Well, I'm glad its finally over. I was heading to Star Wars movie and was shocked by the news. I was strangely sad by the news, by now I have hope for a batter future. I was never happy when Mourinho returned. I was convinced he was not what the club needed back in 2013 and was convinced the club was making a huge step back bringing back a manager that was sacked in 2007. Mourinho was not the manager needed at the time. The squad was 100% unMourinho. I always believed the club had to move away from Mourinho's shadow. I thought that winning PL in 2010 breaking goal record and winning UCL in 2012 was enough to the club create its own legend, but then one year later Mourinho came back, and I remember in one of his first interviews he more or less said he had something to do with the success the club had even after he left. Many in England always saw Chelsea success as Mourinho's success, and in my opinion that was not a good thing for the club to be associated as an institute that relies in one messianic character. I've been a big critic of Mourinho since I realized huge problems in his methods and ideas back in 2013, and I remember in this forum many saw those opinions as some kind of heresy. 2012/2013 season it clear Mourinho MkII was pretty limited in terms of tactics. When he arrived instead of using the best he had at his disposal, he just decided the team would be playing a 4-2-3-1, because "it was the ideal system". We saw Juan Mata asked to play as a stupid winger, then soon he became an useless player. After some bad results, he dropped Luiz and Cole, and tried a quick fix, the infamous notsoworldclass back four: Azpi, Cahill, Terry, Ivanovic. Guys, come on, 12/13 season we had 4 CB fighting for the 2 places: Luiz, Ivanovic, Cahill and Terry. Under Mourinho, Ivanovic became a untouchable RB (I can't even remember a single game where he played as a CB), Luiz was called useless, and became a DM, and then Cahill and Terry, both who were 3rd and 4th choices for past 2 seasons, became the untouchable ones and Mourinho were praising both game after game. There was a talk about back four being amazing, but this talk is absurd, actually the team was way too conservative, so its easy to concede few goals when a player like William was playing as a second full back for most part of the game, instead of trying to create chances and score goals. The team ended the season with a pretty average RB playing out of positions, as a LB... Despite those problems, the team had pretty solid games, and Mourinho really showed he was still special, and I can remember some great matches, like both matches against Liverpool and that solid away victory against City. To other side, I realized Mourinho's ways hasn't changed during UCL semi-finals against Atlético. They were during a special season, but Jose's tactics during first game were pathetic at best. The team refused to play football. Atletico was a team that was solid, but they were not a possession based team, but the team parked the bus during 90 minutes. In the 2nd leg Simeone showed Mourinho how its done. I had few expectations for 2014/15 season, and I was not happy when I realized the likes of David Luiz, Lukaku, KDB and Juan Mata left, and the team was buying a Barcelona reject in Fabregas as he was any kind of big deal. Costa and Luis were great additions, though. Its really hard to explain how Chelsea won the league during that season, because despite the press using the word "impressive" to call the team performances, they were lackluster for most part of the season, with the team relying too much on individual brilliance from players like Hazard. Low point of the season was UCL clash against PSG. The french side overplayed Mourinho's team all over the field even if they were down to 10 men. I understood there that Mourinho was the exactly manager he was years before, but now pretty outdated, a man whose fear of losing is bigger than the desire to win. There was a reason why despite being stronger than Liverpool, Chelsea failed to beat them in 2 UCL semi-finals, but managed to do that in the same opportunity without Mourinho. 14/15 season was really shocking, because Jose kept the same back four, and even Felipe Luis was relegated to a squad player role, and left after one single season, despinte being considered when of the best in the world in that position. It was even more shocking when I realized the team was starting 15/16 season with the same back four, that was insanity. The quality of this squad has deteriorated season after season since Jose Special One Mourinho returned. His market moves were pathetic, and typical Mourinho moves. In his first tenure, he bought Jarosik in winter market in 2005 only to sell him months later. Next year he bought Maniche in 2006 winter market, only to sell him before the start of 07/08 season. Salah and Cuadrado? But I do believe this post is getting too long, I've been vocal on problems in Mourinho's tactics and methods for the past 2 years, so no use in keep singing the game song, all I can say is that sacking Mourinho was spot on and the right thing to do. He getting the axe for a 2nd time means he won't manage Chelsea ever again, so its time to finally move on from this subject and discuss the future. The saddest part is that a squad who looked exciting in 2013 now is no more than a broken team that lack depth and dynamism.
