The Blues edged past bottom-of-the-table Watford on Saturday following a stoppage-time winner from Salomon Kalou to keep alive hopes of overhauling Barclays Premiership leaders Manchester United.

While it may have been a seventh straight league victory, the performance was anything but that of champions.

Mourinho accepted his squad were below par on their return from the international break, which gave him little real preparation time ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road.

However, attentions will now swiftly move towards their Champions League quarter-final against Valencia.

"I do not want to excuse it because I always feel we have something inside of us, something hidden, that we can give, that extra bit - but in Cobham, you saw I was there doing nothing," Mourinho told Chelsea TV.

"I was there playing five against five, with the medical department and my people - and that is not good."

The Chelsea manager insisted: "You cannot prepare your team when the players come and are tired, with no focus and no concentration."

Frank Lampard was included in the starting XI despite missing England's Euro 2008 qualifier victory over Andorra in midweek because of a fractured bone in his wrist.

The midfielder has scored some important strikes for Chelsea this season, but has so far only chalked up one goal in Europe - against Barcelona at the end of October.

Mourinho will be hoping for some more positive news on the injury front as he prepares the squad for the run-in.

Lassana Diarra missed the trip to Watford because of a shoulder problem, but should be available against Valencia.

Joe Cole and Wayne Bridge have both now returned to full training and could come into contention by the middle of the month - just in time for when Chelsea will gear up for two massive Premiership matches in the space of three days against Arsenal and United at the start of May.

Winger Arjen Robben, however, is out for the rest of the season as he will need surgery on a knee injury.

Mourinho, of course, is determined to have more than just a passing comment in the destiny of the Premiership title this season.

The Blues are still in the hunt for a remarkable quadruple.

Despite Chelsea having lost only once in 14 Champions League outings at home under Mourinho, Valencia feel they can derail the Stamford Bridge outfit on Wednesday night.

The Spanish side come into the European tie on the back of a 3-2 home win over Espanyol.

Midfielder Angulo said: "Chelsea are a different side to three years ago. Then they won the Premiership title easily, but this year Manchester United are very strong and it has been more difficult for them.

"They will go for it because they have struggled previously to get past the quarters of the Champions League."

With the second leg at the Mestalla Stadium on April 10, Angulo added: "It will be important not to lose and we are capable of scoring."

Valencia are expected to be without former Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes, who dislocated his shoulder on international duty.

Defender David Navarro is serving a lengthy suspension for his part in the mass brawl which marred their game against Inter in the last round.