The Mourinho Thread

[Rhino's Skin 972]

lets be honest here, the only world class players we have are courtois and hazard.

also, we do need an "overhaul". we need a starting LB (since jose does not trust baba enough to start him as a LB ahead of zouma as RB). we need a JT replacement. and when i say "JT-replacement" i mean the 14/15 JT, who was just brilliant.

we need a proper CM to partner matic in the mid. rambo/mikel are decent bench/cup game options, but thats about it. cesc as a CM is absolutely catastrophic.

and we need a 1st/2nd striker who can actually push costa to play and score rather than fight and dive.

so basically, a couple of defenders, a CM and a striker is a must and atleast 3 out of those 4 are for the first team. so you can say its an "overhaul".

Can any of our loanees or academy players cover any of those positions.

Pretty sure the board will want the manager ( whoever it is ) to start using the better ones I.e. Christensen, Baker, Solanke etc

[Henrique 9,133]

Is this the same ITK who had José going this weekend no matter what?

It seems he is already creating an excuse. Jus watched the game and the Jose support was big but nothing overwhelming that would make a dead man walking ressurrect. If Mourinho doesn't leave this weekend, I'm pretty sure it means he wasn't sacked yet.

[didierforever 7,349]

Can any of our loanees or academy players cover any of those positions.

Pretty sure the board will want the manager ( whoever it is ) to start using the better ones I.e. Christensen, Baker, Solanke etc

not really. we are talking about the first 11.

but our loan army can definitely be given a proper chance next season.

for eg, rambo and mikel can be replaced with pasalic/baker.

christensen should be on loan and get all the play time before getting a proper crack at the first team. but we need a world class CB to replace JT.

solanke as a 3rd striker? maybe. but we need someone like lacazette who can provide not just good cover for costa but actually challenge costa for teh first team spot.

[Reddish-Blue 2,213]

Hmm, overhaul? Who would you get rid of, out of interest?

I personally don't think we need an overhaul, just 2-3 signings.

Would get rid of: Ivanovic, Mikel

Hopefully sign: CB with pace so that we can play a high-line if necessary, high-energy midfielder capable of making simple passes under pressure

Fits in with the club's policy of 1 in, 1 out.

[Muzchap 8,966]

not really. we are talking about the first 11.

but our loan army can definitely be given a proper chance next season.

for eg, rambo and mikel can be replaced with pasalic/baker.

christensen should be on loan and get all the play time before getting a proper crack at the first team. but we need a world class CB to replace JT.

solanke as a 3rd striker? maybe. but we need someone like lacazette who can provide not just good cover for costa but actually challenge costa for teh first team spot.

Yeah but RLC can come in and do a job now. I agree we should be promoting at least 3 of those players and possibly Brown.

Just don't see it happening though - that's the sad part, we'd rather let our youth players stall in development and overpay for other teams youth players that were given a chance

[didierforever 7,349]

Yeah but RLC can come in and do a job now. I agree we should be promoting at least 3 of those players and possibly Brown.

Just don't see it happening though - that's the sad part, we'd rather let our youth players stall in development and overpay for other teams youth players that were given a chance

we already have traore and kenedy as AMs. brown would be overkill, imo.

solanke can be our 3rd striker, kenedy and traore our AMs behind willian, hazard, pedro, RLC and baker/pasalic as our 4th and 5th CM (behind matic , new CM and cesc). in defence, we already have zouma and baba, also we are looking to buy stones/marquinhos (or a young highly rated CB), along with azpi, GC and JT, such a defence would be a good mix of youth and experience.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

not really. we are talking about the first 11.

but our loan army can definitely be given a proper chance next season.

for eg, rambo and mikel can be replaced with pasalic/baker.

christensen should be on loan and get all the play time before getting a proper crack at the first team. but we need a world class CB to replace JT.

solanke as a 3rd striker? maybe. but we need someone like lacazette who can provide not just good cover for costa but actually challenge costa for teh first team spot.

I know where you are coming from.... but if we sign so called world class players and it pleases the fans on here, I bet some of the same ones will also be moaning about youth never getting a chance.

I just feel that the board will insist that we start integrating the better ones of the current crop and maybe just purchase 1 headline act .

Its going to be a fine balancing act, but the board need the manager to be with them on this

[didierforever 7,349]

I know where you are coming from.... but if we sign so called world class players and it pleases the fans on here, I bet some of the same ones will also be moaning about youth never getting a chance.

I just feel that the board will insist that we start integrating the better ones of the current crop and maybe just purchase 1 headline act .

Its going to be a fine balancing act, but the board need the manager to be with them on this

fair enough.

i just hope jose puts in "non-negotiable" positions. we need a proper CM, we need a world class CB (to be fair to jose, we were looking to purchase those 2 even in the last window). just tell the board to stop penny pinching for those 2 areas and get the needed target. obviously, a lot will depend on whether we get CL or not (since i dont think jan is ever a good time to buy)

[Rhino's Skin 972]

It seems he is already creating an excuse. Jus watched the game and the Jose support was big but nothing overwhelming that would make a dead man walking ressurrect. If Mourinho doesn't leave this weekend, I'm pretty sure it means he wasn't sacked yet.

the support was extremely loud and overwhelming....one of the loudest its been for a while. TV do mute it or tone it down during parts of commentary

[Rhino's Skin 972]

fair enough.

i just hope jose puts in "non-negotiable" positions. we need a proper CM, we need a world class CB (to be fair to jose, we were looking to purchase those 2 even in the last window). just tell the board to stop penny pinching for those 2 areas and get the needed target. obviously, a lot will depend on whether we get CL or not (since i dont think jan is ever a good time to buy)

Totally agree.....no messing with bidding process....straight in there with top bids and go for it

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Also, with the Euro 2016 in the summer and players coming back late because they have been with their country, this could be the time for any youngsters and fringe players not involved to make their mark at the club on pre season.

I know ( before anyone reminds me we have been here before with players like KdB, Lukaku etc etc) but I honestly feel there is a slight change of direction and thinking with regards to our developing players.

Mourinho has to start to trust more of them and if not start them in PL then certainly use them in league cup or give them decent time as a sub

[Muzchap 8,966]

Also, with the Euro 2016 in the summer and players coming back late because they have been with their country, this could be the time for any youngsters and fringe players not involved to make their mark at the club on pre season.

I know ( before anyone reminds me we have been here before with players like KdB, Lukaku etc etc) but I honestly feel there is a slight change of direction and thinking with regards to our developing players.

Mourinho has to start to trust more of them and if not start them in PL then certainly use them in league cup or give them decent time as a sub

The key words there are

"Mourinho trusting them"

That's the only bit that scares me - hasn't happened yet, but I live in hope

Well that and attacking play - but who knows if he gets out of this slump, I could be eating my words come January

[Blue Armour 4,158]

fair enough.

i just hope jose puts in "non-negotiable" positions. we need a proper CM, we need a world class CB (to be fair to jose, we were looking to purchase those 2 even in the last window). just tell the board to stop penny pinching for those 2 areas and get the needed target. obviously, a lot will depend on whether we get CL or not (since i dont think jan is ever a good time to buy)

I think there is a very good chance that board will invest heavily this Jan, one reason to mend the squad, and with the other reason being that its a fail-safe.

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

I think there is a very good chance that board will invest heavily this Jan, one reason to mend the squad, and with the other reason being that its a fail-safe.

I just hope it won't be yet another Torres scenario, i think that the people in our board have some long term memory issue, won't learn from their past mistakes. I feel like this is the second time in a row after winning a league that we've been denied the chance to become a truly top top football team. Which is so damning when one thinks about it.

[Tomo 21,681]

I just hope it won't be yet another Torres scenario, i think that the people in our board have some long term memory issue, won't learn from their past mistakes. I feel like this is the second time in a row after winning a league that we've been denied the chance to become a truly top top football team. Which is so damning when one thinks about it.

The double win was truly a last horrah, we were always heading to a rebuilding process after that, we should have started rebuilding after Moscow because after the double we were left with an entire team to overhaul.

This time however we have missed the boat, but luckily enough we have a young enough squad to rectify it, hopefully we do just that next summer at the latest.

[didierforever 7,349]

I think there is a very good chance that board will invest heavily this Jan, one reason to mend the squad, and with the other reason being that its a fail-safe.

we can hope and pray that, this does not happen.

as bad as things are, january buys almost always are worse.

torres, cuadrado, salah come to mind.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

we can hope and pray that, this does not happen.

as bad as things are, january buys almost always are worse.

torres, cuadrado, salah come to mind.

Yet we've also brought some wonderful players in January transfer windows... Anelka, Ivanovic, and more recently Matic.

[Adnane 1,101]

Matic said the players want to win for the fans and the coach.

How many moles do we have left in the squad ?