Graeme
Souness hailed Chelsea after their win over QPR, describing their dogged
display as "the mark of champions".
Jose Mourinho's side won 1-0 at Loftus Road in the Premier League on Super
Sunday, courtesy of Cesc Fabregas' 88th-minute strike but were pushed all
the way by their local rivals.
It was a far from vintage Chelsea display, but Souness argued that it was
their winning mentality that saw them through in the end.
"I thought it would come from a set piece because the pitch didn't allow for
their quick, accurate passing when they got in the last third," he said.
"But that is the mark of champions, when you can win games without being
anywhere near your best.
"It was windy, it was bobbly but they got there and that is the sign of
champions. They've got that mental attitude where they think 'we will not
lose today and somewhere down the line we will get a breakthrough and win
1-0', like they did."
As for QPR, the former Liverpool midfielder believes it will be hard for
manager Chris Ramsey to lift his players after a sixth home defeat on the
spin.
"He'll be saying to them right now that if we play like that every game
between now and the end of the season, then we'll survive - but that's a
blow," added Souness.
"We're talking about a sixth game they've lost at home now back-to-back. 59
goals conceded and you look at the type of goals they've conceded and that
demoralises you, that lowers the confidence throughout the team."
Souness saved his final words for the title favourites though and reinforced
his point about Chelsea's champion-like qualities.
"I think for Chelsea, you would normally say that's the performance of
champions when they go out and beat someone 3 or 4-0 and been fabulous from
start to finish," he concluded.
"But that was the display of champions again today, in the manner that they
won the game. They just dogged it out and went challenge for challenge,
effort for effort and just got across the line. That marks out champions and
that's what Chelsea were about today."
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