The Mourinho Thread

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.skysports.com/watch/tv-shows/sunday-supplement/news/10033534/jose-mourinho-made-gutsy-decision-to-drop-eden-hazard

Mourinho did drop Hazard against Porto a few weeks ago. Main issue here is the reason why he was dropped rather than he was dropped.

[Stats 7,142]

Mourinho did drop Hazard against Porto a few weeks ago. Main issue here is the reason why he was dropped rather than he was dropped.

Dropping him for that game was ridiculous. I mean I know he wanted more defensive work but he could have said that to him on the side and told him to work on it. Villa are a team that should be concerned on defending our best player. It shouldn't have to be Hazard doing the other way around. Judging by Mourinho's words it seems it will continue as well with Hazard being on the bench. Just....

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

Sorry fella but the last paragraphs about José in my first post was not directed at you so apologies.

Yes that's true there are a fair number of foreign members that have memberships & won't attend but it will have little effect on attendences, as someone that has had a membership for donkeys I've had the unfortunate experience of trying to purchase tickets online & I can tell you that the last 5 years has become very difficult to acquire them & since we won the CL the tickets never get to the 'general sale' stage. There are 24,000 season ticket holders alone, nearly another 10,000 goes to corporate & away fans, that just leaves just about 10,000 tickets remaining for members, whilst I take your point about paying 80 quid to sit in the West stand upper is a valid one - cus I'd wouldn't pay it but trust me there are thousands that will & do.

Yes I remember Rosenburg only to well, midweek games are a little easier to get tickets & if there was a reduction in attendances through poor results/performances then I can see it having a small effect during these games, however weekend PL fixtures in ain't gonna happen, certainly not this season anyway.

Excellent post mate.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

Chelsea win overshadowed by Jose Mourinho's choice to drop Eden Hazard

Nail. On. Head.

This is a massive understatement but Mourinho really does baffle people with the things he say. We won yesterday - our first win in nearly a month IIRC - and he could have just let that be the headline. But no. He had to go and criticize Hazard for his lack of defensive work when asked why he was on the bench. Could have just said he was rested, he's been playing poorly (which is true) etc but instead, he had to cause some sort of controversy and give the media ammunition to write negative stories about the club.

Some might argue that he's challenging Hazard to improve himself but he really could have just done that by talking him to privately. There's no need to say those things in the public! I'm not optimistic that Hazard will stay with us for a long time but if we lose him because he cannot stand Mourinho's constant criticism about his defending - which is mostly unfair when you see the likes of Ivanovic, Fabregas etc have gotten away with it - then Mourinho seriously has plenty to answer. We have a player with the potential to be the best in the world but he's being criticized and held back from becoming better because of defensive work.

I will be super pissed if we lose Hazard. We have lost couple of good players on the same ground.

What's with Mourinho ? Is he trying to get Hazard out in the January window ?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I'm just going to say this guys..

Imagine Baba and Hazard on the same flank. You don't think we would've conceded? Most people were slating Baba saying he's bang average, he's as bad as Ivanovic etc. You then want Hazard, who lets be honest doesn't defend as well as Willian, on the same wing? Then we'd concede and we're back to Mourinho being clueless.

Or consider the alternative. Hazard plays, Baba doesn't and we don't concede. What's the complaint? "Jose should have played Baba" "He is ready". Foh.

Yeah, the comments weren't probably necessary. But it spurred him on after last season didn't it? @stroey is absolutely right. You guys asked for the 'untouchables' to be dropped and they did, you also asked for Baba to play and he did. Hell Baba played 90 minutes when he shouldn't have, if he was subbed off after 45 guaranteed you'd all say "that's bad for his confidence", "he should have let him improve". Smh.

As for Hazard leaving. What's the excuse for Chelsea not firing Mouriho, according to most of you? "He just signed a new contract", well so did Hazard so I'd really stop worrying about that

[Rmpr 8,977]

I'm just going to say this guys..

Imagine Baba and Hazard on the same flank. You don't think we would've conceded? Most people were slating Baba saying he's bang average, he's as bad as Ivanovic etc. You then want Hazard, who lets be honest doesn't defend as well as Willian, on the same wing? Then we'd concede and we're back to Mourinho being clueless.

Or consider the alternative. Hazard plays, Baba doesn't and we don't concede. What's the complaint? "Jose should have played Baba" "He is ready". Foh.

Yeah, the comments weren't probably necessary. But it spurred him on after last season didn't it? @stroey is absolutely right. You guys asked for the 'untouchables' to be dropped and they did, you also asked for Baba to play and he did. Hell Baba played 90 minutes when he shouldn't have, if he was subbed off after 45 guaranteed you'd all say "that's bad for his confidence", "he should have let him improve". Smh.

As for Hazard leaving. What's the excuse for Chelsea not firing Mouriho, according to most of you? "He just signed a new contract", well so did Hazard so I'd really stop worrying about that

Nailed on the head.

[Tomo 21,751]

Chelsea win overshadowed by Jose Mourinho's choice to drop Eden Hazard

Nail. On. Head.

This is a massive understatement but Mourinho really does baffle people with the things he say. We won yesterday - our first win in nearly a month IIRC - and he could have just let that be the headline. But no. He had to go and criticize Hazard for his lack of defensive work when asked why he was on the bench. Could have just said he was rested, he's been playing poorly (which is true) etc but instead, he had to cause some sort of controversy and give the media ammunition to write negative stories about the club.

Some might argue that he's challenging Hazard to improve himself but he really could have just done that by talking him to privately. There's no need to say those things in the public! I'm not optimistic that Hazard will stay with us for a long time but if we lose him because he cannot stand Mourinho's constant criticism about his defending - which is mostly unfair when you see the likes of Ivanovic, Fabregas etc have gotten away with it - then Mourinho seriously has plenty to answer. We have a player with the potential to be the best in the world but he's being criticized and held back from becoming better because of defensive work.

Now while I think Mourinho has gone a bit too far in this instance, I don't understand why its scoffed at when people ask about how good wingers are defensively.

Look at Azpilcueta, he's as solid as you can get as a defender but isn't even considered when talking about the best fullbacks in the world because he isn't the best going forward.

It's one rule for defenders and another for attackers.

[Blue Armour 4,438]

I'm just going to say this guys..

Imagine Baba and Hazard on the same flank. You don't think we would've conceded? Most people were slating Baba saying he's bang average, he's as bad as Ivanovic etc. You then want Hazard, who lets be honest doesn't defend as well as Willian, on the same wing? Then we'd concede and we're back to Mourinho being clueless.

Or consider the alternative. Hazard plays, Baba doesn't and we don't concede. What's the complaint? "Jose should have played Baba" "He is ready". Foh.

Yeah, the comments weren't probably necessary. But it spurred him on after last season didn't it? @stroey is absolutely right. You guys asked for the 'untouchables' to be dropped and they did, you also asked for Baba to play and he did. Hell Baba played 90 minutes when he shouldn't have, if he was subbed off after 45 guaranteed you'd all say "that's bad for his confidence", "he should have let him improve". Smh.

As for Hazard leaving. What's the excuse for Chelsea not firing Mouriho, according to most of you? "He just signed a new contract", well so did Hazard so I'd really stop worrying about that

Exactly. With Baba only starting his first PL game, Hazard in bad form, and team morale in tatters starting both on the same flank would have been suicide. Only other option would have been Zouma on the right and Cesar on the left, which he might have still done if Cahill was fit.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Exactly. With Baba only starting his first PL game, Hazard in bad form, and team morale in tatters starting both on the same flank would have been suicide. Only other option would have been Zouma on the right and Cesar on the left, which he might have still done if Cahill was fit.

No, no didn't you get the memo? The 'untouchables' must be dropped.............. Except the untouchables.

[Special Juan 28,141]

MOTM for October, surely.

:blue scalf:

[LDN Blue 7,903]

MOTM for October, surely.

:blue scalf:

Member of the month is back?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Exactly. With Baba only starting his first PL game, Hazard in bad form, and team morale in tatters starting both on the same flank would have been suicide. Only other option would have been Zouma on the right and Cesar on the left, which he might have still done if Cahill was fit.

Even then, with Zouma on the right. Can the kid even cross?

[lucio 5,418]

I'm just going to say this guys..

Imagine Baba and Hazard on the same flank. You don't think we would've conceded? Most people were slating Baba saying he's bang average, he's as bad as Ivanovic etc. You then want Hazard, who lets be honest doesn't defend as well as Willian, on the same wing? Then we'd concede and we're back to Mourinho being clueless.

Or consider the alternative. Hazard plays, Baba doesn't and we don't concede. What's the complaint? "Jose should have played Baba" "He is ready". Foh.

Yeah, the comments weren't probably necessary. But it spurred him on after last season didn't it? @stroey is absolutely right. You guys asked for the 'untouchables' to be dropped and they did, you also asked for Baba to play and he did. Hell Baba played 90 minutes when he shouldn't have, if he was subbed off after 45 guaranteed you'd all say "that's bad for his confidence", "he should have let him improve". Smh.

As for Hazard leaving. What's the excuse for Chelsea not firing Mouriho, according to most of you? "He just signed a new contract", well so did Hazard so I'd really stop worrying about that

move hazard centrally or right.

[11Drogba 2,000]

I'm just going to say this guys..

Imagine Baba and Hazard on the same flank. You don't think we would've conceded? Most people were slating Baba saying he's bang average, he's as bad as Ivanovic etc. You then want Hazard, who lets be honest doesn't defend as well as Willian, on the same wing? Then we'd concede and we're back to Mourinho being clueless.

Or consider the alternative. Hazard plays, Baba doesn't and we don't concede. What's the complaint? "Jose should have played Baba" "He is ready". Foh.

Yeah, the comments weren't probably necessary. But it spurred him on after last season didn't it? @stroey is absolutely right. You guys asked for the 'untouchables' to be dropped and they did, you also asked for Baba to play and he did. Hell Baba played 90 minutes when he shouldn't have, if he was subbed off after 45 guaranteed you'd all say "that's bad for his confidence", "he should have let him improve". Smh.

As for Hazard leaving. What's the excuse for Chelsea not firing Mouriho, according to most of you? "He just signed a new contract", well so did Hazard so I'd really stop worrying about that

We can use Hazard as CAM and until Jose made those comments there was not much reaction.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

move hazard centrally or right.

I'd say take the post a whole as opposed to nit picking mate. The point is, there's so much being made about this when it's a non-issue to be honest. Hazard's not going anywhere, he's got good representation and he's got a good working relationship with Mourinho. If Mourinho dropped him on a tactical issue of conceding and we did keep a clean sheet and win without Hazard, it sends a message. Hazard can either work harder and get back into this team, to collect personal accolades, or he can watch others do it instead of him.