Former Chelsea coach Ray Wilkins is convinced Jose Mourinho returned a better manager last season.

Wilkins thinks Mourinho has developed his management style since those first two title wins.

He said: "When Jose first won the title you seldom saw his full-backs cross the halfway line.

"Now Branislav Ivanovic is hardly ever in his own half. When I hear those cries of 'boring', to me they are rubbish. Chelsea have been exciting for most of this season. The problem recently is that they have had both their main strikers out.

"Mourinho's teams always know how to win matches. That has not changed. Initially the job was to protect their goal, and every player had to buy into that.

"I would not say he has changed his philosophy; I think Jose has evolved as a coach, as the game has evolved. In this team all the defenders are comfortable on the ball. But he still puts as his priority the need to keep a clean sheet.

"The spine of the team that he built from 2004 onwards lasted effectively. It was essentially the core of the team we won the league with under Carlo. There were additions, and people left, but essentially the core that stayed was the key.

"He will have to add now to keep the momentum, but the financial climate is different. Mourinho is right when he says it will be difficult to dominate again. All the other teams are going to buy, and they will be after Chelsea."