The Mourinho Thread

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

That might be a misunderstanding. Eden was always very, very goal oriented in his career choices (even his loyality to Lille, it made him grow, his willingness to sign a CL winner). People are fast to say he is too laid back, no alpha. Perception is never the real thing. Mark my words. Mou's comments just now will be the last drop. Sadly.

Stingray, I hope your wrong.

Hazard is too special. I don't want to imagine a Chelsea (within the next 4 years) without him. Seriously.

God I hope he plays Tuesday. And all the games after.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Sell Hazard, sign Neymar. Wahey.

[Stingray 9,441]

"might"

But you're right. Eden is not the guy to go complaining in the media or to get angry in public. He'll just quietly think go fuck yourself and plan his next move.

Exactly. That is my fear. If on top we do nit recover Mou will go and we will have a club in shambles. I dont want that as a fan tbh.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

"might"

But you're right. Eden is not the guy to go complaining in the media or to get angry in public. He'll just quietly think go fuck yourself and plan his next move.

Obviously you guys know Hazard better, but I don't think he has that ruthlessness in him.

Now De bruyne, he was ruthless. The entire world knew he was gone even before that window opened when he stopped playing Nothing anybody said could have kept him here. I think Mourinho could still probably sweet talk Hazard down from leaving.

[zolayes 14,489]

If Mou says he isn't good enough ,, Which top club would be willing to buy him ?

[kellzfresh 7,229]

They are in same positions in this club.

Mata was man of the year(twice) and it was his team. Hazard is pretty much that role now.

Hazard is a far better player, and former epl player of the year. Mourinho will lose his die hard fans if hazard moves because of defending.

[DYC. 7,542]

That might be a misunderstanding. Eden was always very, very goal oriented in his career choices (even his loyality to Lille, it made him grow, his willingness to sign a CL winner). People are fast to say he is too laid back, no alpha. Perception is never the real thing. Mark my words. Mou's comments just now will be the last drop. Sadly.

Agree. He's been playing first team football since he was 17? That's up to seven years of pro football already. And he kept improving himself, became a key player very early on and eventually carried Lille to a certain extent, winning trophies and individual awards. He joins a big club in Chelsea and again, he keeps improving and becomes a key player. He carried his team in the second half of 14/15, wins the league and cup and wins individual awards. That's a go getter. He's already had an amazing career at the age of 24. Most players' career truly start at 24/25.

People try too hard to read into things. He likes to have a laugh so if something goes wrong, he's too laid back. He's in poor form, big deal. It happens to everyone. It even happened to Messi.

If Hazard hasn't lived up to your own expectations of him becoming Messi 2.0, that's your problem. Messi is one of a kind. But Hazard is quite the player himself.

[Barbara 15,149]

They are in same positions in this club.

Mata was man of the year(twice) and it was his team. Hazard is pretty much that role now.

The only difference is we have seen what has happened with De Bruyne now so we can hope people are smarter.

This makes no sense.

Mata in a way compromised a whole team, that had to be built around him for him to be as effective as he was for us - something he hasn't been able to emulate in United yet, simply because they haven't done what we did.

Hazard doesn't compromise anything - just in Jose's outdated head he's the reason why we're conceding so many goals... He may leave the same way Mata did - or not, but their positions in the team couldn't be any different. José didn't play Mata because he didn't fit at all in the team, Eden has been sidelined for one game and I don't think he'll be again any time soon. If I had to guess it, José is trying to rile up Eden, but I just hope it doesn't backfire.

[lucio 5,418]

So we are conceding slot , and he benches matic and mikel. Mental.

[Stingray 9,441]

Obviously you guys know Hazard better, but I don't think he has that ruthlessness in him.

Now De bruyne, he was ruthless. The entire world knew he was gone even before that window opened when he stopped playing Nothing anybody said could have kept him here. I think Mourinho could still probably sweet talk Hazard down from leaving.

Well tbh, i think KDB is much more impulsive and less intelligent. So kdb looks ruthless, yes. Eden has always been very calculated, steered/mentored by his father. He certainly is altruistic, but do not mistake that for being whimpish.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

This makes no sense.

Mata in a way compromised a whole team, that had to be built around him for him to be as effective as he was for us - something he hasn't been able to emulate in United yet, simply because they haven't done what we did.

Hazard doesn't compromise anything - just in Jose's outdated head he's the reason why we're conceding so many goals... He may leave the same way Mata did - or not, but their positions in the team couldn't be any different. José didn't play Mata because he didn't fit at all in the team, Eden has been sidelined for one game and I don't think he'll be any time soon. If I had to guess it, José is trying to rile up Eden, but I just hope it doesn't backfire.

Jose made the exact same type of defending comment about Mata that he just did about Hazard though. We have all seen this show before, which is why the situations are similar.

Two creative players he felt the need to come out and shame about defending.

[Hamilton 2,120]

Well tbh, i think KDB is much more impulsive and less intelligent. So kdb looks ruthless, yes. Eden has always been very calculated, steered/mentored by his father. He certainly is altruistic, but do not mistake that for being whimpish.

Didn't his dad say last week it's no problem he plays less cause he will then be in huge form for EC?

A rather strange opinion if you ask me..

[Barbara 15,149]

on the Hazard debate, I don't think he's like many Belgians players we've seen around - and I don't mean as a derogatory dig at Belgians, but you do have to wonder why you keep a manager that most people who defend him says is because he was able to control the dressing room and who has no clue of tactics, it's almost like he's more a nanny to the ego inflated players, than a football manager (also, not all players are like that, just a remarkable amount of them). So I don't think he's going to stomp and leave without thinking twice. He might leave at some point (don't know where though, as Real and Barça are stocked in his position, unless he considers Bayern), but I don't think it's going to be because he stopped believing in the manager. I don't think the hamburger gate was even intentional, imo he just stopped to eat and hasn't thought about the repercussion it'd have given the match's circumstances. So while I think Mourinho is taking a dangerous route here - by trying to rile him up AND making a mistake by keeping him in the bench, I don't think Eden is really going to rethink his whole career because of it. Also, he just signed a new contract, leaving won't be too easy and while we're known for letting unhappy players go, everyone can say this team needs Eden much more than it needed any of the other players we let go. Hazard is top5 in the world, something Mata, Luiz, de Bruyne have never been (and I don't see any of them becoming it either - although Kev could).

Didn't his dad say last week it's no problem he plays less cause he will then be in huge form for EC?

A rather strange opinion if you ask me..

Mourinho is an old fox, he knew the way to 'win' Hazard was through his father and we've seen a few reports throughout the years about Mou, Eden's father and Eden. They had talked a lot...

[Tautvix 1,321]

Lol I'd pleased if Hazard was not good ONLY in defending this season.. The thing is that he was so bad in attacking too... If he could compensate himself in attack, Jose would not say anything bad about him.

[DYC. 7,542]

Eden Hazard didn’t start a league game for us for the first time since April 2014

‘I left Hazard out because we are conceding lots of goals. We need to defend better. We need our midfield players to be just worried about the central area of the pitch, not to be worried about compensating for the left side or the right side.

‘Playing with Pedro and Willian, the midfield players don’t have to look to the left or the right. Willian and Pedro did amazing defensive work on very good offensive players, Hutton and Richardson, and later Amavi. They allowed the midfield players to be very comfortable, and to have performances like Ramires and Fabregas had, totally controlling the centre of the pitch.

‘It was just a tactical decision leaving super quality on the bench but bringing tactical discipline and hoping that the team could be solid. I continue in that way or he [Hazard] comes in our direction and tries to replicate the same work Willian or Pedro did.

What?...

This is gold.

[Jokesy 53]

I would have been mad if Hazard has been playing well this season but the reality is that he's been one of the worst performers. A little time on the bench would not kill him. I remember the last time similar thing happened to him, he came back stronger.

If you are not doing well on the ball, then you have to track back and help the team sort out the mess. All hazard has been doing this season is fluffing clear chances, e.g. against Man city, killing the flow of attack, winning free kicks in non-dangerous areas of the pitch, being afraid to get into the box and missing penalties.

He really needed a reality check though because of his great talent. The team really needs him firing back again.

Common Hazardous! Fight back for your shirt and Start tearing teams apart once again!!!

[Jokesy 53]

So we are conceding slot , and he benches matic and mikel. Mental.

I've seen those guys play terribly defensively this season. Seems you've been away on holiday.

[Styles 9,790]

Eden Hazard didn’t start a league game for us for the first time since April 2014

‘I left Hazard out because we are conceding lots of goals. We need to defend better. We need our midfield players to be just worried about the central area of the pitch, not to be worried about compensating for the left side or the right side.

'I continue in that way or he [Hazard] comes in our direction and tries to replicate the same work Willian or Pedro did.

Worst manager we could have got in 2013.

Sold the future of the club for a league title.

For shame.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Thought Mourinho had a good managers performance today.

Taking off RLC to bring Matic on and therefore give Baba who was struggling a little more protection on that side seemed reasonable enough.

Villa were obviously sent out by 'tactics' Tim to get straight into us and try to capitalise on any confidence issues. Thought we held them comfortably for 20 mins before going on to control the play until the final whistle.

Seemed obvious that Mourinho and the team had the long trip to Kiev in mind as well...with the subs and closing down of the match giving Villa nothing.

Remember Mourinho used to be lauded as a tactical genius when he used to make quickfire changes such as 2 or 3 at halftime and we won with comfort......now posters moan if a player doesnt get an hour .

[xPetrCechx 13,598]

Worst manager we could have got in 2013.

Sold the future of the club for a league title.

For shame.

Mata, Lukaku & KDB?