The Mourinho Thread

[nono 791]

I was excited when Mourinho first came but it seems it was all for nothing. Nothing has really changed. Season started off by not strengthening in any of the key areas we needed, i.e defense, central midfield, striker. We got a manager who has us playing extremely negative football. Our best player is benched. Some mediocre players are favored due to good relations with the manager.

Extremely frustrating time to be a Chelsea fan.

[nono 791]

Also people were lapping up Mourinho's comments about youth policy pre season but both De Bruyne and Ginkel are playing side roles. Mostly just lip service from Mourinho.

[Liquidator 5,176]

Also people were lapping up Mourinho's comments about youth policy pre season but both De Bruyne and Ginkel are playing side roles. Mostly just lip service from Mourinho.

We've played 4 games this season....

[Jase 43,479]

Also people were lapping up Mourinho's comments about youth policy pre season but both De Bruyne and Ginkel are playing side roles. Mostly just lip service from Mourinho.

Maybe. Maybe not. It's only 4 games into the season. We'll play lots of games this season. The likes of De Bruyne, Van Ginkel etc will get their chances. At least wait a little while longer before passing judgment.

[Laylabelle 9,351]

We've played 4 games this season....

Exactly!Then again Arsenal had played one game and they were in a massive crisis...a few games on and thats forgotten

[Term-X 7,891]

Our best player is benched.

Hugh?, Hazard WAS playing, he wasn't on the bench.

There was a very physically weak guy with zero pace and no sense of defensive responsibility on the bench though. I think it's that same guy who never turns up for the big games, and can't get into the spanish side, hmm.. starts with an 'M' doesn't it?

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Hugh?, Hazard WAS playing, he wasn't on the bench.

There was a very physically weak guy with zero pace and no sense of defensive responsibility on the bench though. I think it's that same guy who never turns up for the big games, and can't get into the spanish side, hmm.. starts with an 'M' doesn't it?

Doesn't matter

[Sheva. 5,373]

Hugh?, Hazard WAS playing, he wasn't on the bench.

There was a very physically weak guy with zero pace and no sense of defensive responsibility on the bench though. I think it's that same guy who never turns up for the big games, and can't get into the spanish side, hmm.. starts with an 'M' doesn't it?

TBF, Mata turned up for the big games last season. Scored twice vs Man utd, scored twice vs Arsenal and twice vs Spurs. And more than a few assists in those games.

He will soon play his way back into the team, but i still expect him to be on the bench for tough away games where we'll have to play on the counter.

[didierforever 7,349]

Also people were lapping up Mourinho's comments about youth policy pre season but both De Bruyne and Ginkel are playing side roles. Mostly just lip service from Mourinho.

even mata is playing a side role so far and probably lukaku has more minutes than juan does in the 4 games, so by that, will u say that lukaku will play a bigger rile than juan.

plus kdb has started 2 out 4 games, one of which was an away game in the den of the champs. and we had plenty of options to replace him with. so thats a definition of a side role for u?

our first match was hull city - was an easy match with nothing much problem but to expect mou to try on youngsters in his 1st game incharge would have been childish. but still lukaku, mvg get sub appearances. kdb starts.

our 2nd match was against villa, who had just outplayed arsenal at the emirates. not the ideal match for squad rotation. lukaku, mvg get sub appearances.

our 3rd match was against the champions of england in their own den, (kdb - starts), and our 4th match against champions of europe (lukaku get a sub appearance, plus a big responsiblity which he unfortunately bottles up).

mou has given the youth a lot of chance and its not just "lip service"

[Sheva. 5,373]

I was excited when Mourinho first came but it seems it was all for nothing. Nothing has really changed. Season started off by not strengthening in any of the key areas we needed, i.e defense, central midfield, striker. We got a manager who has us playing extremely negative football. Our best player is benched. Some mediocre players are favored due to good relations with the manager.

Extremely frustrating time to be a Chelsea fan.

Why do we need to strengthen defence? we have 2 players for every position, and they're all good. People were only talking about new CB because of the Luiz rumours, and not knowing how JT would play.

In midfield we got MVG who did well in preseason. He needs time to settle in, but i'm sure he will be starting many games soon. And striker has already been addressed.

You must have been deluding yourself if you thought Mourinho was going to come here and play sexy football. He's known for defensive/counter-attacking football. His Real Madrid, Inter and former Chelsea side were all killers on the counter, and he's trying to mold our team into the same. It might not be pretty to some, but it works - just check his medals

And finally the only player that has been favoured is Lampard, i don't know how he gets to start 4 straight games when we have other options on the bench. But meh.

[zolayes 14,489]

Also people were lapping up Mourinho's comments about youth policy pre season but both De Bruyne and Ginkel are playing side roles. Mostly just lip service from Mourinho.

yes I don't understand why he doesn't play everyone for 90minutes every game ... If he did that he WOULD be the Special One

[didierforever 7,349]

Hugh?, Hazard WAS playing, he wasn't on the bench.

There was a very physically weak guy with zero pace and no sense of defensive responsibility on the bench though. I think it's that same guy who never turns up for the big games, and can't get into the spanish side, hmm.. starts with an 'M' doesn't it?

never turns up on the big games??

so united, arsenal,tottenham are not big enough for u?

0 pace and no sense of defensive responsibility. hahahahahahaha

mata IS our best player. he was awarded not just the chelsea player of the year but also the player's player of the year. that should tell u exactly who even the professional players think is our best player.

[Liquidator 5,176]

Hugh?, Hazard WAS playing, he wasn't on the bench.

There was a very physically weak guy with zero pace and no sense of defensive responsibility on the bench though. I think it's that same guy who never turns up for the big games, and can't get into the spanish side, hmm.. starts with an 'M' doesn't it?

Can't believe how you are now just slagging off our best player for the past 2 seasons already because he isn't match fit to show what he can do.

1) Yes he isn't very strong but neither is Hazard

2) He isn't very quick but his job isn't to be quick, it is to create chances. He usually plays in the middle so it isn't as necessary for him to have a lot of pace

3) Attacking midfielder. There's a clue in the name. However, if you do want to go on about defensive responsibility then I suggest you lot at some of Hazard's piss poor defensive work from games last season.

4) Now this is hilarious.

Last season alone:

Assist and goal vs Arsenal away

2 goals and assist vs Spurs away

Goal vs Man United home

Only goal vs Norwich away

Goal vs Arsenal home

Only goal vs Man United away

2011/12

Best player vs Arsenal home

2 assists vs Valencia home

Only goal vs Fulham home and QPR (FA Cup) away

Goal vs Man U home

Winning goal vs Wigan home

Goal vs Spurs FA Cup semi final

Assist and MOTM vs Liverpool FA Cup final

Assist Champions League final

I don't get what more you want him to do in 'big games' to be honest. Probably been listening to media drivel that he hasn't shown up for them when he has consistently been one of our best players in them.

5) He can't get into it because he isn't 100% match fit at the moment maybe?

[Liquidator 5,176]

Extremely frustrating time to be a Chelsea fan.

Is this a joke? I wasn't around then, but google the 1982-83 season, where a loss on the last day of the season would most likely have been the end of us. Puts things into perspective for you.

[Term-X 7,891]

Man-City and the big european nights, minus the odd anomaly like the corner in the 2012 final or whatever the hell he did against Barca in the semi-final. These are games that define seasons..

0 pace and no sense of defensive responsibility. hahahahahahaha

No rebuttal ey..

Speaks volumes.

mata IS our best player. he was awarded not just the chelsea player of the year but also the player's player of the year. that should tell u exactly who even the professional players think is our best player.

No, it tells us we lacked options and Mata stood out like a sore thumb in the worst era of Roman's reign.

[Liquidator 5,176]

Man-City and the big european nights, minus the odd anomaly like the corner in the 2012 final or whatever the hell he did against Barca in the semi-final. These are games that define seasons..

so it's just the games against Man City that decide where we finish in the Premier League? Last time I checked we play 18 other teams twice as well. There is no such thing as 'big games' in the league. You win by consistency, not just beating big teams. You can have home wins against Man City, United, Spurs etc. all you want but if you are dropping points at Stoke, Palace and Fulham then you won't win the league.

Its up to the team to perform on big European nights, not just one player. He shouldn't be expected to be the standout performer every European game, even though he was often one of our best players. Anyway, I've already pointed out, his performances in 'big games' are not just an anomaly.

[didierforever 7,349]

Man-City and the big european nights, minus the odd anomaly like the corner in the 2012 final or whatever the hell he did against Barca in the semi-final. These are games that define seasons..

No rebuttal ey..

Speaks volumes.

No, it tells us we lacked options and Mata stood out like a sore thumb in the worst era of Roman's reign.

the worst era of roman's reign won us a CL, an FA cup and a EL. a lot more than what we acheived and won in any 2 years of his best era.

man-utd, tottenham and arsenal are totally overlooked but one man city side whose physicality does give mata problems should be the sole criteria to judge him.

by the way mata's performances against city and our results against city should tell u exactly how depended we are(were) on mata to win us games.

bayern munich and barcelona - 10 men were behind the ball and we had "officially" parked the bus with just drogba up ahead but u wanted mata to create something when he recieved the ball about 80 yards from the goal. seems easy, heh? how many total attacks did we have in 300 minutes of football in those games?

no sense of responsibility - what was barca then? his defensive frivolities should not be taken as lack of responsiblity. that statement is childish and downright degrading to a person who puts his heart out there every time he wears the blue shirt.

by the way u were saying something about him not being our best player. u dint say anything more on that when i pointed out to u that mata was not only chelsea's player of the year but even the fan's player of the year too.

NO COMEBACKS? cat got your tongue? speaks volumes.

[Term-X 7,891]

@Liquidator

Mourinho wants a tactically disciplined playmaker, Mata isn't that, as he's shown (not just in the big games) but throughout his time here. Hence why Jose even labeled Mata as a winger when questioned about his role (direct quotes). He doesn't track back, nor does he have the work rate Oscar possesses.