The Mourinho Thread

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

The last 2 weeks summed up the players attitude for whole of this season, miserable, terrible against Bournemouth at home, get up for it against Porto (to ensure they've still got something to play for after Jose is sacked) then back to another half arsed can't rebothered performance against Leicester!

Yes Jose made mistakes & those have done the rounds in here over & over, unfortunately the club were backed into a corner with us being 1 point off a relegation place & with this spineless bunch it was never going to change, they literally threw him under that bus!

Going to be an interesting transfer window in January, hopefully Roman will get rid of some of the gutless arseholes & start to give the growing list of talented young players we have in the ranks a chance & yes I do think Jose should have implemented this (said so a while back) & my biggest beef this season mainly because I think it could of saved him his job. Young players are hungry, they will give you that desire, enthusiasm & show some fight week in week out, José tried everything with the senior players but its been transparent they weren't having any of it. The team lacks leaders & a bond between them, pretty clear there are fractions amongst the squad which doesn't bode well for the interim?!

There might be an initial improvement but I can see us continually flaunting around the relegation zone unless there is one almighty shake up.

As for a new manager, well I don't see Guardiola coming, not sure why Simeone is being touted on here as members have got the arse about Jose defensive style so why would they want him? Think the interim could be in for a hiding to nothing but for me I would upset Spurs & go all out for Pochettino in the summer, this guy is brilliant in bringing through the youth talent & not frightened to either, we have a golden conveyor belt for him to chose from, these lads have been winning things together over the last 4/5 seasons, their all champing at the bit to impress & what better appointment than Poch who has proved it at Southampton too, yes there might be a trophyless season but in the long-term we could be entering a golden era if all that talent is nurtured in a couple of years.

That's my pick too. I'd also like Tuchel. However, our lack of pace at the back pretty much determines our tactical options. Even Jose played a high pressing game at Porto, but couldn't do it here because of Terry's lack of mobility. We saw what happened when AVB tried to do it and stubbornly wouldn't change. We'll see what the new guy wants to do and what kind of "eggs" he has to work with.

Please note that I'm not knocking Terry. He's one of the best defenders to ever play in England IMO. I'm just saying that his mobility doesn't give managers a lot of tactical freedom.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I think when you don't improve the squad sufficiently, you allow complacency in and I think complacent is the nicest way to describe some of the players this season. Our work in the transfer market was appalling and I think the league is so competitive that standing still sees you drop off the pace a huge amount. It was always going to be harder being the champions, but a lack of quality allied with complacency is just asking for trouble.

RLC should've got more minutes, but he also could've put a bit more effort in. I love the look of the lad but he does have the tendency to glide serenely around the pitch, part of which I think is due to it being so easy for him at times in the youth team. I also think Jose was waiting in vain for some consistency from the established names.

I think he's the only person at the club who had an ounce of vision to know where he wanted to take us. Some people might not have liked it, some might've thought it wasn't attacking enough but as in 2007, he was dictating the way this club played football.

Now we have no ethos or philosophy and we won't do for a long time possibly because it will probably be another series of rent-a-coaches in charge.

But we were getting there. We had a philosophy of football, one that valued pragmatism over purity or whatever you might like to describe it. We were the anti-Arsenal in many ways but we didn't do what those other big European clubs do - we didn't invest.

Going back to youth, Jose clearly wanted John Stones and Paul Pogba. He wanted a young spine in that team and he didn't get it.

He got a 30-something Falcao, a 27 year old Djilobodgi and a 28 year old Pedro.

If that's a plan of action then he was always doomed to failure, and so will the next guy, and the next guy etc.

OTK,

I actually don't disagree with you that the summer was absolutely abysmal and that we definitely didn't do enough to move forward, but my issue is that whilst players have become complacent - I can't see how a team of this quality are in the position they are in now. Moyes at United - you could call his season there very similar to ours right now - United were not good enough that season but they never slid down as hard as we did. I have to blame Jose for not managing the situation well enough. Yes, okay, our squad wasn't rejuvenated and I would accept that for a reason if we weren't challenging for the title well enough or even struggling to make the top four BUT we're nearly in the relegation zone. It's an entirely different prospect and unprecedented, and Jose has to take the heat for steering us to where we are right now.

On your rent-a-manager comment, I believe that Roman and the board have learnt enough now to understand that they need to be more patient in appointing or removing managers. They don't seem to be anywhere near as trigger happy - and this is proven by the fact that they gave Jose the time to try and turn it around. Jose didn't manage to do such though.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

As others have pointed out, the transfers or lack of in the summer are not a real point. First off, we still spent more than the vast majority of clubs and bought Pedro who is a great player. Secondly and more importantly, we won the league last year. This is not a team four points out of first where a slight improvement or increased depth would have made a difference. This is a team near the relegation zone despite being filled with quality players. This is probably the worst sustained performance of a team of this quality I can remember.

[iseah100 5,612]

Jose has himself to blame more than anyone else. He wouldn't have been sacked if he didn't manage to steer the quality in this team to 1 point above the relegation zone.

But while the teams around us improved we stood pat and did nothing. We in fact sold a top 5 gk to a direct rival. Jose is only partially at fault. If you think it's all his fault i think you're just flat out wrong.

[The Skipper 20,593]

But while the teams around us improved we stood pat and did nothing. We in fact sold a top 5 gk to a direct rival. Jose is only partially at fault. If you think it's all his fault i think you're just flat out wrong.

I don't think it's all his fault, I voiced my displeasure at the board for not getting in the right players, but he's certainly one of the main reasons why we're a point above relegation.

[Styles 9,790]

People are trying to look at the situation as a whole and examine where it went wrong, and that involved not just Jose but the board and the players.

Either way, the people who are upset, devastated, lost or whatever are still Chelsea supporters. They're the guys you sit next to at the matches, the guys you drink in the pubs with and the guys you travel across land and sea (and Leicester with).

They're not the guys you should be trying to wind up. That's not what Chelsea supporters do now is it?

I've been both devastated and wound up about our form for several weeks.

Having to read people blaming everybody and anything and trying to absolve the man in charge just doesn't sit well with me.

[Jase 43,479]

Not sure who put 'Sacked' in the thread title but I don't think there's any need for that. We all know what happened and some respect for the club's most successful manager would be nice.

[iseah100 5,612]

I don't think it's all his fault, I voiced my displeasure at the board for not getting in the right players, but he's certainly one of the main reasons why we're a point above relegation.

I agree. But Emenalo is also to blame. If he wants to be the spokesperson for the transfer market then he gets blame when he is shit in negotiations.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I agree. But Emenalo is also to blame. If he wants to be the spokesperson for the transfer market then he gets blame when he is shit in negotiations.

But he isn't the sole person responsible, that's my point. It goes further than Emenalo. It goes all the way up to Roman, Marina, Eugene, Bruce Buck etc.

They're all responsible.

[Ossie the King 634]

OTK,

I actually don't disagree with you that the summer was absolutely abysmal and that we definitely didn't do enough to move forward, but my issue is that whilst players have become complacent - I can't see how a team of this quality are in the position they are in now. Moyes at United - you could call his season there very similar to ours right now - United were not good enough that season but they never slid down as hard as we did. I have to blame Jose for not managing the situation well enough. Yes, okay, our squad wasn't rejuvenated and I would accept that for a reason if we weren't challenging for the title well enough or even struggling to make the top four BUT we're nearly in the relegation zone. It's an entirely different prospect and unprecedented, and Jose has to take the heat for steering us to where we are right now.

On your rent-a-manager comment, I believe that Roman and the board have learnt enough now to understand that they need to be more patient in appointing or removing managers. They don't seem to be anywhere near as trigger happy - and this is proven by the fact that they gave Jose the time to try and turn it around. Jose didn't manage to do such though.

Call me naive but I'm firmly of the belief that Jose would've turned it around and got us to mid-table (pause for laughter) but that long-term he was the best manager for the job. I believed that before he came, I believed that in May of this year and I believe it now. It went beyond purely what was on the pitch and into what we were trying to build as a club. Again, I think today we've lost a huge remnant of whatever identity we had as a club and I really think the CPO could be an issue for Roman because of that.

You're perhaps hoping that Roman can develop a cohesive footballing identity that can lead us comfortably over the next decade. I personally don't think the guy knows what he's doing now.

Let's not forget that Roman Abramovich overrode the league-winning manager and sold one of the best keepers in the world to one of our closest rivals.

I don't think it's all his fault, I voiced my displeasure at the board for not getting in the right players, but he's certainly one of the main reasons why we're a point above relegation.

And one of the main reasons we won the league.

There's this cognitive dissonance I'm noticing.

Jose Mourinho - wins league - best manager in country - downturn in form - toxic, deserves sack, cancer etc.

Eden Hazard - wins league - best player in country - downturn in form - one of few elite players in squad, will come good, needs the right coach.

I've been both devastated and wound up about our form for several weeks.

Having to read people blaming everybody and anything and trying to absolve the man in charge just doesn't sit well with me.

But you don't have to read it and you certainly don't have to wind up fellow Chelsea supporters do you? Maybe i'm just old-fashioned.

[Styles 9,790]

You're one of my favroite members on here but the fanboy route is too far.

Ofcourse their will be people with the emotional connection with Jose still, I still do but my club first philosophy made me revert to 'Mou out'.

Tomo, I respect the hell out of you. We've had plenty of disagreements in the past and they are always civil. You're one of the few members I genuinely nejoy having debates with.

The emotional connection to Jose was way OTT. And he played on that. That dynamic between club and manager was unhealthy and it's a massive reason why we are one point above relegation in December.

You backed him as much as you could but then changed your mind because you love the club more than the manager. I will always criticise the so-called Chelsea fans who put the fired one before the club.

My comments aren't direct at you, mate. :tophat:

[Ossie the King 634]

But he isn't the sole person responsible, that's my point. It goes further than Emenalo. It goes all the way up to Roman, Marina, Eugene, Bruce Buck etc.

They're all responsible.

And yet you've advocated sacking one of the top 10 coaches in the world and leaving these people in charge to build something at this club?

What they've shown is that they've learnt nothing from the Rafa debacle.

[Ossie the King 634]

Tomo, I respect the hell out of you. We've had plenty of disagreements in the past and they are always civil. You're one of the few members I genuinely nejoy having debates with.

The emotional connection to Jose was way OTT. And he played on that. That dynamic between club and manager was unhealthy and it's a massive reason why we are one point above relegation in December.

Really? Because for me an emotional connection between the supporters and the coach is something beautiful. To have the identity of the club embodied in one man so well is something of a rarity and you don't know how much you miss it until you're gone. That connection, is wasn't always perfect but there was love their and if you don't have that or if you judge it to be OTT then what are you supporting a club for?

Football is only about emotional connections for fucks sake.

It's a stupid game that has no importance but means everything and you must know that, surely. Yet you're going to use it to anonymously wind people up who you would probably count as your brethren or at the very least someone you have something in common with.

[iseah100 5,612]

But he isn't the sole person responsible, that's my point. It goes further than Emenalo. It goes all the way up to Roman, Marina, Eugene, Bruce Buck etc.

They're all responsible.

I didn't mean he was solely responsible. But he does deserve a fair share of the blame.

[Tomo 21,733]

Tomo, I respect the hell out of you. We've had plenty of disagreements in the past and they are always civil. You're one of the few members I genuinely nejoy having debates with.

The emotional connection to Jose was way OTT. And he played on that. That dynamic between club and manager was unhealthy and it's a massive reason why we are one point above relegation in December.

You backed him as much as you could but then changed your mind because you love the club more than the manager. I will always criticise the so-called Chelsea fans who put the fired one before the club.

My comments aren't direct at you, mate. :tophat:

That's the thing mate, I don't think most put him before the club, atleasr not knowingly, but after so many years being inconsistent and Arsenals whipping boys and (was the case for me) getting rinsed by those United and Arsenal fans in school, for Jose to come in (all be it with money to spend) and win us back to back titles and blow Arsenal out of the water especially, he was always going to impact a lot of people.

And don't worry its sound I know you weren't directing them at me, I've just always been quite defensive off the fan boy craze (unless it was Torres ).

[zolayes 14,489]

@ossie the king ... when you have been here for at least a few months instead of a few hours you will realise that Styles is well respected and not a wind up merchant .

Edited December 17, 2015 by The Skipper
His post was not offensive.

[Styles 9,790]

Really? Because for me an emotional connection between the supporters and the coach is something beautiful. To have the identity of the club embodied in one man so well is something of a rarity and you don't know how much you miss it until you're gone. That connection, is wasn't always perfect but there was love their and if you don't have that or if you judge it to be OTT then what are you supporting a club for?

Football is only about emotional connections for fucks sake.

It's a stupid game that has no importance but means everything and you must know that, surely. Yet you're going to use it to anonymously wind people up who you would probably count as your brethren or at the very least someone you have something in common with.

I loved the old Mourinho. 2004-2007 version is the one I hold dear and think of.

The broken, volatile and cynical version that came in 2013 wasn't an embodiment of Chelsea for me.

I supported the club long before Mourinho and will continue to do so. The connection and admiration I have for guys like Zola, Di Matteo, Drogba, Cech etc is a 9198465920x more powerful than anything I ever felt for Mourinho.

[Styles 9,790]

@ossie the king ... when you have been here for at least a few months instead of a few hours you will realise that Styles is well respected and not a wind up merchant .

his post was far less offensive than yours

@ossie the king isn't new, he's the only place to be

I can tell