The Mourinho Thread

[DYC. 7,542]

Leading the league by 13 points.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

he's a manager who picks the best players in the squad. when it goes good then all is well but when it went bad he had no idea how to stop it. considering the age of terry, lampard and drogba now - what 4 years older? terry's been amazing, lampard was winning city games at the start of the season and drogba at 37 has at least played a part. he was given david luiz in January and had at least had a decent squad size. Benayoun was never used and ramires was bought to replace Ballack.

I think he is tailor made for Real Madrid.

Drogba's last great season was Ancelotti's first season, Lampard played 4 or 5 good games for City and is now on the bench. Terry is still good, but it's a moot point since he's a centre back. He was given David Luiz? Sounds more like a curse. Apart from Terry and Cech, that team didn't have any world class players in their prime.

Mourinho on the other hand has always had the strongest Chelsea teams at his disposal. 2004-2005, 2005-2006. He's been shewd in the market but he also has had the young raw material (Hazard, Azplicueta, Oscar and Courtois) other managers didn't.

[LondonsFinest 692]

Ancelotti was given an ageing squad, but yet managed to produce the best football of any manager in the Abramovich era and win the league and cup double. Abramovich and the board didn't rejuvenate the squad in his second season and it cost us. Instead Torres was forced down his throat.

What is the point of your comment? I am talking about motivation, not criticizing what he did.

[Tomo 21,751]

Drogba's last great season was Ancelotti's first season, Lampard played 4 or 5 good games for City and is now on the bench. Terry is still good, but it's a moot point since he's a centre back. He was given David Luiz? Sounds more like a curse. Apart from Terry and Cech, that team didn't have any world class players in their prime.

Mourinho on the other hand has always had the strongest Chelsea teams at his disposal. 2004-2005, 2005-2006. He's been shewd in the market but he also has had the young raw material (Hazard, Azplicueta, Oscar and Courtois) other managers didn't.

Was he "given" them? Wikins came out and said Ancelotti wanted Torres infact he nearly came the summer before he actually did.

You are always vocal in your critiscm about Mous tactics and I respect your opinion even if I couldn't disagree more but then surely you should be critical of Ancelotti in the second season, some of his tactical decisions were criminal and surely such an experienced manager could see the danger of naming lineups in the presser?

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Was he "given" them? Wikins came out and said Ancelotti wanted Torres infact he nearly came the summer before he actually did.

You are always vocal in your critiscm about Mous tactics and I respect your opinion even if I couldn't disagree more but then surely you should be critical of Ancelotti in the second season, some of his tactical decisions were criminal and surely such an experienced manager could see the danger of naming lineups in the presser?

I'm not even trying to defend Ancelotti, but it's ridiculous for some to lay all the blame on him for that 2nd season. He had his problems as a manger. My point is, the board simply didn't back him in the summer. EVERYBODY knew we had an ageing squad. When things started to go south, we then wasted over 80 million pounds on Luiz and Torres in January. Both panic buys.

I just googled that 2010-2011 squad. It was a 70ish point sort of team. Nothing more. I remember there was a time even McEachran looked our best midfielder.

Ancelotti did the best he could with what was an ageing squad. Mourinho is doing what he's supposed to do with the best team in the league and with no competition from his rivals. But it's Ancelotti who gets blamed?

[zolayes 14,489]

I'm not even trying to defend Ancelotti, but it's ridiculous for some to lay all the blame on him for that 2nd season. He had his problems as a manger. My point is, the board simply didn't back him in the summer. EVERYBODY knew we had an ageing squad. When things started to go south, we then wasted over 80 million pounds on Luiz and Torres in January. Both panic buys.

I just googled that 2010-2011 squad. It was a 70ish point sort of team. Nothing more. I remember there was a time even McEachran looked our best midfielder.

Ancelotti did the best he could with what was an ageing squad. Mourinho is doing what he's supposed to do with the best team in the league and with no competition from his rivals. But it's Ancelotti who gets blamed?

Its ok Carlo was appreciated by football people .. look where he is despite not being rated by Tomo

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Drogba's last great season was Ancelotti's first season, Lampard played 4 or 5 good games for City and is now on the bench. Terry is still good, but it's a moot point since he's a centre back. He was given David Luiz? Sounds more like a curse. Apart from Terry and Cech, that team didn't have any world class players in their prime.

Mourinho on the other hand has always had the strongest Chelsea teams at his disposal. 2004-2005, 2005-2006. He's been shewd in the market but he also has had the young raw material (Hazard, Azplicueta, Oscar and Courtois) other managers didn't.

Why is it a moot point that Terry is a centre back? at least we can say Ancelotti still had a good defence. David Luiz was incredible - on average - from January to the end of the season. scored against United and City. in fact he was MOM against city. assist in important games too, on average his contributions outweighed his brain farts. So Lampard suddenly went down hill from the season before? are you telling me that the drop off was that sharp?

Well you would have to choose those two teams (its convinient to forget that Jose built that team, getting rid of like 5 or 6 squad players - big players like Descially and Hasselbank, Veron. He chose to drop Cudicini

But lets make it fair, what was Mourinho given in his final season? robben was replaced with malouda, ben haim and sidwell and Pizzaro were brought in. Duff was replaced by Kalou. the year before.

Mourinho's first year back he had a team which had been off the pace for years in the league, starting with Carlo's last actually. Azpi turned into the player he has because of mourinho, he was completely different the moment he started his first game in Jose's first season. He took a team with torres, Ba and a 34? year old etoo and finished closer to the title than carlo could with Drogba, Anelka and Torres - not to mention with a midfield of ramires - lampard/ mikel - lampard for the first half of the season compared to Ancellotti's lampard - ramires - essien.

Plus he took a Hazard who was amazing in one match and off in others and made him PFA player of the year.

This isnt to knock Ancelotti - he has his perks and his cons. But he can't touch mourinho. mourinho can change a team to win when it plays crap, he can turn good players into very good players.

But Ancelotti has that eye brow

[Jase 43,479]

Chelsea 'boring' criticism is 'absolute nonsense', says Gary Neville... no-one remembers 'entertaining losers'

[Muzchap 8,966]

Upon reflection, I will admit that I have been too harsh on Jose and I have taken the criticism too far at times after all he's on course to deliver our first title in 5 years. And He's transformed us from perenial top 4 challengers to genuine title contenders from the get go.

At the end of the day, in a result oriented sport, the end always justifies the means and success is what managers are ultimately judged on. I certainly wouldn't swap AVB's philosophical mumbo jumbo for this. hopefully we continue to evolve and progress in all facet.

Top man!!!

I was definitely in the same frustrated boat - but I want to give him time and see what he can produce

Some of my best memories were Ballack in the middle and Robben / Duff on the wings

I'm sure he will get it right - first winners in profit too

Extra Cash to spend this summer

[Chelsea? 892]

Bale would fit our rw nicely

[stroey 2,525]

Leading the league by 13 points.

Should've even been 20 points, without the FA campaign.

[Polo7 3,496]

13 points???!!!! Get shat on so called rivals!

[DYC. 7,542]

Chelsea 'boring' criticism is 'absolute nonsense', says Gary Neville... no-one remembers 'entertaining losers'

Netherlands World Cup '74 and '78, Brazil World Cup '82, Eusebio's Benfica (in Europe) come to mind. I'm not much of a football historian though.

Personally, I will always remember Jorge Jesus' Benfica, even though they've been quite 'unfortunate' in Europe. Same for Villarreal CL 05/06, Bayern 11/12, Dortmund 12/13, Argentina & Ghana World Cup 2006, Netherlands Euro 2008, Chili World Cup 2010 just to quickly name a few losers.

[Barbara 15,149]

Premier League Table

[Adnane 1,101]

Ancelotti was given an ageing squad, but yet managed to produce the best football of any manager in the Abramovich era and win the league and cup double. Abramovich and the board didn't rejuvenate the squad in his second season and it cost us. Instead Torres was forced down his throat.

Those two things are the greatest myths in football history.

The best football we played under Roman was in fact under Scolari, under Carlo our squad was so strong that we trashed teams without necessarily playing beautiful, we were excellent but not "beautiful as you want to describe it", we were just scoring way too much for everyone.

Under Scolari we were playing "beautiful" football yeah.

But the best football we've played in my opinion is the one which suits all kind of opposition, allows us to face anyone with the weapons we need, and this is wat we're doing atm.

And no one's ever gonna convince me that Ancelloti said "no don't give the best striker in the world Roman, no thanks"