The Mourinho Thread

[Fernando 6,496]

Let's see how we play city before we start saying that we will get batter by teams like Bayern,real and such.

What I do agree is that mourinho ain't as fast with his sub like he used to be in the past.

He would spot the rising danger and will act fast.

I think it can be to two things. Either he's getting old and therefore that instinct of being precise and fast has slowed down.

Or our subs are not as good....

[The Chels 2,502]

If we continue this way there's no way we are ever going to win the UCL and compete with the big biys unless we have another run of luck of historical proportions ala 2012. Play like that against better teams like bayern, Madrid, Barca,Atleti and they will fecking batter us.

I cannot recall a single game we have managed to control under Jose when the opposition have pressed us aggressively and higher up the pitch. We get shell shocked and panick whenever this happens and automatically turn to defensive tactics and completely surrender posession as a way of dealing with our inability to keep the ball well which more often than not ususally backfires against quality teams.

based on my observation our problem is largely due to our tendency to never build from the back against high pressing teams. Its extremely difficult to control the game and maintain posession when the GK excessively pumps long balls and your defenders hoof it all the time, all it does is give the ball back to the opposition. But I do understand why we don't because our GK's are not confident in their own ability and JT is the only ball playing CB we have and even his first instinct is to play it safe by hoofing it and such tactics will be suicidal with players like cahill and Zouma.

So how do we solve this problem without buying players?

When pressed we tend to kick it anywhere, randomly. If you watch other top teams' transitions from defence to attack their clearances very often reach a teammate in a good position and that's by design. We don't seem to have anything planned except for lump it anywhere and invite more pressure.

But by the same token think how many has he won...

2/8 in the CL which is the most important cup competition and where Jose's weaknesses comes into play most. It was absolutely tragic that we couldn't beat Liverpool in 05 with the side we had but even more tragic in 07 after going into the away leg with a 1-0 lead. I have no idea why he played for a 0-0 when one away goal would have ended the tie ffs. This is why I'm such a big fan of Simeone even though he has several detractors on here. He is very similar to Mourinho in that he is an excellent motivator and top class defensive manager (imo he is currently better because his side remains amazingly compact while still pressing brilliantly) but he is a lot braver than Jose in the biggest games. The way they dominated us at the Bridge was unreal. Lack of courage in the biggest games has been the one significant flaw in Jose's managerial career and Simeone doesn't appear to have that drawback.

[CeleryFC 373]

Yesterday my point was highlighted by the fact that he brought on Azpi for Willian with quite a lot of time left,

What, a whole minute, not allowing for the extra 2?

[kellzfresh 7,229]

When pressed we tend to kick it anywhere, randomly. If you watch other top teams' transitions from defence to attack their clearances very often reach a teammate in a good position and that's by design. We don't seem to have anything planned except for lump it anywhere and invite more pressure.

This is exactly what I was telling you before. Mourinho's weakness is we don't pass under pressure. Not that he doesn't know how to press, he's a master at that.

[The Chels 2,502]

This is exactly what I was telling you before. Mourinho's weakness is we don't pass under pressure. Not that he doesn't know how to press, he's a master at that.

Both are issues. If he's a master at pressing why is our press so ofen bypassed (not just this game) and why did Liverpool have so much of the ball in dangerous positions and create at least 3-4 clear-cut chances? Effective pressing should keep them as far away from our goal as possible and limit their chances whilst also creating chances for us by turnovers high up the pitch. If Mourinho manages to set us up to press well, create chances, maintain defensive solidity and compactness in just one big away game this season I will retract my argument but for now I think he doesn't know how to do that.

[Fernando 6,496]

He said: "It was a two-leg semi-final, now it's a one-leg semi-final. That says a lot.

"Two legs is difficult, Anfield is difficult and with this result we transform a two-leg semi-final into a one-leg semi-final at Stamford Bridge.

"If Stamford Bridge can give us 25 per cent of the emotion Anfield gives Liverpool, I think we can do it. Liverpool, instead of 40,000 fans, they will have five or 10 (thousand).

"Chelsea, instead of 1,000, will have 40,000. I hope that can make a difference in the atmosphere.

I didn't see a great atmosphere at Anfield till they scored that goal.....

[The Chels 2,502]

Let's see how we play city before we start saying that we will get batter by teams like Bayern,real and such. What I do agree is that mourinho ain't as fast with his sub like he used to be in the past. He would spot the rising danger and will act fast. I think it can be to two things. Either he's getting old and therefore that instinct of being precise and fast has slowed down. Or our subs are not as good....

I don't think anyone really expects us to get battered at home by any of those teams because that rarely happens (with the exception of last year's CL SF). We were definitely battered away to City though and our defensive stability away from home has been non existent.

I didn't see a great atmosphere at Anfield till they scored that goal.....

To be fair it was pretty damn good afterwards. Not heard them that loud for a long, long time. Guess it shows how much they hate Chelsea and how desperate they are to 'get Gerrard to Wembley'.

[Magic Lamps 11,677]

Mous conviction is that the Team with less mistake wins+ Teams who have more oft The ball make more mistakes. IMO that Philosophy is flawed. For Teams like barca, Bayern and teams containing cahill and brana the opposite is the case.

[LAB 1,030]

Not sure, but I think that he didn't want to use the subs yesterday because we have also Bradford this week and Liverpool on Tuesday. 1-1 isn't bad after all and probably he thought that we could keep this score without involving any other player that we want for Saturday (Ramires for example may not be currently that fit to play 30 min and then another 60 possibly after 4 days). Or maybe he was really slow to react indeed.

[supporter 3,088]

I think Jose approaches in big games are very intelligent.

In some games if we run risks and go out to attack directly, we run the risk that our opponent (with the force of their fans) make us a couple of quick goals and to sentence them the round.

What Jose does is eliminate the possibility that our opponent's attack like a gale, presenting us a slow match, without spaces and where we have the predominance of possession.

In matches posed in this way we get our opponent has virtually no chance to reach our case (the goal is an error of Cahill) and we generate more with spaces as we ought much because our players play with spaces more comfortable, and much more for counterattacks.

Jose waive the first 90 minutes of the round and he bets all to the match in The Puente. Maybe this is risky and conservative approach, but when these fighting for every trophy is practically impossible to play to win in every game. I think Jose does very pragmatic approach.

And besides, many people think in Guardiola's Barcelona, but they do a CATENACCIO but offensive. Guardiola and Mourinho pose mind games with much wear at the opponent. It is the same but raised differently. Guardiola desperate opponent with touch football and Mourinho desperate his rivals with an approach that frustrates them because they can not attack teams Jose.

The major parties are complicated and small details can remove you. It is a smarter approach than attractive. But what's really beautiful is to win trophies not only play well / spectacular. In May / June to be in big games that is the most beautiful.

If we play big games without humility maybe our opponents can break our face.

Regards to all.

[manpe 10,861]

What, a whole minute, not allowing for the extra 2?

It was only for a minute? I must have dozed off, I was practically half-sleeping half-covering my eyes by the end. I thought he came on at like 78th or around that.

[supporter 3,088]

On the issue of Gerrard, I agree Jose in its policy Gerrard praise these days, highlighting its nobility, word and fidelity.

Thus Jose Frank Lampard directly attacks without directly calling traitor, but leaving no doubt that Frank Lampard is a traitor, "We do not insult Steven Gerrard because he, at least, is not a traitor."

Regarding this issue I wrote this the other day in another thread.

I think Lampard was just a great player for Chelsea, but not a legend (a legend also must proves which is a legend when he leaves his team). Legend is an adjective for other players with loyalty, honesty, dignity and word.

Lampard is a traitor, a simple mercenary who has not respected nor returned the admiration and trust that we we had placed in him. Lampard has betrayed us with an embarrassing coldness.

I admire Didier Drogba, Cole ... And I'm quite sure that John Terry © would never do that to us. John Terry has word, honor, Loyalty and dignity. John Terry is one of ours (O Captain! My Captain!).

Personally, I would not whistle to Lampard in The Bridge although I fully understand that the fans whistle to him, but I prefer to show my indifference to a character like Frank Lampard.

I'd rather die like Mourinho, to live as Lampard

I would like the party of next January 31 against Manchester City was not "The match Frank Lampard's return to El Bridge" I prefer that the match of next January 31 is "John Terry`s day".

Dedicate whole match booing Frank Lampard would suppose give much importance to this character / traitor. I prefer to show my indifference to someone like Frank Lampard and devote all my strength to encourage our eternal captain John Terry.

Frank Lampard is not so important. And if he feels that Bridge is indifferent to his return, and the whole stadium yells the name John Terry gracious thanks for their loyalty, it will be worse for Frank Lampard that if we spend our whole match insulting him. Sometimes indifference can be dreadful.

But I prefer show my indifference to Frank Lampard because he has had so little word, and be whole match singing the name of John Terry`s for their loyalty.

For me this day will be John Terry`s day.

O Captain! My Captain!

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

He's won 3/7 CL SFs. I'm not at all saying that Mourinho is a bad manager. I'm saying that he has an overly negative approach towards certain big games, particularly SFs (and also that he hasn't sorted out our issues with pressing and compactness). Can a manager's flaws not be pointed out without his apologists resorting to patronising and sarcastic posts?

Jose is a results driven manager, he knows that if you make it hard for teams to break you down it increases the likelihood you will get the result. More often than not its proved to be successful but I don't think we have the team to soak up pressure anymore and Jose has to play to the strengths of the team.

[The Chels 2,502]

I think Jose approaches in big games are very intelligent.

In some games if we run risks and go out to attack directly, we run the risk that our opponent (with the force of their fans) make us a couple of quick goals and to sentence them the round.

What Jose does is eliminate the possibility that our opponent's attack like a gale, presenting us a slow match, without spaces and where we have the predominance of possession.

In matches posed in this way we get our opponent has virtually no chance to reach our case (the goal is an error of Cahill) and we generate more with spaces as we ought much because our players play with spaces more comfortable, and much more for counterattacks.

Jose waive the first 90 minutes of the round and he bets all to the match in The Puente. Maybe this is risky and conservative approach, but when these fighting for every trophy is practically impossible to play to win in every game. I think Jose does very pragmatic approach.

And besides, many people think in Guardiola's Barcelona, but they do a CATENACCIO but offensive. Guardiola and Mourinho pose mind games with much wear at the opponent. It is the same but raised differently. Guardiola desperate opponent with touch football and Mourinho desperate his rivals with an approach that frustrates them because they can not attack teams Jose.

The major parties are complicated and small details can remove you. It is a smarter approach than attractive. But what's really beautiful is to win trophies not only play well / spectacular. In May / June to be in big games that is the most beautiful.

If we play big games without humility maybe our opponents can break our face.

Regards to all.

You're Spanish right, so I assume you watch Atletico Madrid a lot and would like to know your opinion - do you think Jose's approach is better than Simeone's for the big games? People on here don't watch much of Atletico and just like to moan about things like how they beat a team near the bottom of the league (2-0 vs. Granada) at home with a penalty (completing forgetting that we did the exact same against QPR in our 2-1 win).

You say it is impossible for the opposition to reach our goal but I find the opposite to be true. We concede a lot of possession around our box, against both the smaller sides and bigger teams because our defending can be very passive with the pressing non existent or easily overcome. This is shown in the statistics: on average Atletico concede 8 shots on goal per game whereas we concede 10.3 and for comparison Liverpool concede 11.4 and Newcastle concede 11.9. Because our lack of defensive compactness (big gaps within midfield & between midfield and attack) often allows the opposition to play between the lines and take more shots on goal it's no surprise that we've kept so few clean sheets away from home this season. There are also other tactical reasons why Atletico are more defensively solid - they create pressing traps, defend with more numbers (Costa is rather static compared to last year in defence), and overload a lot whereas we often defend 1v1 in very dangerous areas which makes it more likely that we will concede a goal.

With regard to the attacking play, I agree with you that playing deep can be an advantage because there is lots of space behind the opposition defence. However if the opposition press us and squeeze us into our own half we find it difficult to get out. We are not very good at counter attacking from deep positions because our transitions are not so great and we would be a lot more successful if the counter started higher up the pitch - obviously done by pressing higher as a unit which Atletico do brilliantly. In the big away games under Mourinho we tend to either defend deep with little to no attacking output (away to City this year) or press high and be defensively very open (Liverpool/United away in the league this year). The game away to City last year was clearly the exception and not the rule. This season we have yet to play away to a big side where we create good chances and look defensively solid. Atletico do that in the majority of their big games and they are playing against much better opposition in Real and Barca. For me it is very clear which is the more balanced and better defensive system.

[Liquidator 5,176]

So I and 4500 others who went to the game last night got in at 4AM then a few hours later go to work as normal having given our everything to support the team and he still has a dig at us about our home support, talks in his press conference about how great anfields actually mythical atmosphere is and applauds the Liverpool fans at full time but ignores us and shakes his head every time we sing about Gerrard. Has he ever once praised our away fans? Bore off Jose you dick

[supporter 3,088]

You're Spanish right, so I assume you watch Atletico Madrid a lot and would like to know your opinion - do you think Jose's approach is better than Simeone's for the big games? People on here don't watch much of Atletico and just like to moan about things like how they beat a team near the bottom of the league (2-0 vs. Granada) at home with a penalty (completing forgetting that we did the exact same against QPR in our 2-1 win).

You say it is impossible for the opposition to reach our goal but I find the opposite to be true. We concede a lot of possession around our box, against both the smaller sides and bigger teams because our defending can be very passive with the pressing non existent or easily overcome. This is shown in the statistics: on average Atletico concede 8 shots on goal per game whereas we concede 10.3 and for comparison Liverpool concede 11.4 and Newcastle concede 11.9. Because our lack of defensive compactness (big gaps within midfield & between midfield and attack) often allows the opposition to play between the lines and take more shots on goal it's no surprise that we've kept so few clean sheets away from home this season. There are also other tactical reasons why Atletico are more defensively solid - they create pressing traps, defend with more numbers (Costa is rather static compared to last year in defence), and overload a lot whereas we often defend 1v1 in very dangerous areas which makes it more likely that we will concede a goal.

With regard to the attacking play, I agree with you that playing deep can be an advantage because there is lots of space behind the opposition defence. However if the opposition press us and squeeze us into our own half we find it difficult to get out. We are not very good at counter attacking from deep positions because our transitions are not so great and we would be a lot more successful if the counter started higher up the pitch - obviously done by pressing higher as a unit which Atletico do brilliantly. In the big away games under Mourinho we tend to either defend deep with little to no attacking output (away to City this year) or press high and be defensively very open (Liverpool/United away in the league this year). The game away to City last year was clearly the exception and not the rule. This season we have yet to play away to a big side where we create good chances and look defensively solid. Atletico do that in the majority of their big games and they are playing against much better opposition in Real and Barca. For me it is very clear which is the more balanced and better defensive system.

Yes, I usually go to the match at the Vicente Calderon of Atletico de Madrid.

I think Simeone is now the best coach in the world as Champions League trophy cups or rounds. In the big games Simeone makes perfect approaches. He despairs his rivals with his whole back enclosed defensive team, but with a brutal intense fisical which allows the Atletico de Madrid steal the ball and make a quick counterattack that allows them to reach a goal in a few seconds (I remember Fernando Torres's goal against Real Madrid). They are defensive but intense as strong / pressure that suffocate their rivals. I think Simeone is more defense Mourinho.

In addition, the Atletico de Madrid uses the strategy perfectly in the faults and in corners, allowing it to score many goals by rehearsed move. That's the big difference between Mourinho and Simeone. Simeone is an obsession of the set pieces. If you see your goals, most are from set pieces.

Maybe Mourinho let your opponents have more possession of the ball while we wait back, and Simeone drowning his rivals. Simeone bites, Mourinho contemplates.

Maybe Mourinho let your opponents have more possession of the ball while we wait back, and Simeone drowning his rivals. Simeone bites, Mourinho contemplates.

True, maybe we let our opponents get much to our goal, perhaps we need to make a much more intense pressure to prevent our rivals reach our goal.

Mourinho used to place his defense 25 meters ahead of his goal, maybe that is failing for us this year, and that Simeone plantera perfectly well what each major match.

Simeone Maybe now is the best coach in the world for big games.

I hope I explained well, sometimes my English is a bit confusing.

Regards to The Chels.

Regards to all.

[The Chels 2,502]

Yes, I usually go to the match at the Vicente Calderon of Atletico de Madrid.

I think Simeone is now the best coach in the world as Champions League trophy cups or rounds. In the big games Simeone makes perfect approaches. He despairs his rivals with his whole back enclosed defensive team, but with a brutal intense fisical which allows the Atletico de Madrid steal the ball and make a quick counterattack that allows them to reach a goal in a few seconds (I remember Fernando Torres's goal against Real Madrid). They are defensive but intense as strong / pressure that suffocate their rivals. I think Simeone is more defense Mourinho.

In addition, the Atletico de Madrid uses the strategy perfectly in the faults and in corners, allowing it to score many goals by rehearsed move. That's the big difference between Mourinho and Simeone. Simeone is an obsession of the set pieces. If you see your goals, most are from set pieces.

Maybe Mourinho let your opponents have more possession of the ball while we wait back, and Simeone drowning his rivals. Simeone bites, Mourinho contemplates.

Maybe Mourinho let your opponents have more possession of the ball while we wait back, and Simeone drowning his rivals. Simeone bites, Mourinho contemplates.

True, maybe we let our opponents get much to our goal, perhaps we need to make a much more intense pressure to prevent our rivals reach our goal.

Mourinho used to place his defense 25 meters ahead of his goal, maybe that is failing for us this year, and that Simeone plantera perfectly well what each major match.

Simeone Maybe now is the best coach in the world for big games.

I hope I explained well, sometimes my English is a bit confusing.

Regards to The Chels.

Regards to all.

Sums it up brilliantly. Thanks for that.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I didn't see a great atmosphere at Anfield till they scored that goal.....

We out-sung them throughout the first half.