The Mourinho Thread

[Fernando 6,743]

Football is not a stagnant game. It changes week in week out, and so do opinions. What I said about Mourinho still stands. We're generally playing much better and he's at kept his word on the "evolution" bit.

My comment was about the team selection. I've been hammering that point about Azpilicueta consistently for weeks now, but he's so amazing in one vs one situations, isn't he?

Actually read it before talking nonsensical unintelligible bullshit. I'm not in that mood right now.

So your saying it's good to be fickle?

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Some people...The (rare )times we get a bad result the hate just comes flooding...This is football, sometimes you simply dont win.

We've been terrible away from home recently. 2 wins in 6 games. We are also playing very badly generally away from home (excluding Schalke away). It's a serious worry, especially as City are now back in form. If Mourinho persists with his team selection, this will be more than a blip.

[The Chels 2,502]

Terrible. All on him but he'll find away to talk shit and blame somebody else. He should come out and say he selected the wrong players. Azplicueta at LB AGAIN is daft and he acknowledged that with his sub. Ivanovic has been a nonentity recently. No Remy is unforgivable especially when it was clear no one was making runs to Hazard's balls into the box. Nothing was learnt from the Sunderland game.

The partiality and favouritism to certain players needs to stop. Luis LB, Azpi RB, more Remy, Costa isn't undroppable when he's having a mare. Ivanovic is far from undroppable. We fans see all these things and don't need a multi-million pound salary to make adequate adjustments.

And the fact we looked so clueless after going a goal behind is worrying. The players looked like they didn't know what they were supposed to do.

Costa and Ivanovic should both be dropped but they won't be. They are Jose's untouchables.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

People will say this is a knee jerk reaction but its not, but ultimatly Mou has been our own downfall, everyone could see this lose coming, becoz all players looked knacked in the last week or so, should hv started rotation a while ago, now its too late and we are in the middle of a bad run of form

[Thendo 1,088]

We've been terrible away from home recently. 2 wins in 6 games. We are also playing very badly generally away from home (excluding Schalke away). It's a serious worry, especially as City are now back in form. If Mourinho persists with his team selection, this will be more than a blip.

I think there will be some changes, and he probably could have started with a couple of fresh players like Schurrle/Ramires. But still, we always struggle at St James' Park, and with the chances/ dominance we had today, im not sure that it's all down to team selection....

(Btw Stoke just scored! )

[Tautvix 1,321]

If we had any other coach, I'd expect a run of draws and defeats now. But with Mourinho I'm not worrying because we will survive.

[Fernando 6,743]

People will say this is a knee jerk reaction but its not, but ultimatly Mou has been our own downfall, everyone could see this lose coming, becoz all players looked knacked in the last week or so, should hv started rotation a while ago, now its too late and we are in the middle of a bad run of form

We are first.

How is that our downfall?

However I will add something here that has been on the back of my mind.

Mourinho made some excellent buys but then wasted money on unnecessary buys.

What was the point in buying Zouma?

What was the point in buying Salah?

I think now that when we need to rotate our team we see how poor some of the "subs" are really.

So that's one area that is a bit disappointing, our bench is not as good.

But other then that, our downfall?

Your having a laugh!

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

We are first.

How is that our downfall?

However I will add something here that has been on the back of my mind.

Mourinho made some excellent buys but then wasted money on unnecessary buys.

What was the point in buying Zouma?

What was the point in buying Salah?

I think now that when we need to rotate our team we see how poor some of the "subs" are really.

So that's one area that is a bit disappointing, our bench is not as good.

But other then that, our downfall?

Your having a laugh!

I never said downfall I said we are in a bad run of form becoz players are tired which clearly as hv seen is true,

[Madmax 9,219]

When does Ivanovic pick up a suspension? Is that the only way he'll be ... erm, rested?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

We are first.

How is that our downfall?

Though I don't agree with the op, saying "we are first" doesn't give the full picture. If we were first by 9 points and within a week we are down to 3 points, that does show a downfall (not that I'm saying this has occurred). There's obviously an evident element of fatigue creeping into the team, which is understandable. We started the season all guns blazing and some of these guys are used to the infamous "winter break."

It's not a crisis at the moment, albeit.

[iseah100 5,612]

Costa and Ivanovic should both be dropped but they won't be. They are Jose's untouchables.

Costa should be dropped after 1 bad game?

[Fernando 6,743]

I never said downfall I said we are in a bad run of form becoz players are tired which clearly as hv seen is true,

You never said downfall?

but ultimatly Mou has been our own downfall

lol but I understand your point. Just pulling your leg.

[The Chels 2,502]

Costa should be dropped after 1 bad game?

He's been pretty poor for a while and Remy deserves to start some games. Ivanovic should be permanently dropped though imo.

[iseah100 5,612]

He's been pretty poor for a while and Remy deserves to start some games. Ivanovic should be permanently dropped though imo.

No he hasn't. Stop.

[xPetrCechx 13,598]

Start to Rotate!

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

Costa should be dropped after 1 bad game?

Which are you considering the bad game? Newcastle or Sunderland?

[zolayes 14,489]

I blame Jose 28 shots and only 1 goal .. he needs to improve his finishing. perhaps take some tips from Torres

[The Chels 2,502]

No he hasn't. Stop.

No need to be so patronising. It's my opinion. He was poor against Newcastle, Sunderland and Schalke (in terms of his finishing). He was given a rest midweek but you wouldn't know it.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

He's been pretty poor for a while and Remy deserves to start some games. Ivanovic should be permanently dropped though imo.

Wouldn't say poor, I'd say it's now more noticeable that he's more of a 'pure' number 9 than anything. His defensive burden isn't as huge as other players so you'll often think he's disappeared, traits we ignored because when we could feed the ball to him it didn't matter. Now route 1 (fabregas to costa) has been figured out by opposing players so there needs to be a tweak in the utilisation of Costa.. Which I have no doubt Mourinho will figure out.

I loved the link up play Drogba and Costa were developing and I don't think that's without Mourinho's tactics & training.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Just rest Iva, Costa, Cahill,...anyway rotate, adjust tactics and eat some pride instead of pointing at opponents all the time...

I think Mou has been in this game for long time, but forgot how to be adventurous and looks only about numbers, results etc. I have feeling he doesnt see some beautiful options he could use to function better, i.e. Luis or Remy in certain games. But thats just me, maybe despite all those world class players we have, we cant beat sunderland or nufc...they did their job, city did their job but we didnt. Simple as that. Now get back in training and improve.