DYC.

Joke of a transfer.

I'm sorry but anyone suggesting the failure to buy a midfielder and defender (Djilo and Baba don't count apparently) is the cause of this mess is out of their mind. Jose and the boys have simply failed in epic proportions.

Del Horny. What an awful buy. Messi was 18 and he ripped him to shreds. I knew it was the height. Mourinho cracks me up. That's why I was surprised by the Baba purchase. I suggested Marseille's Mendy (6ft1 powerhouse) but they never listen!

The first part is something you hear a lot but I find it quite exaggerated. When you look at (relevant) recent times, the players they've bought from rivals are Neuer, Dante, Rode, Gotze, Gomez and some back-up GKs. Personally I wouldn't call Schalke, Gladbach, Frankfurt and Stuttgart rivals but okay. Lewandowski chose not to extend his contract and only wanted to join Bayern. That's a personal choice. I think that's all and overall that's not terrible. Dortmund bought Gundogan, Reus, Hummels, Ramos, Ginter etc. but that's never mentioned. Bundesliga teams have also benefitted from Bayern players, whether through sales (Dante, Gustavo, Hummels for example) or loans (Kroos, Hojbjerg). Bayern have ruined any kind of title race by being a well-run club. Annoying and boring but they're not the bad guys they're often painted as. The fight for CL spots is always interesting though. There will come a time when this will all end. Before Bayern's recent dominance, the title was being passed around like a blunt.

I find it interesting how the rules are so different from country to country. The amount of regulations you have to keep to in countries like The Netherlands and Germany would never allow you to run a club into the ground like that. Then you see a big clubs like Leeds and Parma just vanish into thin air.

Wrong choice of words. Those high up in hierarchy. I've seen people labled as plastic for wanting the manager out. Those in charge have been getting rid of managers for decades. Sticking to Mourinho would the best option imo so I would agree with that decision.

Chelsea have been sacking managers left and right for 40 years. Maybe Chelsea have a habit of attracting 'plastic' owners.

Why? They're not the ones who told Tuchel to come up with a game plan to allow them so much space and for Dortmund's defenders to defend like a bunch of amateurs. Did you see Burki jumping and flapping like a maniac? Comically awful. Tuchel with his first big test as Dortmund coach and he failed. The players failed as well. Very disappointed in Dortmund today. That was Arsenal-esque. I was serious when I said Dortmund's earliest chance of Bundesliga succes is in 17/18. And that's if they manage to keep on to the likes Hummels, Gundogan, Reus, Aubame etc. and strengthen. Extremely tough task. Bayern have played some wonderful football under Guardiola and have absolutely trashed teams domestically and in the CL. That team is so talented and well organised, new players come in and they just go with the flow. No wonder why they're so desperate to keep on to him. The only downside of his time there are the spankings by the Spanish giants. (And he tinkers too much for my liking. I like a coach that thinks outside of the box but he tends to go overboard.) Bayern's achievements after their slumber in the 00s have been truly remarkable.

I'm confused. Why has he been sacked? Was he supposed to win the league with the group of players at his disposal during his time there? But England's top 4 possess more quality. Finishing 2nd in 13/14 was amazing but never sustainable. Maybe something happened behind the scenes... If he was responsisble for their puchases, fair enough, a lot of poor choices there. But still, you'd think his sacking would mean they have found an actual upgrade.

Yo Conficius, AVB was before that trio were at the club. Lionsden is spot on with that latest post. It's the lack of vision that hurts any kind of stability. You needed a spoon but you got a knife.

I've never wanted to believe that but Mourinho constantly emphasising 'passion, desire, motivation, balls' when discussing performances pretty much says it all. That's the cornerstone of his coaching. Good post btw. That part about the attacking players is particularly damning. Mata, De Bruyne, Salah, Cuadrado all looked so poor for Chelsea under Mourinho but so much better elsewhere. At least Schurrle isn't doing much better at Wolfsburg. Oscar and Willian decent with no signs of improving. Hazard would indeed do well and improve whether his manager's name is Mourinho, Van Gaal or Luis Enrique. Jury is still out on Pedro but his qualities aren't being utilised at all at the moment. Why is he dribbling so much and receiving the ball (in his feet) in isolated positions so often?

All this manager talk got me thinking about my favourite person in a football dugout.

Never happening. Spending big in January is stupid anyway. Most winter signings need time to adapt. It's a window to help fix certain crucial needs. Not signing a fullback would be catastrophic.

I have to agree with this. A bit scary when you think about it. But yeah, the players are quality. Agree with your point on the poor counter-attacking of this team, at times simply dreadful (but tbf, we have seen some wonderful counter-attacking goals like Schurrle's goal vs City). It's an issue I've had since last season. But that's what happens when you often win the ball deep in your own half and possess defenders lacking in ability on the ball and the attacking players then have to cover acres of space before reaching the opposition goal. This Chelsea side isn't the fastest either. But the part I've bolded is not true. Heynckes' Bayern were a very dominant possession side. They bossed possession and pressed high with succes. Of course they would never pass up the opportunity hit you on the break. They only resulted to counter-attacking against Barca in the semis because Heynckes realised he can't 'out-Barca' Barca, displaying sensible flexibility. Those performances were the most famous and defining of that season because they trashed the mighty Barca, but that was a not a true reflection of that team's style.

Wins against Walsall and Maccabi are nice for the stats at the end of the season but that's awful opposition. That doesn't count. And a good bit of fortune for us in the win against WBA and the comeback against Newcastle tbh. Absolutely shambolic performances bar the game against Arsenal. That was a decent performance. 21 goals conceded in 12 games including the Supercup (I seriously dislike the name Community Shield, it's terrible). Every time the opposition attacks they look like scoring. Offensively the team is practically dead, relying on (fortunate) set-pieces to get goals. Not to mention wonder strikes from Matic and Ramires. And practically everyone except for Begovic and Azpilicueta is out of form or unrecognisable. Edit: Teams no longer fear a visit to Stamford Bridge. Aint that something? No, this is without a doubt the worst run of form imo. Luckily, I don't feel pain or sadness but a numbness and I can laugh about the situation. I'm just waiting for things to get back to normal. But maybe it won't.

That's a lie. I always enjoy your posts though, even when I disagree.

But the football though! He can't produce the Arsenal football. There's also the issue of image. I think Arsenal pride themselves as a gentleman's club and don't care for controversy and negativity. Claude would love him though.

I still think he'll have a good amount of options. He's a big name manager and a brand. He has fantastic representation in the form of Mendes. I think clubs will want to experience the rollercoaster ride. But I can see what you're getting at.

I can't tbh, bar the succes they've both shared in the PL. What are the similarities you see in the two managers?

There's a reason Ferguson is the only example you or anyone can present. Mourinho is not Ferguson. There's only one Ferguson.

Imagine this season without the luck (or skill, whichever you prefer) in set-pieces. Scary really.

Maybe he'd still be in charge if he won it all...

Hey, don't knock Avram. He was three points, a penalty kick and a Spurs fluke away from a treble.

He's been waiting for a moment like this for so long. That comment Mourinho made about him a being a football genius really stung. Tbf, I thought it was funny.

You're a sick man. I will conquer Jenny from the block. I'm not fooled by the rocks that she got.