The Mourinho Thread

[xPetrCechx 13,571]

Time for Pep to show the world that he's really that good.

Join Chelsea and make us an attacking Force...

[Ossie the King 634]

So registered to vent. Got a thousand thoughts swirling around my head but in all honesty I'm devastated.

Firstly, whilst it was nice to see the club back him for so long they should've done more earlier. In May we were champions. The day after we needed to start improving the squad and the stark truth is that we didn't. You HAVE to improve when you win the league. You NEED at least two world class players, probably three to just regain the title without even thinking about Europe. The club failed Jose in that regard but he didn't once mention this or criticise any of Marina, Michael or Roman. Then they sold Cech against his wishes and bring in Djilobodji on transfer deadline day. Man City's owners backed a manager they want to replace in the summer - we can't back the one manager every single fan of this club loved.

That to me is on the club and why we're in this position.

But Jose also failed to adapt and that is on him. He was too loyal to some players and he was too volatile at times, starting with the first game of the season. But the guy has had a tough year personally and for that (and the title) he deserves a bit of leeway.

Honestly, there's so much that's occurred this year that it's tough to put down into coherent sentences but I honestly worry about where this club is heading, what the atmosphere will be like going forward and who the club actually thinks it is now. I've never felt such a disconnect with the club itself (i.e. the board, the owner, the custodians) as I do right now. Jose wasn't bigger than Chelsea, but he was a massive part of it's identity for the last decade even when Carlo or anyone else was in charge. Guus would be one of the few palatable choices out there but even then, what's he supposed to do? The midfield is Swiss cheese at times, the defence simply isn't good enough and Costa isn't the striker he was last season.

Jose was right when he said that he'd been betrayed, but by everyone except the fans. He'd said some things that upset me last year but we've grown closer (in my opinion) in adversity this year than maybe ever before. That will have massive ramifications I think going forward and the fans (in this case the CPO) have a massive voice right now.

Actually I can concisely put down my thoughts after all - fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Going by that logic, I've got a question for you - were you a straight A student in school? Because I'm sure your teachers gave it their all in the class room.

Very good question, but not that difficult to answer.

The point is Mourinho's "all" wasn't good enough, mate. He didn't equip the players with all they needed to succeed. This is how I see Jose Mourinho :

Mourinho: Good

(1) Very good at organizing a defense though slightly overrated in this regard.

(2) One of the absolute best at identifying the weaknesses in the opposition. His attention to detail is unbelievable.

Mourinho: Bad

(1) Creating attacking concepts and strategies.

(2) Lack of tactical flexibility. A bit of a one trick pony

(3) Barely ever rotates his preferred team/winning team, and then proceeds to run this group of players to the ground.

You're not going to survive at a top club for long with that. And there's only so much the players can do, really. These guys can't teach themselves how to run an attack, the same way they can't teach themselves how to set up defensively. It's the coach that applies his learned skills in training. This is basically what a playing philosophy entails.

Another poster has already highlighted the fact that our players are exerting themselves out there. When I watch Chelsea, I don't see a group of players not trying, I see a poorly coached group of players.

Mourinho has been at the football club for almost 3 years now. Chelsea have only played decent football for maybe 3 months max. 4 if I'm being generous. Why? Why, despite having some of the best attacking players in the Premier league? Why was Mourinho unable to maintain our style of play in the 1st half of last season? Why do his teams over rely on individuals in attack to make a difference as opposed to a core group of players. Hazard at Chelsea II. Drogba at Chelsea towards the end. Ronaldo at Madrid towards the end.

Mourinho can question the passion of the players all that he wants, but he knows deep down he was the one who failed them, not the other way around. He promised "evolution", something he knew he couldn't give us, and failed woefully at it. He should have owned up to his tactical defieciencies instead of questioning their quality, their commitment, their lifestyle, their passion and everything else under the sun.

[Styles 9,790]

Good riddance.

Won a league title but set the club back about 4 or 5 years in the process.

Good luck to whoever has to undo this mess.

[Changingman_2000 876]

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, speaking on Sky Sports, says: "They needed a change to spark a reaction, but they have sacked the best manager in their history and the best manager in the game.

"The players should be held accountable. You cannot sack all the players so sack the manager - whether right or wrong.

"What happened in some of the games is not all down to Mourinho. There was a lack of desire and commitment.

"I kept saying Chelsea will turn it around but they didn't. I don't know if he would have turned it around but you have to be careful what you wish for. It's a sad day if you are a Chelsea fan. The media are losing a great character and hopefully he can bounce back."

[Tomo 21,751]

From when though? Either way. He's not available. I would have liked to see him here. Wouldn't mind being entertained on Saturdays.

Furthermore Jurgens impact at Liverpool has been overexaggarated some what, the City and Saints matches were impressive but beyond that their hasn't actually been that much improvement, the Swansea and Newcastle games for Liverpool are as bad as any display we've put on this season.

He will probably sort the problems out, but he hasn't had the impact the Scouse loving media are suggesting.

[Gappy 130]

It's hard to watch but it's the board decision.

Now i have a trouble to support some players, they deserve to got axe too.

Hopefully this decision was base on club rather than the demand of players.

If not that will be another disgust reputation from our players.

[Jase 43,479]

Although the decision had to be made, it makes no sense that we let him prepare the players for 1 1/2 days for the Saturday game and then proceed to sack him. Don't even know who's doing what now ahead of the weekend.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

You guys happy now?

Will always be the Special One, and Chelsea's best manager.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

From when though? Either way. He's not available. I would have liked to see him here. Wouldn't mind being entertained on Saturdays.

It was no secret FSG tried to get him as soon as they took over Liverpool, but he decided to stay with Dortmund. The writing was always on the wall after his 'sabbatical'

[iseah100 5,612]

So registered to vent. Got a thousand thoughts swirling around my head but in all honesty I'm devastated.

Firstly, whilst it was nice to see the club back him for so long they should've done more earlier. In May we were champions. The day after we needed to start improving the squad and the stark truth is that we didn't. You HAVE to improve when you win the league. You NEED at least two world class players, probably three to just regain the title without even thinking about Europe. The club failed Jose in that regard but he didn't once mention this or criticise any of Marina, Michael or Roman. Then they sold Cech against his wishes and bring in Djilobodji on transfer deadline day. Man City's owners backed a manager they want to replace in the summer - we can't back the one manager every single fan of this club loved.

That to me is on the club and why we're in this position.

But Jose also failed to adapt and that is on him. He was too loyal to some players and he was too volatile at times, starting with the first game of the season. But the guy has had a tough year personally and for that (and the title) he deserves a bit of leeway.

Honestly, there's so much that's occurred this year that it's tough to put down into coherent sentences but I honestly worry about where this club is heading, what the atmosphere will be like going forward and who the club actually thinks it is now. I've never felt such a disconnect with the club itself (i.e. the board, the owner, the custodians) as I do right now. Jose wasn't bigger than Chelsea, but he was a massive part of it's identity for the last decade even when Carlo or anyone else was in charge. Guus would be one of the few palatable choices out there but even then, what's he supposed to do? The midfield is Swiss cheese at times, the defence simply isn't good enough and Costa isn't the striker he was last season.

Jose was right when he said that he'd been betrayed, but by everyone except the fans. He'd said some things that upset me last year but we've grown closer (in my opinion) in adversity this year than maybe ever before. That will have massive ramifications I think going forward and the fans (in this case the CPO) have a massive voice right now.

Actually I can concisely put down my thoughts after all - fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.

First, welcome to the site.

Great post and i absolutely agree on all points. I understand why Jose got the sack, but I'm still disappointed. He won us the league just 6 months ago. Now he's gone, again.

At a certain point you have to take focus off the manager and look at the players. Cesc, Costa, and Matic's have all dipped dramatically. This is not Jose's fault.

City bought Sterling and Kdb this past transfer window be bought Papay, Hector and Rahman. We have money to spend, but refuse to. Absolutely ridiculous. Jose is gone, I accept that, but this was not all his fault just as the title was not ALL because of him.

[Parky 739]

We also need a clearout of players at the end of this season. I'd like to see the following move on.

• Ivanovic
• Fabregas
• Oscar
• Mikel
• Ramires

I'm not sure what Terry's role is in all this but in time things may surface and he may need to go as well. Also I think Costa is still one of the best strikers around and deserves another chance.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

Jose is gone.

No matter what he has a legacy to this club and helped define an era to the club's history. Sad that it ended in this manner, especially with certain circumstances added in. I hope that he has a break from football to rest from what has been an uneasy year.

But right now, the next steps for this club is important. The next manager as an interm, the manner we approach Sunderland, and how we treat certain players. Players have not played at all the expectations that they should be at, and that needs to be looked at. Hopefully the next manager, be it Pep or Simone, has to be one that will build something with the youth as well as the squad.

Jose made faults, the Board made faults and the Players made faults -- and the mix communication has lost us a bit. We need the gap between all three areas to be on the same line in order to make sure this situation isn't made worse.

[iseah100 5,612]

We also need a clearout of players at the end of this season. I'd like to see the following move on.

• Ivanovic
• Fabregas
• Oscar
• Mikel
• Ramires

I'm not sure what Terry's role is in all this but in time things may surface and he may need to go as well. Also I think Costa is still one of the best strikers around and deserves another chance.

If we bring Simeone keep Costa. If not, get rid of him.

[WNDS 502]

Although the decision had to be made, it makes no sense that we let him prepare the players for 1 1/2 days for the Saturday game and then proceed to sack him. Don't even know who's doing what now ahead of the weekend.

I would suspect that the delay was due to our need to have everything relating to his short-term replacement confirmed prior to parting ways with Mourinho himself.

[Ossie the King 634]

Although the decision had to be made, it makes no sense that we let him prepare the players for 1 1/2 days for the Saturday game and then proceed to sack him. Don't even know who's doing what now ahead of the weekend.

I don't know if anyone does. Maybe we'll get a manager in who wants to play Papy Djilobodgi. That would be a treat.

Or maybe we'll sign some world-class players in January, rather than doing the business like most clubs do in the summer.

I don't know if people talking about player power have a point or not, but whether intentionally or not they did get Jose sacked to some degree. Matic's form has been nowhere near where it was. Hazard got off to one of his 'late starts' (as if saying it happens every year makes it right and has nothing to do with him always looking overweight in August). Costa completely went off the boil. JT finally seems to be showing his age and wasn't properly replaced.

Just so much going wrong and I don't think Jose should take all of the blame.

[Special Juan 28,141]

We also need a clearout of players at the end of this season. I'd like to see the following move on.

• Ivanovic
• Fabregas
• Oscar
• Mikel
• Ramires

I'm not sure what Terry's role is in all this but in time things may surface and he may need to go as well. Also I think Costa is still one of the best strikers around and deserves another chance.

This. Massive evaluation needs to start now ahead of the summer, we are sitting on a lot of fucking deadwood but also players that would fetch good money. No harmonies just get rid, collect the cash and go and massively improve the team and squad and get us back to an attacking threat and a club that others fear playing.

[AndersonBLUE 819]

And it's mostly the players fault, who have decided game after game not to turn up, apart from Willian.

[Ossie the King 634]

First, welcome to the site.

Great post and i absolutely agree on all points. I understand why Jose got the sack, but I'm still disappointed. He won us the league just 6 months ago. Now he's gone, again.

At a certain point you have to take focus off the manager and look at the players. Cesc, Costa, and Matic's have all dipped dramatically. This is not Jose's fault.

City bought Sterling and Kdb this past transfer window be bought Papay, Hector and Rahman. We have money to spend, but refuse to. Absolutely ridiculous. Jose is gone, I accept that, but this was not all his fault just as the title was not ALL because of him.

Cheers mate. Honestly I've been reading this thread for a while and it became a bit of an echo chamber of about 6 people slagging him off so at least you'll get a few fresh voices saying new things over the next few days.

On the one hand the board have done a tremendous job over the last few years and I'm tremendously excited about the new stadium. But this summer was a major failure. We sold a great goalkeeper to a major rival against the manager's wishes. We signed a player he clearly didn't yearn for whilst making an absolute pig's ear of the John Stones deal (seriously, whoever 'masterminded' that deal did just about everything wrong).

For every one of Jose's mistakes made after the season kicked off, the board made at least the same amount in the summer. Now they've managed to sack our best manager of all time again and pissed off a lot of Chelsea supporters, some of whom they need to keep very onside in the next 12 months. Utter shambles.

[the wes 7,212]

If we bring Simeone keep Costa. If not, get rid of him.

when Costa wants to play hes a good player instead of his childish behavior if simeone gets the job hope he brings koke and griezmman with him