The Mourinho Thread

[Adnane 1,101]

I think you're all over reacting here, it's not all black, nor white.

We've been hugely unlucky with ref's decisions going against us, at Old Trafford, St Mary and against Burnley at home, as José used to say, in normal conditions, we'd have 10 to 15 points clear at the top by February.

All I hear here is, we've been playing shit since December, now excuse me, but no, we played really well at Villa, Everton Home, and Burnley, and those are all February fixtures, stop making an awful lot of it and changing the facts, out bad run started actually against PSG, and still since, we had a brilliant second half against Southampton, solid performance against Hull apart from the last 20 minutes of the first half, and a good overall performance against Stoke.

The only games we played really really poor recently to me are QPR, the first half against Southampton, and some glimpses at West Ham and Stoke, really small glimpses.

Now the reality is, there is a really thin line between Hero and Zero in football, the latest of proofs is Fab's goal, when you start to interpret the fact as you wish, you can state whatever the hell you want, and what I'm saying here is, people are trying to mislead the general opinion and state that our run since DECEMBER IS SHIT to prove their point, now sorry, you must be talking about a different season.

Also, the other reality is, we aren't playing genuinely well in the last games, and that's quite predicted, you never win a Premiership playing like Barcelona at their peak the whole season, do you ? United of the last decade had always shit games where they'd pull the rabbit out of the hat again and again ( Ronaldo, Chicharito, 88 minute comebacks ), and won 5 Premier League titles, do you hear them complaining ? Do you hear people criticizing them ? No, nobody does, and for me, this side is as good as any United side of the last decade, and if we win all our remaining games, we'll reach 94 points, which is 1 shy of the record we established in 2005.

So stop complaining about imaginary facts, and stop reading newspapers, because obviously they are influencing you and misleading you on your OWN FUCKING TEAM. Every champion side has had its flaws, and it's never gonna change, we were absolute class the whole season, only for a couple of months now we aren't playing at high level but still getting points, nothing bizarre for me.

As i said, the line between success and failure is really thin in football, had JT and Cahill not collided in Silva's goal, we'd be looking at two mouthwatering encounters against Barcelona, with a 7 point lead at the top and a game in hand, and nobody would have talked about how poor we play because the general impression would be Chelsea is amongst the likes of Barcas Bayerns and Reals this season, now don't let one single goal scored on a mistake by our defense mislead your judgement of the entire season, we've been fantastic, had our flaws, and deserve our title more than anyone. Now all this, is just an answer to the "FACTS" the Mourinho haters are presenting to prove their point, if you look straight at em, you'd notice that you're making a too much of it.

Also, I can't understand how, as a Chelsea fan, you don't enjoy a 1-0 win at Loftus, with a goal at the 88th minute against the scums to trash their relegation fight dreams, I really can't, this is one of my highlights of the season, I just fucking love this kind of wins, and for me, a Chelsea fan is surely the one who's supposed to enjoy them the most, given the fact it's pretty much on our identity and history now.

[Leif 6,006]

I don't know why on earth you chose Chelsea as your club brother!

Family reasons & location, it was literally Chelsea or a team outside of London, not because I'm from there but the majority of my family was at the time. I wasn't about to be modest and pick a mid table or lower team that wasn't "local" So I went with Chelsea.

We also played with excitement back then. Either Zola and his striker friends were entertaining crowds or fast forward a few years and we were breaking bodies with Essien, Ballack etc.

No sane person would choose this Chelsea team to support now, though, bar Belgians. (NOT XENOPHOBIC FOR ANYONE THINKING THAT FML)*

*Oh and the Japanese fans we're about to get. I'd rather be a team like we were before, that wins and keeps fans with how we play, not how we're marketed. Different discussion for another time.

[Adnane 1,101]

Family reasons & location, it was literally Chelsea or a team outside of London, not because I'm from there but the majority of my family was at the time. I wasn't about to be modest and pick a mid table or lower team that wasn't "local" So I went with Chelsea.

We also played with excitement back then. Either Zola and his striker friends were entertaining crowds or fast forward a few years and we were breaking bodies with Essien, Ballack etc.

No sane person would choose this Chelsea team to support now, though, bar Belgians. (NOT XENOPHOBIC FOR ANYONE THINKING THAT FML)*

*Oh and the Japanese fans we're about to get. I'd rather be a team like we were before, that wins and keeps fans with how we play, not how we're marketed. Different discussion for another time.

I'm Moroccan, and the only reason i supported Chelsea is for the intensity and desire i've seen in the team in the first games of the Mourinho era ( I was only 11 ).

It was pretty close to how i used to play, intense and direct, also, there weren't a lot of teams at the time that were as successful playing the same style, so it was pretty easy.

But on the other hand, I don't agree with you, I think that, from an external point of view, this team is more "loveable" than the other ones for newcomers.

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Seems like our fans are content with the phrase "parking the bus" forever being associated with our club (with our manager ironically being the one that coined it). Give me the football we played in the 09-10 season under Carlo over what we've been doing this season. Will never forget how the entire Bridge was rocking in unison and collective joy during the 8-0 against Wigan.

“The reality is we want to play a certain style. Not what you are seeing now. We have to look better than that. If you sit there deep in a low block, with no spaces, you can be there three hours. I went with Inter to Barcelona and, for 60 minutes, we played with 10 men and if we needed to be there longer we’d have played for another 60 minutes. I don’t want my team to play like that.”

“We all agree,” Mourinho said to the proposition that his new-found enthusiasm for the expansive game is driven by the demands of Roman Abramovich. “We had one meeting, and in that meeting we had, not an agreement, but we were all convinced this was the way we want to do it. It’s not my way, a specific way, it’s a way of adapting to the quality of the players. We don’t want to play the same way as we did before. The profile of the players is completely different. We don’t want to be reactive. We want to be proactive, and to educate the players in this direction. The players are open for some, and not so open for others because it’s more difficult.” It was, however, a process that would not happen overnight.

I mean these are his own words. There's nothing wrong with fans demanding more from the manager as they do from Oscar or Willian. Again, we've made significant strides towards playing more expansive football especially with Cesc Fabregas at the forefront of that new style but we've since reverted to type ever since we got hammered against Tottenham.

“It’s about changing mentality. It takes a bit of time. But not five, six, seven years. I promise. You don’t have to wait so long.”

Which is why I've stated next season he has to complete the so called "evolution". Not just with the style of the team but also integration of youth which we've neglected for far too long. We have by far the best academy in England and one of the best in Europe. Time to develop our own Harry Kane's.

[TheOneChan95 225]

I swear this forum has turned poisonous. You know what? Even if we hire one of those "attacking" coaches and they start to get some bad results, I'm damn sure you will turn on them too for not being more "pragmatic and sensible" at times. Criticism is fine but that attitude is fucking poisonous for the team you claim to support.

Seriously no coach will ever be perfect. I agree with Mourinho that every fucking football fan thinks he's the best manager for some reason. If you cannot see the evolution of the team with him then you must be blind. 7 points clear at this stage with a bloody game in hand. Honestly guys have some belief in your own team and manager please. There is a reason Jose doesn't play the same approach at times and that is because he works his balls off to study the opposition and spends plenty of time with the players. Is it that hard to trust a man with plenty of experience?

Contrary to belief, we CAN play good football, just look at matches like Swansea, Burnley away, Maribor, Everton away and so on. Jose just feels that we are not ready to take the same approach in the big games yet. Have some patience and faith, we are evolving and we will get that beautiful football much more consistently one day.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Family reasons & location, it was literally Chelsea or a team outside of London, not because I'm from there but the majority of my family was at the time. I wasn't about to be modest and pick a mid table or lower team that wasn't "local" So I went with Chelsea.

We also played with excitement back then. Either Zola and his striker friends were entertaining crowds or fast forward a few years and we were breaking bodies with Essien, Ballack etc.

No sane person would choose this Chelsea team to support now, though, bar Belgians. (NOT XENOPHOBIC FOR ANYONE THINKING THAT FML)*

*Oh and the Japanese fans we're about to get. I'd rather be a team like we were before, that wins and keeps fans with how we play, not how we're marketed. Different discussion for another time.

Why complain? just go follow another club. No shame in admitting you made the wrong choice and would like to go follow another team. Why subject yourself to the misery week after week of watching a club who play to win trophies rather than to dazzle you with a nice pass?

[Tomo 21,733]

What pisses me off mostly is half of these infants who deem anyone who dare criticises Joses approach a hater, probably don't even come to The Bridge and watch the games we analyse..

If it was merely critiscm none of these "infants" will care.

However there is a clear lack of respect for the best manager in the club's history, I'm not even exaggerating when I say I've seen Liverpool fans treat Hodgson with more respect.

[Tomo 21,733]

Finally

I just want to know

Why

I've been trying to figure this out from the day i signed up how this mentality exists

This is not me bashing it but me genuinely asking

Why is winning more important than being entertained? Are you a glory hunter?

Honest question, which game gave you the better feeling.

The entertaining 5-3 loss to Arsenal or the routine 2-0 win this season?

How many Liverpool fans do you reckon prefer their entertaining CL exit to Chelsea in 2009 over the turgid win in 2005?

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

No one of us will even touch the trophy, mind. I can't start dance because we're first. I can't rewatch this shit. Can anyone of you even watched the game again for your own pleasure (apart from the goal) ? I guess not.

It was said on many places that football is tribal thing. I can't talk with friends about the match, I simply can't enjoy this. Even with fellow Chelsea fans all I can talk is "we were lucky at the end". Between Chelsea fans we're talking about Bayern, Barca or Real because the only thing about Chelsea you can talk is the score. That's not nice.

How can I be overly happy that young millionaires grind out result after shit football for months ? I can't be. I see enough of football from my local teams and when I watch Chelsea I want at least to know what we're going to play. I want to see clear identity and style of play.

But Jose can't hear critics because of clanging of all his medals.

That's what Rodgers said, at the end Jose is going to show his CV and tells "it works". So I can even remotely hope that he changes his approach ? I can't

I hope for the best and hope we build on this big time but it would need a pretty big changes in Jose's mindset to build something long term. I want to see this for sure, make no mistake. But, for example, if he's going to play CB as a striker instead of young player, how can I be sure that he really fulfil his promises about integrating youngsters ? I can't.

Roman watched this shit yesterday. He's freak, he wants to have clear style of play. He emphasized this when he interviewed Ancelotti for the job. I don't think that he's content with current play too much. I hope it's a concern for him too.

To finish this :

I think I give up discussing the matter this season. I can go back next season to this . Let's hope for the best in the market. There're resources for 3 or 4 big signings, some of players will leave. And let's hope that Jose is going to change his mindset. I love him but IF he's going to play Azpilicueta as a winger against someone, because he's too scared of defeat, then I'm done.

[Tomo 21,733]

We just need to win this big title and get this fear off our backs, so that we can return to the football we played in the beginning 5 months of the season

It's really irritating that some refuse to adkwoledge the great football we played in the first half of the season just to suit the agenda.

[DYC. 7,542]

Chelsea have been on top throughout the entire season. The entire Premier League season. Mourinho and the team deserve more respect.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,898]

Seems like our fans are content with the phrase "parking the bus" forever being associated with our club (with our manager ironically being the one that coined it). Give me the football we played in the 09-10 season under Carlo over what we've been doing this season. Will never forget how the entire Bridge was rocking in unison and collective joy during the 8-0 against Wigan.

Let's not forget that 09/10 was a mirror image of 14/15 in that our play was generally dire in the first half of the double season. Even when the play improved it was not, in my opinion, as a result of anything Carlo did. I've often expressed the opinion that the improvement was due to a number of our key players hitting the form of their lives simultaneously. That is what I believe led to the quality we produced for a few months at the end of of 09/10 and the start of 10/11. I suggest however that the generally poor play either side of that purple patch proves it was not the result of anything Carlo did. Form after all is temporary.

The Bridge will rock again and this time it will be the work of the manager. I'm sure of it.

[Sheva. 5,373]

He's taken Chelsea from a club turning into Arsenal, to challenging for the title in his first 2 years back. Oh and a CL semi.

There will always be things to improve and reasons to complain, but i trust Mourinho to at least fix most of it.

[dimmas 126]

Chelsea have been on top throughout the entire season. The entire Premier League season. Mourinho and the team deserve more respect.

not this excuse again...

Chelsea this season is (very) far from being great and strong team

And winning premier league doesn't change that fact

Mourinho still have so many issue to change and fix. But i'm worry he actually never really change

[pHaRaOn 2,131]

Let's not forget that 09/10 was a mirror image of 14/15 in that our play was generally dire in the first half of the double season. Even when the play improved it was not, in my opinion, as a result of anything Carlo did. I've often expressed the opinion that the improvement was due to a number of our key players hitting the form of their lives simultaneously. It led to the quality we produced for a few months at the end of of 09/10 and the start of 10/11 but I suggest that the generally poor play either side of that purple patch proves it was not the result of anything Carlo did. Form after all is temporary.

The Bridge will rock again and this time it will be the work of the manager. I'm sure of it.

We were poor for a few months in 09/10. I remember how we won only 1 game from 7-8 games and then lost 4 games from 8.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,898]

We were poor for a few months in 09/10. I remember how we won only 1 game from 7-8 games and then lost 4 games from 8.

That was the point I was trying to make.

[DYC. 7,542]

not this excuse again...

Chelsea this season is (very) far from being great and strong team

And winning premier league doesn't change that fact

Mourinho still have so many issue to change and fix. But i'm worry he actually never really change

Excuse for what exactly?

This Chelsea side is not a great team, that's true. But there is an immense pressure that comes with being on top all the time. Everyone wanting you to fall and teams trying their hardest not to drop points because their facing the league leaders. The likes of Arsenal and Utd have played a good amount of games this season in which they weren't taken as seriously and having to deal with less intensity.

There's been plenty to critcize this season, but there is also plenty to praise. I can be a bit harsh on Mou, but sometimes you just have to stop, sit back and really look at what has been achieved this season. It's been a season of two halves, but you can't ignore the first half of the season. It was a while ago so it's easily forgotten, but it still counts.

Plenty of room for improvement, definitely. Bringing in more quality will be key. If not, I have a hard time believing in seeing real progression. And hopefully more adventure. We'll see how Mourinho does next season.

[DDA 9,691]

Because going to the Bridge really enhances your judgement on the matter?

It does when you have to pay as much as I do to get there mate! I have to splash out at least a 1nner to travel let alone the ticket price. So when I get there I wanna see good football!

Most of Mathew Harding Lower agrees.