The Mourinho Thread

[lionsden 4,689]

THere are empirical evidence that we do a lot better than any other big team in Englad against big teams. 0 defeats against City in the League (2 wins and 2 draws), 0 defats against Arsenal in League (1 win and 2 draws), 4 wins against Liverpool in League, 0 defeats against Manchester Unuted (2 draws and 1 win), 1 defeat against Toteenham in League (1 draw and 2 wins).

Yet there's no evidence that another style (a more balanced style) wouldn't work or be as effective with the type of players we have. We have the quality to win big games without going the ultra defensive route. and no one is advocating a gungho style neither but to attack and defend sensibly rather than full on defensive.

About our counter attack one of the problems we have is that Hazard is a great attacking but he suffers in counter attack, the same for Fabregas, Oscar can't do ir aso. We should do a lot better in that, anyway we still are by far the best team en Englad in every aspect. Specialy

Hazard needs to improve a ot playing in counter attack, sometimes we seem Barcelona that didn't know what to do when they were in numerical superiority in attack, and every time tried to do the same.

So players like hazard and Fabregas, who aren't suited to that style of play, have to adapt but the manager shouldn't try to be more tactically flexible to get the best out of them?

[Rom2013 446]

And I get that but the issue is most posters are suggesting his ultra defensive football is our best and only chance of winning against big teams. this might be the case for the smaller teams operating on limited budget but not a top team that aspires to join the very elite in Europe. We shouldn't be approaching every game against top 6 teams domestically and in Europe with the same set up and mentality as a team like Leicester city for example. This approach is not too bad every now and then when it's actually necessary but not literally every time.

He's not using the squad to its full potential and capacity imo. Zlatan said it best, to paraphrase him,when you buy.have a ferrari, you don't drive it like a fiat. the more balance approach will be to allow the attacking players attack and the defensive players to defend and depending on the situation, roles can be reversed or mixed.

THe team is not supposed to play like we did in the first half of the game against Tottenham, or some other games. Our counter attack has a clear problem that needs to be solved,

About the attacking game of Mourinho... Real Madrid was a complete machine 3 years ago (in my opinion a lot better than they were last season or this season), and Inter and Chelsea were increadible well balanced teams. Porto with the tools Mourinho had was the most impressive team I've ever seen.

This team is not there yet... and we need to do some changes.

[Fernando 6,484]

Why is it that every other top teams in Europe with comparable transfer budget to ours are able to balance success with attacking style of play in big games but it's apparently an impossible mission for us to achieve. What's the point of buying and having array of technically sound players if we intend to continue parking the bus. Football is just as much about success as it is about entertainment. ultra defensive football is tolerable when we win like on Sunday but looks beyond ridiculous when we lose like against Atletico last season.

There's absolutely no empirical evidence that disproves the link between quality/attacking football and success. The idea that our chances of winning a big game is weaker with attacking football is a myth invented by those who support everything jose does blindly. If this is how we want to approach every big game moving forward then we should just replace the likes of fabregas,hazard et al with highly mechanical and efficient players who are more suited to a defensive style.

Haven't said that, in reality, we weren't ultra defensive on sunday especially after JT's goal, we counter attacked spurs at every opportunity and it being a final makes it more justifiable but the problem is this is how we always approach every big or semi big game under jose. There has to be a balance.

I think it's time you and everyone else that expect attacking futbol from Mourinho come to realization that it will never happen.

Mourinho has been and will always be a conservative coach.

The problem here is people trying to mask Mourinho for something he is, like the Liga of record goals.

There's a difference of playing futbol against the like of Elche, Swansea, Sunderland, Betis and all those teams.

You can play more offensive but in all the big games Mourinho on average has been more conservative.

He will be like that now and for the future.

[Rom2013 446]

Yet there's no evidence that another style (a more balanced style) wouldn't work or be as effective with the type of players we have. We have the quality to win big games without going the ultra defensive route. and no one is advocating a gungho style neither but to attack and defend sensibly rather than full on defensive.

So players like hazard and Fabregas, who aren't suited to that style of play, have to adapt but the manager shouldn't try to be more tactically flexible to get the best out of them?

They need to adapt... or they need to go play for Barcelona 5 years ago, because there are no team in the world that plays always in attack... they need to improve, specially Hazard that is still young and can do it.

That's the reason why for example Willian is a starter and he is not going anywhere... Willian can play attacking football, can defend, can counter attack. And that's the basic thing we should ask from all our players.

[Tomo 21,733]

Yet there's no evidence that another style (a more balanced style) wouldn't work or be as effective with the type of players we have. We have the quality to win big games without going the ultra defensive route. and no one is advocating a gungho style neither but to attack and defend sensibly rather than full on defensive.

So players like hazard and Fabregas, who aren't suited to that style of play, have to adapt but the manager shouldn't try to be more tactically flexible to get the best out of them?

And we have done just that in many big games since Mous return.

Arsenal at home twice, Liverpool at home (anyone other than us scores a goal like Hazards equalise and that would have been used by all insundry as the way footballsshould be played), City at home last season (extra forward brought on), United away this season before the last twenty. United home.

Fergie adopted this type of approach in his last decade in football management, many big games he "parked the bus" every bit as much as Jose did, including against Barcelona in 2008 with arguably his best United team.

There will be big games were we defend really deep, but there will be many like the Liverpool game last season when we pressed them high, went all at them and they simply couldn't cope.

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

Best thing about 4-3-3 is that it leaves our defence far less exposed, and GC is great in a low block defending routine

Tibo

Iva Cahill JT Azp . (Or Zouma)

Matic

Ram . Cesc

Juan Diego Hazard

Mmm me likey

[Victor Von Doom 258]

Jose >

Jose's def tactics >

[supporter 3,088]

Thinking about the match against PSG, I think Jose will return to bet on Zouma in midfield alongside Matic and Ramires. Perhaps it may seem an overly defensive approach, but placed Zouma and Ramires in midfield would give greater freedom of movement Matic, Fabregas, and Diego Costa Hazard which may be decisive in the important moments.

Regarding Willian, he is nonnegotiable for Jose, but this approach may despair PSG in the first half, and the second part we may disclose get Willian (who works and creates equally futbol) and with spaces, sentencing the tie.

We're ahead, but a goal against us would place us in a dangerous situation. So our main objetive has to be despair PSG, and when they hit tired and seeing the tie escapes them, we can kill off the tie on the counterattack.

Our defense in defensive situations.

Courtois

Cahill Zouma John Terry ©

Ivanovic Azpilicueta

Ramires Matic (Makes transitions)

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Fabregas

With freedom Fabregas is unstoppable

Diego Costa Hazard

Falling to the sides and creating spaces for Fabregas assists

Our team in ofensive situations.

Courtois

Cahill John Terry ©

Ivanovic Azpilicueta

Zouma Matic

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Fabregas

Ramires Hazard

Ramires plays on one side when standing as midfielder Fabregas.

It would not be an unfamiliar position for him.

Diego Costa

First change if the match becomes dangerous or we want to kill the tie.

Courtois

Cahill John Terry ©

Ivanovic Azpilicueta

Ramires / Zouma Matic

Willian Fabregas Hazard

Diego Costa

I know it is a very defensive approach. But watching the game the other day against Tottenham on Sunday, intentionally generate a match where PSG have the balloon but we have control of the pace of the game can be a way so that, with the passage of minutes, PSG go desperate and that could benefit us tremendously.

We're ahead, they are the ones who have to worry. Every minute that passes we will be closer to win the tie.

Regards.

[Milan 17,859]

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

We came out of the Matic suspension with best outcome possible: a trophy and 3 points. Props for that, after so much insecurity between us fans, it's nice to have these two wins under the belt.

However we really need improvements in the defence-to-attack transition. Whenever the opponent presses us we start to lose the midfield, can't hold on to the ball for more than 5 seconds and just look shaky overall. If we don't want to drop points against weaker opposition, that really has to be worked on. We also seem to have trouble finishing again.

Costa has to be given a wake-up call, he's been poor outside the game vs Spuds... Rémy also deserves a chance.

Hazard has to gain more goal-sense. Other than that he's been terrific. Fantastic to see him flourish with a Chelsea shirt.

Would also like to see Ramires get a little run of games besides Matic and Cesc. Oscar hasn't been convincing. Willian in the hole would do too.

Zouma back in defense - he did ok considering the circumstances, but I definitely hope this is the last I see of him as CDM.

Hoping to see more of Cuadrado too, he hasn't shown a lot so far but hasn't had much of a chance.

And that's all I had to say... Keep it up José. The PL is on huge step closer after today.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

I think Mourinho had the line-up spot on today tbh, after I was admittedly very worried we will struggle creating chances. Maybe apart from Oscar, but that's more with the player being an absolute passenger more than anything.

[Tomo 21,733]

I can only look in amazement at how he has kept Tibo and Cech both happy enough and performing to their maximum. Could you imagine AVB, Rafa or Scolari or any other manager pulling this off?

Neither are probably thrilled when they don't play but there hasn't been any murmurings of discontent and both give it their all when selected. I thought the Cech and Cudicini combo was as good as it was ever going to get but I was wrong.

I knew Mou was an excellent man manager but this takes the piss.

[The Chels 2,502]

However we really need improvements in the defence-to-attack transition. Whenever the opponent presses us we start to lose the midfield, can't hold on to the ball for more than 5 seconds and just look shaky overall.

It's been a problem for a while. I think a big cause is that our midfielders tend to be rather weak in 50-50 challenges. We seem to lose a lot more of them than you'd expect and winning/losing them is the difference between having to defend a (counter) attack and initiating a counter yourself.

I can only look in amazement at how he has kept Tibo and Cech both happy enough and performing to their maximum. Could you imagine AVB, Rafa or Scolari or any other manager pulling this off?

Neither are probably thrilled when they don't play but there hasn't been any murmurings of discontent and both give it their all when selected. I thought the Cech and Cudicini combo was as good as it was ever going to get but I was wrong.

I knew Mou was an excellent man manager but this takes the piss.

I think it helps that both keepers know their fate at the end of the season. Cech will almost certainly leave and Courtois will be made the undisputed number one GK.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

I can only look in amazement at how he has kept Tibo and Cech both happy enough and performing to their maximum. Could you imagine AVB, Rafa or Scolari or any other manager pulling this off?

Neither are probably thrilled when they don't play but there hasn't been any murmurings of discontent and both give it their all when selected. I thought the Cech and Cudicini combo was as good as it was ever going to get but I was wrong.

I knew Mou was an excellent man manager but this takes the piss.

Cech has always been professional, he became a legend here so obviously he is not gonna destroy his legacy by trying to end it in a bad way. Courtois is happy because he played for like 99% of all the important matches. Also it looks like Cech is leaving in the summer anyway so I think it is good by Jose, but nothing special. They probably had a chat about it before this season and Cech agrees to give one last season for the club out of respect and remain professional while doing so.

If we really want to see how good he can handle this wait until we reject a Arsenal/Liverpool bid of like 10m for Cech in the summer and forces him to stay basically, then we will find out a lot more. I agree though Jose is a great motivator for most players and one of the best manager in the world at that(although he couldn't do it to Torres )

[CHOULO19 24,332]

As I said prior to the match, the lineup today was spot on. The tactics turned out to be good as well. Yes, the game was too open to actually control, but to be fair, Costa scores 1vs1 on 35 mins and the match is over. Same applies to Rami and Hazard on several occasions. Only thing that frustrated me is how long it took him to take Diego off in the second half. But again, Jose has showed great pragmatism and tactical know-how against a very tough team when both of our DMs where out.

[mufilika 101]

THere are empirical evidence that we do a lot better than any other big team in Englad against big teams. 0 defeats against City in the League (2 wins and 2 draws), 0 defats against Arsenal in League (1 win and 2 draws), 4 wins against Liverpool in League, 0 defeats against Manchester Unuted (2 draws and 1 win), 1 defeat against Toteenham in League (1 draw and 2 wins).

About our counter attack one of the problems we have is that Hazard is a great attacking but he suffers in counter attack, the same for Fabregas, Oscar can't do ir aso. We should do a lot better in that, anyway we still are by far the best team en Englad in every aspect. Specialy

Hazard needs to improve a ot playing in counter attack, sometimes we seem Barcelona that didn't know what to do when they were in numerical superiority in attack, and every time tried to do the same.

Yet there's no evidence that another style (a more balanced style) wouldn't work or be as effective with the type of players we have. We have the quality to win big games without going the ultra defensive route. and no one is advocating a gungho style neither but to attack and defend sensibly rather than full on defensive.

So players like hazard and Fabregas, who aren't suited to that style of play, have to adapt but the manager shouldn't try to be more tactically flexible to get the best out of them?

So we should adapt the tactics of the teams we are beating. Yeah, that's makes alot of sense.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

It's been a problem for a while. I think a big cause is that our midfielders tend to be rather weak in 50-50 challenges. We seem to lose a lot more of them than you'd expect and winning/losing them is the difference between having to defend a (counter) attack and initiating a counter yourself.

I think it helps that both keepers know their fate at the end of the season. Cech will almost certainly leave and Courtois will be made the undisputed number one GK.

This match showed once again how our players are weak under pressure. No one except hazard could get away from pressing, without losing the ball or kicking it in the air. And combining this with what you said about us poor in 50-50 makes for lack of control.

[LAB 1,030]

Jose has pulled off a trophy win and 3 points away at WH without Matic and Mikel. Looks easier than it actually is. It's not just about the line up selection. Hats off. :tophat: