the four unanswered goals Chelsea scored, could the Spanish club have caused so many aerial problems in the opening quarter of an hour when their players are "1.75 [5ft 9in], 1.78, 1.80 and only one player over 1.85 metres" tall? Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers were dealt with easily "with players of 1.85, 1.90, 1.95 - and Peter Crouch 2m". "I can still find mistakes," Mourinho added pointedly.

It was an exacting assessment, but such is the standard being set. Chelsea scored 13 goals in those three matches, of course, and have conceded just three times this season. None have been scored from headers.

Indeed, the height and weight of each opponent is meticulously presented to Chelsea's players before every game and charts are pinned up in the dressing-rooms. It is a device the manager has brought with him from Portugal.

The importance of such matters was even revealed by Mourinho last season, after his infamous meeting with Arsenal's Ashley Cole, when he blithely commented that he was uninterested in the player because he was not tall enough at 1.72m. One of the strengths of the man he did buy for a left-back, Asier del Horno, is, at 1.80m, his ability in the air. Scott Parker, now at Newcastle United, is thought to have been a casualty of that policy being only 1.75m tall.

Another of Mourinho's remarks also set the standard. "I will not accept that we should have had problems in set-pieces in the first 20 minutes," which was reminiscent of something Tiago Mendes - since sold to Lyon - said when asked about Mourinho's philosophy. The players had been told, the midfielder said, that they were not allowed to let in any goals. It was simply unacceptable to concede.

On Wednesday evening Hernan Crespo also reiterated what his manager had demanded. "We have not peaked yet," the Argentinian said. "We are a great team, great players and have a great bench." It was from there that he watched the first half, observing that Chelsea suffered initially from "high balls" and were indebted to an appalling mistake by Betis goalkeeper Antonio Doblas to kill the tie. "But in the second half we didn't concede anything to them," Crespo added.

His goal capped a brilliant team performance to head Group G and the scrutiny on Crespo, since his return from a season-long loan at Milan, after an unhappy, unsettled first year with Chelsea, continues. He is well aware of it, but insists he - like his team-mates - will remain "calm" despite his previously stated desire to have remained in Italy.

"It's like this," said the 30-year-old, bought for £16.8m from Internazionale, "when you play in a great team you need to deserve the place, you need to give everything you have on the pitch to deserve the place. But if I have five minutes, 10 minutes or 90 minutes I need to do my best. If you play in a great team you know the rules."

It was a highly disciplined response and Crespo's application has undoubtedly impressed Mourinho, even if he still prefers the raw bludgeon of Didier Drogba as his first choice. Crespo is pushing him hard but with eight goals in nine starts, Drogba deserves to remain the man in possession.

Crespo's three goals have been the classier - the winner against Wigan Athletic and the two brilliant headers, the other being against Charlton Athletic, marking a triumphal return.

Drogba limped off against Betis but is expected to be fit for Sunday's meeting with Everton. "I don't know," Crespo said when asked if he expected to be selected. "I prefer to play but the choice is in Mourinho's hands." His opportunity will certainly come in the new year when Drogba is away for up to four weeks with the Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations.

Another player who will be absent then is Ghana's Michael Essien, who was peerless in midfield against Betis. "He was too powerful for them," Mourinho had said. "The best player on the pitch." Crespo agreed, adding: "Maybe everybody right now is still thinking about the tackle [by Essien on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim]. But he's a great player. And a great surprise to everyone, I think."

Predictions of just how far Chelsea can go are already being made and following Crespo's European experiences with Milan last season, a comparison is inevitable. However, he maintained it is still too early to do that. "We are at a similar level," Crespo said. "They are great clubs but I don't know who is better."

Chelsea's strike-rate rises

In the first nine games of this season Chelsea scored 15 goals at a rate of 1.6 goals a game. However, after the 0-0 draw with Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions' League, Chelsea have scored 13 in three games at a ratio of 4.3 goals per game, beating Liverpool 4-1 in the League at Anfield, Bolton 5-1 at Stamford Bridge and Real Betis 4-0 at Stamford Bridge.