The Mourinho Thread

[Fulham Broadway 17,810]

And that movement is evident in a lot of play....except for Costa. I have no idea what went wrong with him but his movement has been atrocious in every regard this season.

I get that some people want to paint Jose as being pragmatic to the point of not wanting to score goals, but I don't think anyone can have his level of success without knowing how to do things at both ends of the pitch.

Maybe he 'closed us down' too early last season so we coasted to the title (certainly holds some merit) but we simply didn't get going this season and a lot of that has to do with us not improving the squad in the summer. No team can stand still off the pitch and expect to get better on it.

The club stood still in the summer and Jose never had the tools necessary to mount a title defence. It shouldn't have gotten this bad though.

Costa came back with a muffin top. As wee Pat said, if hed stuck in half the one on ones hed had with keepers we'd be talking about the top four. Substitute the lairy one with Lewandowski and we'd be in the top four.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

and yet Steve Holland said they worked hard in training on movement in attack.

Another betrayal by players perhaps?

And what does "movement" have to do with being able to build an attacking philosophy? Not much. Movement isn't going to break down a team playing low block for 90 minutes. And besides, movement is but only one facet of building an attacking philosophy like for instance, keeping the defensive line in building an organised defense.

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

Idiots. Atmosphere next Saturday will be fucking choking, lots of booing; lots of Mou chants; probably irrational but considering who Jose is to this club completely understandable, whereas nearly all of the players couldn't care less at the end of the day. Many will be booed, completely deservedly - the players can't win whether they perform well or badly now.

I'm still disgusted. Fucking vilified even, because it should be on the players, but no we took the easy way out and got rid of the manager instead. He oozes blue, unless we appoint a former player no other manager will come close to that and even then not to the same skillset as Mourinho and quite frankly we're rotten to the core as a club now, just another plastic facade with no identity.

Chrismada9; exactly what I feel, cheers for the video.

[Changingman_2000 876]

[ZanSnake 1,211]

So an exodus of Mourinho's usual posse then

[zolayes 14,489]

So an exodus of Mourinho's usual posse then

hope he takes Brana and Costa as well

[Rhino's Skin 972]

And what does "movement" have to do with being able to build an attacking philosophy? Not much. Movement isn't going to break down a team playing low block for 90 minutes. And besides, movement is but only one facet of building an attacking philosophy like for instance, keeping the defensive line in building an organised defense.

Its what you were on about it your post I answered.....so I remained specific to that point.

Steve Holland mentioned other stuff they worked on in attack as well

[Kostas 1,468]

Hahaha well it had to be something enormous to bring you back here.

A CL final or a relegation would have worked just as fine. I feel like I'm too old to be bothered about managerial BS anymore. That's modern football I guess.. It could only get worse if JT moves to the MLS or something instead of retiring here.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Its what you were on about it your post I answered.....so I remained specific to that point.

Steve Holland mentioned other stuff they worked on in attack as well

Holland can say what he wants. It's all words if you can't show if Mourinho and his management staff can't show it on the pitch. We're the most turgid team to watch despite having a collection of the best attackers in the Premier league. So then what the hell are they "working on" exactly? Maybe he's just not good enough at "working on" it and that's one of the reasons he's no longer the manager.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

A CL final or a relegation would have worked just as fine. I feel like I'm too old to be bothered about managerial BS anymore. That's modern football I guess.. It could only get worse if JT moves to the MLS or something instead of retiring here.

Club is slowly running out of 'leaders'..

[nullabletype 987]

And what does "movement" have to do with being able to build an attacking philosophy? Not much. Movement isn't going to break down a team playing low block for 90 minutes. And besides, movement is but only one facet of building an attacking philosophy like for instance, keeping the defensive line in building an organised defense.

Mate, have you put your hat in the ring for the job cause you seem to know your stuff. When did you get your pro license anyway?

[zolayes 14,489]

A CL final or a relegation would have worked just as fine. I feel like I'm too old to be bothered about managerial BS anymore. That's modern football I guess.. It could only get worse if JT moves to the MLS or something instead of retiring here.

I thought you were the ALL seeing Oracle .. can't you see JT is off to Spurs in January ..mm seriously WELCOME BACK

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Mate, have you put your hat in the ring for the job cause you seem to know your stuff. When did you get your pro license anyway?

Why, thank you.

[Ossie the King 634]

Costa came back with a muffin top. As wee Pat said, if hed stuck in half the one on ones hed had with keepers we'd be talking about the top four. Substitute the lairy one with Lewandowski and we'd be in the top four.

That's something I've said about Hazard, but you're right that Costa came back a bit podgy too.

Maybe that's on Jose though. We started the season slow and you wonder what the hell we were playing at in pre-season.

And what does "movement" have to do with being able to build an attacking philosophy? Not much. Movement isn't going to break down a team playing low block for 90 minutes. And besides, movement is but only one facet of building an attacking philosophy like for instance, keeping the defensive line in building an organised defense.

That sorta reminds me of when someone is blagging a presentation so throws in buzzwords and technical terms.

I'm just going to run this up the flagpole, but you can look at any of his teams across the years and see patterns of attacking play that produce measurable results. The league has become more competitive though and you need to constantly improve your squad or you fall behind. We didn't do that and what's worse, the players we already have (except Willian) performed poorly.

[SinineUltra 1,170]

Mate, have you put your hat in the ring for the job cause you seem to know your stuff. When did you get your pro license anyway?

Don't bother. His answers are the same every time and he ignores the main points.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Holland can say what he wants. It's all words if you can't show if Mourinho and his management staff can't show it on the pitch. We're the most turgid team to watch despite having a collection of the best attackers in the Premier league. So then what the hell are they "working on" exactly? Maybe he's just not good enough at "working on" it and that's one of the reasons he's no longer the manager.

Tell you what...ask Steve Holland next time you see him because unlike you I refuse to speculate on what does or does not happen behind closed doors at Cobham.

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Holland can say what he wants. It's all words if you can't show if Mourinho and his management staff can't show it on the pitch. We're the most turgid team to watch despite having a collection of the best attackers in the Premier league. So then what the hell are they "working on" exactly? Maybe he's just not good enough at "working on" it and that's one of the reasons he's no longer the manager.

You sound like a fanatic. You've decided Mourinho is the problem then try and fit an argument around it. Where you let slip just how much is when you say 'if Mourinho and the management staff can't show it on the pitch'. I thought that was the players job?. Don't tell me, when the players struggle to string a few passes together that ........ shows how bad the manager is?

Maybe the players just don't care. How do you explain hazard's poor form? Is it his defensive work that's stopped him attempting to dribble?

[Kostas 1,468]

I thought you were the ALL seeing Oracle .. can't you see JT is off to Spurs in January ..mm seriously WELCOME BACK

Thanks! Can't say if it will be for too long this time around.

Must admit I was very surprised to see your vote in this thread's poll, especially given how you tended to support players/managers for a longer period than most, care to give me a quick rundown of your rationale?

[nullabletype 987]

Why, thank you.

Seriously though, you keep going on about how Mourinho can't coach offensive football when the fact of the matter is you have no idea how the training sessions play out.

What we do know though is that for a period last year we were playing good attacking football, so that would suggest he can do it. Coupled with the fact that this season José, as a manager who typically defends his squad, has openly questioned their lack of intensity and attention to tactical detail and even going as far as to question their passion on CTV. Meanwhile he, as ever, claims to always be looking toward the next win. He is serial winner and a man who absolutely hates to get beaten. So when I see the turgid performances you speak of, I'm more inclined to think it's coming from the 9-10 guys who look totally disinterested on pitch.

[Essien19 1,415]

Very sad news, but good to see that most of you don't lack class and wish him well. I was a bit surprised, i must say.

Now the pro-Mourinho group has done their all, the bigger group who thought it was better to part ways, they have to bring their shit now
I expect the likes of Loftus-Cheek, Baba, Traore, Kenedy, Aina, Musonda and so on to see more and more because their lack of playing time
was on Jose, right?

I read Mourinho cried after the sacking, very very upsetting. "One of us" wasn't just a phrase, imo.

We'll see how it goes long-term, i have decided to come back, because i think the dicussions won't be so one-sided anymore (no harm meant).

Hope no one has a problem with that, at some of you, i don't intend to open a bookstore.

@Zolayes looking forward to speaking with you, bring it, no more Jose around the house, can only get better?