The Mourinho Thread

[supporter 3,088]

I blame the fact he wasn't wearing a suit. Damnit Jose!

Yes. Jose has to retrieve the suit and ironic smile.

I think Jose feels misunderstood. And it really is difficult to understand that with the season we are doing, there is still people who dare to criticize him.

Regards.

[manpe 10,861]

Yes. Jose has to retrieve the suit and ironic smile.

I think Jose feels misunderstood. And it really is difficult to understand that with the season we are doing, there is still people who dare to criticize him.

Regards.

Agreed. Jose needs a hug.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Seriously? I cannot believe the bollox I'm reading on here.

We've had a tough gruelling run of games, we've been given no quarter anywhere on the pitch and off it.

And yet we still march on !

This is called a 'Winners' mentality - anything other than a LOSS is acceptable.

Our team has shipped the most goals in Jan - outside of Millwall and other relegation battlers - playing Open football is suicide. You have to have a solid foundation at the back and then attack!

Look at Liverpool last season! Just ONE defensive minded game would have seen them Champions - but because their manager is a KNOB they blew it! They know it, he knows it - that chance ain't coming around again soon! Then to top it off - we do them in the CoC...

So now we've fucked their title and the chance of Wembley.

Yes I was pissed off at our performances - but Loserpool gave everything and still weren't good enough - WHY? Because the team spirit and mental 'winners' mentality is slowly starting to kick in. Sure we have had wobbles - but last season and the season before we'd have lost against Loserpool and City.

A win against the Villa - will get everybody happy!

Please let's not be fickle. I know I have complained - but I'm done with that now - I demanded a winning mentality and I'm seeing green shoots of progress. I don't care how we win this season, but WINNING is all that counts!

Once we have won - then we can tinker with our attacking focus, but let's get across the line first and forge that winning mentality and move on to dominate. A new signing will also freshen up the place and lift the other players.

Now is time for a well earned rest, re-group and go again!

[Term-X 7,892]

Even though a part of me isn't happy with the dull performances against top teams in the league, it helps to look at the bigger picture. If this is what we have to do to win the league this season then so be it. Just wish Jose could have re-created that masterclass at the Etihad from last season..

Hehe I was just going to say that.
Have not seen Terminator X comment on his style of clothing.

It's winter, so you can't expect him to be wearing a suit on the touchline right now.

[manpe 10,861]

It's winter, so you can't expect him to be wearing a suit on the touchline right now.

That's why we go through our winter slumps.

[Heisenberg 1,824]

Hehe I was just going to say that.

Have not seen Terminator X comment on his style of clothing.

Hahahahaha !!

Its however a good point, Mourinho's dressing should be a magnificient overcoat !

[Term-X 7,892]

That's why we go through our winter slumps.

Lmao.

Having said that, I do think there is truth in the points people were making about how since Jose isn't the 'new guy on the block' anymore, he doesn't feel the need to impress as much with his attire.

This was a badass look earlier this season, might see it again in the spring..

[bababoom 4,478]

'He sacked the best manager (Ancelotti) we've ever had aside from Viall'

Please... people remember the high scoring games, the 6,7 and 8 nils and think we played like that throughout the campaign, no we didn't. We only won the league by 1 point and truth be told we got a tad lucky, that 'title-deciding' match against United was won by a goal that was offside. There were times when we got beat real good by pretty average teams.. the 3-1 defeat to wigan and the 4-2 defeat to City springs to mind. The way people go on about Carlo's first season you would have thought we were like Barca in their prime.

Also don't get me started on our CL campaign under Carlo... Jose's inter tactically out-thought and outfought us. I don't want to sound like i'm shitting on Carlo because i really like him as a manager and he did win the double ffs which was huge for us, BUT some people go overboard and act like we were so dominant but the truth is we weren't.

[Henrique 9,133]

Until now I'm satisfied with Mourinho this season. Winning a big trophy this season is an obligation in my opinion. The team is 5 points clear and thats what really matters. The team is also playing good and solid football.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

For me it's pretty simple. Whatever Mourinho told the team in the 2nd half clearly didn't work. We came out looking far worse and tried to protect the lead, potentially settling for either a draw or a loss.

I just read a stat that this match was the lowest amount of shots we've had in a game since 2003/2004. We had 3 shots in the game, a big fat zero in the 2nd half. That's shots, not even shots on target. How is that even possible?

This is not solely because of the fatigue or because Costa and Fabregas didn't play. We had our best spell of the match in the last minutes of the first half for god's sake!

Then we come out playing like THAT from minute 1 of the 2nd half? We didn't even try to win for even till say minute 60? I'm not buying the fatigue excuse, sorry.

Mourinho again used the same tactic he uses in big games (which is odd since chasing the ball saps more energy) and we had to settle for the point. Is that a tactical performance to be praised or noted? No it is not.

It's not once but at least twice you said things like "we tried to protect the lead from 1st minute in the 2nd half" which makes me wonder did you actually watch the match. You do know they equalized before the half time whistle yeh?

[didierforever 7,349]

There is a middle ground. Wenger's taken 4/6 points against City this season, 2 more than us, so I don't think he should be used as a bad example here.

wenger has 1 win in his last 16 matches against top 4 sides. Wenger lost to united last season when chelsea, city, pool all did doubles on them. Wenger got ownrd by soton during his gung ho approach. Wenger got butt fucked by jose 6-0 last year. Wenger has not won against jose in 12 meetings.

But I guess one win after years and years and years of crap nakes him the best manager ecer!!!

[kellzfresh 7,229]

We are top scorers in the league. Any comments about Mourinho not being an attacking coach this season is laughable imo

[The Chels 2,502]

I think there is a lot to talk about with respect to Jose's set-up and philosophy for the big games but the single biggest issue is surely our inability to maintain 1-0 leads. If we were able to do that then towards the end of last season we would have beat Sunderland and probably won the PL, and we would have beat Atletico to reach the CL final. This year we'd have 9 points more in the league and would still be in the FA Cup. I know it is impossible to always maintain a 1-0 lead but such a lead should be a big advantage - it allows us to defend with numbers and play on the counter attack against a side that becomes more desperate to score and leaves more spaces for us to exploit. We often score first in the most important games but don't seem able to take advantage and often end up conceding without reply.

[Heisenberg 1,824]

I think there is a lot to talk about with respect to Jose's set-up and philosophy for the big games but the single biggest issue is surely our inability to maintain 1-0 leads. If we were able to do that then towards the end of last season we would have beat Sunderland and probably won the PL, and we would have beat Atletico to reach the CL final. This year we'd also have 9 points more in the league. I know it is impossible to always maintain a 1-0 lead but such a lead should be a big advantage - it allows us to defend with numbers and play on the counter attack against a side that becomes more desperate to score and leaves more spaces for us to exploit. We often score first in the most important games but don't seem able to take advantage and often end up conceding without reply.

The 04/05 mentality cannot be applied with this team, simply because the defensive system changed, the center backs are older and the midfieldiers young, which is the exact contrary of what a great defense needs, young powerful center backs with two experienced defensive midfielders, the Terry-Carvalho partnership + Maka & Essien ( later on Ballack ) is more solid that Matic - Terry - Cahill.The overall system is an attacking system, based on Eden and Fabregas/Oscar creativity to break teams, and Iva taking the risk to strech the opposition, the 04/05 team wasnt that, it was more direct, ruthless, and exactly what needed for us at that time, this time around we cannot win 1-0 anymore.

[The Chels 2,502]

The 04/05 mentality cannot be applied with this team, simply because the defensive system changed, the center backs are older and the midfieldiers young, which is the exact contrary of what a great defense needs, young powerful center backs with two experienced defensive midfielders, the Terry-Carvalho partnership + Maka & Essien ( later on Ballack ) is more solid that Matic - Terry - Cahill.The overall system is an attacking system, based on Eden and Fabregas/Oscar creativity to break teams, and Iva taking the risk to strech the opposition, the 04/05 team wasnt that, it was more direct, ruthless, and exactly what needed for us at that time, this time around we cannot win 1-0 anymore.

The 04/05 side was exceptional defensively but you don't need to be that good to maintain a lead. If we simply get plenty of numbers behind the ball, kill the spaces and play on the counter-attack when we go ahead against the big teams then the chances of us winning would obviously increase. I don't know why but we definitely have difficulties doing this - we seem to often continue playing as though it is 0-0 and look defensively open or we don't look to play on the counter attack and kill the game, instead sitting too deep.

This season we've taken the lead against City (x2), United and Tottenham and ended up with only 3 points. That should not happen to a big team and I don't agree with your argument that we can't do it because we have creative players like Cesc/Hazard. Apart from them the rest of the team is definitely composed of more defensive and workmanlike players for whom defending a 1-0 lead should be easier than they've made out this season. Remember the second half performance against Tottenham at home - we had a clear defensive shape and played well on the counter attack. We don't see that enough though.

[supporter 3,088]

I think it's unfair for the qualification of defensive to Jose. He holds the record for goals in a year in several different leagues (121 goals only in the Spanish league, for example), Jose has won two Champions League finals 3-0 and 2-0 respectively. A UEFA 3-0. Jose has our team in a position with to much possibilites to be the best team in goals scored at the end of the season.

Yesterday was a tough day without Cesc, but Diego Costa, with very tired after the match against Liverpool (with extension included) team and a team without Salah, Schurrle or Mikel, with very poor bench.

We we could have won if Silva had not scored before halftime. But we made an intelligent game. Having +5 points in the Premier League is very difficult, and we have that distance on January 31, a privilege.

Who if I had to risk was the Manchester City. They are out of the FA Cup, League Cup, against Barcelona in the Champions League and Premier League at a distance of - 5 points concerning us. They had to risk, not us.

Yesterday we played smart football, with a very compact approach, which has also led to the final confirmation Kurt Zouma (100 % Jose Mourinho`s player)

This type of games are defined by small details, and a small detail could have left us + 2 points behind Manchester City. Today we are +5 and we just have to visit the field Arsenal of the important teams.

Now we have only two games before the showdown against PSG in the Champions League. We must regain our physical form these days (even I would not force Fabregas on Saturday) and I'm sure Diego Costa will be full of ambition for that day.

Jose is no defense, it's smart. Risk is very nice, ask Arsene Wenger. He risks a lot and he tries to play nice, but he NEVER win anything.

Jose plays with humility, assuming that the other team can punish us in big games and perfectly handles situations of tension.

I'm sure in the tie against PSG, Jose goes to show that he is the smartest coach in the world (remember that match lasts 180 minutes).

Jose is a pragmatic and intelligent coach. He ended with the hegemony of the Guardiola`s Team because of it.

Regards to ALL.

[Namika 922]

Need to rediscover how to counter-attack imo. Against United, Liverpool away in the Capital One Cup and City home and away, we sat back (nothing wrong with that for me) but we couldn't counter them. Hopefully Cuadrado can add a spark with Willian playing 10.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

He did the right thing last night. Rather win the league like that, than lose it the way Liverpool did. Had Brenton played the same way Jose played against City, the scousers would have been champions now ( ).

Football is not about playing all out attack and win titles in style. You don't have to play 80% posession to control a game, you can also do it by sitting deep and cancelling the opponent.

Ok, City was the better team in the 2nd half, but you have to admit they looked clueless as fuck. And that was because Chelsea's brilliant display at the back.

Jose is made for these big games, it is in his DNA to succeed when in the spotlights. Defend or attack, he always finds a way to win these type of games. His record speaks volumes.

[supporter 3,088]

Need to rediscover how to counter-attack imo. Against United, Liverpool away in the Capital One Cup and City home and away, we sat back (nothing wrong with that for me) but we couldn't counter them. Hopefully Cuadrado can add a spark with Willian playing 10.

Yes. For me the match in Old Trafford completely change the level of our performance.

That day Van Gaal put Juan Mata to make an individual to Fabregas marking, and that has nullified the brilliant start of Fabregas. Since then Fabregas only appears in small phases of the parties.

We have to get that back, that Fabregas play with more freedom, or make other players monopolize rivals pressure exerted on Fabregas. Maybe Cuadrado (and Willian like a 10, or Ramires like a midfielder) can help us to that.

Courtois

Zouma John Terry ©

Ivanovic Azpilicueta

Fabregas/Ramires Matic

Cuadrado Fabregas/Willian Hazard

Diego Costa

Regards.

[supporter 3,088]

He did the right thing last night. Rather win the league like that, than lose it the way Liverpool did. Had Brenton played the same way Jose played against City, the scousers would have been champions now ( ).

Football is not about playing all out attack and win titles in style. You don't have to play 80% posession to control a game, you can also do it by sitting deep and cancelling the opponent.

Ok, City was the better team in the 2nd half, but you have to admit they looked clueless as fuck. And that was because Chelsea's brilliant display at the back.

Jose is made for these big games, it is in his DNA to succeed when in the spotlights. Defend or attack, he always finds a way to win these type of games. His record speaks volumes.

Perfect comment friend.

Besides, I did not see at no moment jeopardize the match for us. I do not recall any dangerous play (real danger) of Manchester City. We carry the match where we wanted.

They had to win, but we, perhaps, yesterday won the Premier League.

Regards.