The Mourinho Thread

[Shakez 755]

Not Hazard. Willian, Oscar, Schurrle and Torres

Willian didn't even play today. The only match he participated in from the start is WBA away (1-1 draw). Look how he made an exception for the Aston Villa away game.

He's also very specific about player's "profile". Players that are exceptional 1 match and rubbish the next. Easy to find those players imo...

But tbh, José made the wrong match setup. Oscar should've started from the beginning.

[Jase 43,479]

Benitez has fired back at Mourinho after his comments yesterday about us having a bad season last term..

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Rafael-Benitez-hits-back-at-Jose-Mourinho/articleshow/32917053.cms

"He speaks a lot about people - I like to talk about the facts," Benitez said.

"At Liverpool we eliminated his Chelsea from the Champions League with a team that cost half as much as his side."

"He had an extremely strong Real Madrid and never did anything in Europe. Maybe if they sell (Eden) Hazard and Oscar for hundreds of millions he will succeed in winning something,"

[CHOULO19 24,332]

LOL But he's got a point. I think that is what we lacked most today. The characters to get points even when the team isn't playing too well.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

The way we play such games shows we lack spirit as a team. We play like headless chicken, depending on individual creativity, but in the end of the day, most important players, players that should step up like Hazard fail to deliver anything.

The way I remember Mou is that he was master motivator and even ugly, he would get his team win. Not sure about that anymore. We win against big boys 90% of time, but cant win against smallest tits 80% of time. The players, the coach, the transition...whatever the reason is, Im not that happy with work of Mou. If someone would say we will definately finish in top 3 and fight for title all to this day back in august, I would take it. But not so certain now. We can play nice, we can win against the best, but we have problems that shouldnt be there. Consistancy, motivation, determination, spirit,...we have no fucking spirit nowdays. Old Mou team had it and that brought them title in first season. Everyone worked their asses of every fucking game and this team looks like spoiled group who only shows up in big games. I would understand game against WBA. Maybe even against Villa. But it happened again vs Palace. Mou clearly has no clue in such games, players have no idea what to do in such games. There were dozen times this season when we were creativeless in such games, but somehow managed to get victory in last seconds. We had luck back then, this time we didnt. If we will play like this against small teams next season, even with new striker and midifelder, etc. we wont win. Because the team needs to unite and get shit together to get results through whole season.

From offensive, creative players, Mou made defensive team. Lets hope it works out well.

[duo11bluecl 207]

LOL But he's got a point. I think that is what we lacked most today. The characters to get points even when the team isn't playing too well.

How can you read that lol I don't even know what it is saying

[CHOULO19 24,332]

How can you read that lol I don't even know what it is saying

You're not seeing the whole pic:

[didierforever 7,349]

Has to take the blame today. No oscar made no sense what so evr.

[Special Juan 27,103]

Went to their dressing room and said 'fair play'

Guy has class, I love him.

[The Chels 2,502]

I think it's harsh of Jose to blame the loss on the players not having 'balls' when we've seen this type of performance over and over this season, and he's not exactly done much to rectify it.

Main recurring problems he CAN change:

1. The lack of width: Ivanovic at right back offers very little offensively and is constantly exposed defensively - how many times has he crossed the ball for an opposition throw-in and how many times have we conceded from crosses on his wing?! Azpilicueta also offers little offensively on his weaker side so I don't understand why Jose continues to persist with this pairing. Cole/Bertrand (yes I know he's on loan) and Azpi at RB would add another dimension to our currently impotent offense.

2. Little/no set piece routines: we have so many corners and to a lesser extent free kicks in these types of games, and yet we never offer anything different for the opposition to deal with.

3. Lack of movement from attacking players.

[Eligius 121]

I think this season under Mourinho has been successful even if we don't win the league.

Obviously, you want to win the league every year, however, every team improved from last year except United and we are still fighting for the title to the end (unlike last season where we knew we were out a long time ago).

If we don't win anything next season, than Mourinho should be considered a failure at Chelsea, however, this season he has done well with the team that was provided for him.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

This "Mourinho got it wrong today" is bullshit IMO. I do agree with all he said after the game and the players should take the blame for this loss.

Weeks ago, some of you were wondering how can Eto'o impreove if he scores some goals and then, in the next match, he is benched? Or why Schurrle, after some goals, is benched too?

Now Mourinho did you a favour and used a team based on players performance in the previous games. Matic and Luiz for the pivot (worked great against Arsenal), Schurrle and Hazard on the wings, Lamps as the playmaker (10 days rest for him and probably Jose wanted to give Oscar a rest before Paris) and Torres as the CF (Eto'o unavailable).

The tactics were right, but there was no passion, no desire, the lads looked uninteresed in this game. Luiz used every opportunity he's had to give the Palace fans something to cheer about with his "long shots", Torres had a -Torres- again, Schurrle looked like he fell off the sky with minutes before the game, Oscar had no impact on the game and Hazard had a quiet game, although he should have burried that one in the 2nd half. You need more than skills to win a league title and after seeing this performance it seems Chelsea's players are not bothered at the thought of finishing behind City and Liverpool.

[Blue Armour 4,165]

What you expect?

We are a counter attacking team.

We perform better when team attack us.

Which to say makes us better for cup competition not league tittle.

Arsenal (with Henry, Pires)...essentially a counter-attacking team.Any true fan of theirs from then will tell you they were truly better in counter-attacks than possession based play

Manchester United, under Ferguson...also a counter-attacking team for the most part.

Then there was Madrid under Mourinho, and us in 2004-2006.

None of those teams had problems in winning league matches.

Its not the style of play that's the problem. Bad decisions from the players can compromise even the best plans laid out by managers.

Today our attackers were just not in the race, and our usually reliable full-backs got creamed (especially Azpilicueta who got no support from Hazard today, and was double-teamed upon time and again).

[didierforever 7,349]

This "Mourinho got it wrong today" is bullshit IMO. I do agree with all he said after the game and the players should take the blame for this loss.

Weeks ago, some of you were wondering how can Eto'o impreove if he scores some goals and then, in the next match, he is benched? Or why Schurrle, after some goals, is benched too?

Now Mourinho did you a favour and used a team based on players performance in the previous games. Matic and Luiz for the pivot (worked great against Arsenal), Schurrle and Hazard on the wings, Lamps as the playmaker (10 days rest for him and probably Jose wanted to give Oscar a rest before Paris) and Torres as the CF (Eto'o unavailable).

The tactics were right, but there was no passion, no desire, the lads looked uninteresed in this game. Luiz used every opportunity he's had to give the Palace fans something to cheer about with his "long shots", Torres had a -Torres- again, Schurrle looked like he fell off the sky with minutes before the game, Oscar had no impact on the game and Hazard had a quiet game, although he should have burried that one in the 2nd half. You need more than skills to win a league title and after seeing this performance it seems Chelsea's players are not bothered at the thought of finishing behind City and Liverpool.

How does it make sense in giving 22 year oscar a "rest" while playing a 36 year old lamps.

We are a team that is poor in breakinf down tight defences.

Our strength is pressing the oppositiin higher up the pitch, forcing them into mistakes.

And our strength in quick pacy counter attacks.

Unfortunately lamps as a no.10 can't do anything and it ahowed.

It was a poor decision to not start oscar.

This does not mean that the players are not at fault for this dis-spirited, patheitic, hopeless play but mou has to take his shate of the blame too. Go to the match thread and see how many of us thought that an early goal was important. The team that he put in, simply could not have done that.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Man I'm going to avoid these forums until the summer...

Jose said himself - we are a long way from being Champions.

We have no Striker at Chelsea and this will cost us, as it has cost us since the arrival of Torres...

Sure you can get lucky in Cup competition- but over 38 games the best team will always Win.

Please face reality - we are not the best 'Team' - sure we have great players, but it's not a 'Team' yet. To expect Jose to fix this in 1 season, which has been undone over the past 3-4 seasons is crazy talk

We need a summer, a striker and then lets see the real Chelsea step forward.

I'm happy with the progress to date and this childish bashing of the manager and players is just crazy. Last week 99% of you were this is brilliant blah, now 99% of you are 'we are shit, everything is shit' - it's almost bordering on a psychotic mentality.

Please be more realistic and appreciate the steps forward. Look at Pool under Rodgers - he needed 2 seasons before they started looking better... Moyes and Mourinho should be judged together. I know which manager I would rather have, and which manager has done the better job in his first season...

Mou can perform miracles. But the impossible takes a little longer.

[GodZola 630]

Man I'm going to avoid these forums until the summer...

Jose said himself - we are a long way from being Champions.

We have no Striker at Chelsea and this will cost us, as it has cost us since the arrival of Torres...

Sure you can get lucky in Cup competition- but over 38 games the best team will always Win.

Please face reality - we are not the best 'Team' - sure we have great players, but it's not a 'Team' yet. To expect Jose to fix this in 1 season, which has been undone over the past 3-4 seasons is crazy talk

We need a summer, a striker and then lets see the real Chelsea step forward.

I'm happy with the progress to date and this childish bashing of the manager and players is just crazy. Last week 99% of you were this is brilliant blah, now 99% of you are 'we are shit, everything is shit' - it's almost bordering on a psychotic mentality.

Please be more realistic and appreciate the steps forward. Look at Pool under Rodgers - he needed 2 seasons before they started looking better... Moyes and Mourinho should be judged together. I know which manager I would rather have, and which manager has done the better job in his first season...

Mou can perform miracles. But the impossible takes a little longer.

Finally a balanced post - well done muzzie, couldn't agree with you more.

Unfortunately we are in the minority as too many expect us to win a trophy every season which simply does not happen. I knew it would take José 2 seasons or so to mould his own team and make his mark on the squad he wants, he has started the rebuilding process and as you say the more realistic fans can see where we are going but also have the temperament to be patient as it will take time.

The fact is José has said many times where the squad needs improvement so he can do no more than be honest about the situation and that should be enough for the doom-mongers.....

If anything this season has highlighted some deficiencies which will be rectified, I am 100% sure we will see a different Chelsea next season and the players we need have already been identified with a back up list ready if need be. I keep saying judge the man at the end of next season, just mindnumbing reading through some of the shit on here.

Lastly the title isn't over yet, it's not looking good but there will be more twists and turns to come, it wouldn't surprise me if it goes down to the last game again this season, we may well come up short but we are still in the mix which is something we have not achieved for the best part of 4 a years, so for me it's a very good base for next years campaign and who knows we could still win the kin thing yet?!

[Laylabelle 9,296]

Don't expect us to win trophies every year and surprised we're where we are.Just a bit ahhh to be so close yet silly really off games costing us.Not over yet but can't see it being us..hey ho summer sort out

[Rmpr 8,977]

Jose doing all this theatrical is fine by me, but the players are not the only ones qe should be 'blamming'... Jose was piss poor yesterday and that loss is also 'on him'.

[Polo7 3,496]

Jose doing all this theatrical is fine by me, but the players are not the only ones qe should be 'blamming'... Jose was piss poor yesterday and that loss is also 'on him'.

Lol the fact that Torres missed opportunities is Jose's fault? The team he played yesterday should have destroyed Palace. Non of the players pulled their weight, simple.