The Mourinho Thread

[Muzchap 8,966]

Here's players that have played for Chelsea recently that define Guts:

- Terry

- Lampard

- Drogba

- Essien (pre-injury)

- Ballack

- Zola

- Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (spelling? Been a long time since I wrote that)

- Cech

- Ed de Goey (spelling - see jimmy comment)

- Wise

- Le Saux

- Vialli

- Flo (massively underrated)

- Poyet

- Makalele (Legend!)

- Ferrer (Albert)

- Dan Petrescu

- DiMatteo

- Gudjohnsen (90% last season here he tailed off a bit)

That's enough for now... These players gave everything the minute they stepped across the white line, until the Final Whistle...

We used to have some amazing Strikers - who gave everything fr the club - now I'm struggling to find one! Even with summer signings, we need a 'worker'.

As @The only place to be suggested - Peps teams work hard to create space - we don't at the moment and that WILL change...

We need some dead wood shipped out in the summer and some strategic investments and we will be good for 14/15 Title

[Barbara 15,149]

I had no idea Mourinho said the team had no balls when I've written some of my last posts claiming exactly the same with other words (actually I've said as much in many posts even before this match)

I've been talking about this team having a few mentally weak players for a while now. What else would explain 5 losses prior to nine UCL matches? They can't focus. They're weak because they're still young and not experienced in those things. It's not their fault although Mourinho should be able to identify which ones are really lacking a winning and clutch character and the ones that are still under development.

@Strike might remember better than anyone that I was bitching about Mourinho's tactics prior the match and early on only 10 minutes into the game. He made mistakes, that were supposed to be fixed when Oscar came in, but while we improved we were still heartless and toothless. How many of those matches we lost points to weaker sides were because we were exactly that - heartless and toothless? And how is that Mourinho's fault?

If I was bitching about his tactics before and early in the match, I'm bitching now too, but two wrongs don't make one right. So just because he's made a mistake it doesn't mean the team is faultless. That team should have beaten CP, end of it. Mourinho wasn't playing. Hazard - completely anonymous (as usual in some matches before UCL games); Schurrle lost, Torres useless, Lamps terrible, Luiz providing stupid long passes and long distance shots. It was all a mess because yeah, only the defenders seemed to have put their hearts there and personally I've complained about it a few times this season - even in matches we turned around in the second. And then that's another thing. They've got accommodated. They got used to getting things around in the second, but CP also took levels up in the second and were deserving of the victory.

So yeah, I agree with all of you who said Mourinho made a mistake with a 4-3-3 against Palace.

I also agree with all of you who saw only our defensive players giving their hearts and blood in the pitch. They're paid tons of money, they should at least do that, regardless of how well or bad they are technically at the precise moment.

I also agree we have noticeable mentality issues with many of our players. They can't capitalize before UCL matches, they don't focus and work hard enough against smaller sides. They're weak characters - in some cases that's okay because they're young, but some of them may lack a winning spirit and I've said it many times in this thread in the past months that Mourinho doesn't tolerate those. He'll try to teach them those things, but those who are this way because of their own character and not because of their inexperience have their days counted at the Bridge. I won't miss them no matter how talented they are or not. I don't know who those guys are because I'm not there, I'm not working with him and I can't predict the future. But if there are any they'll be leaving at the end of the next season, if not in the next winter window.

[robdog 2,084]

Here's players that have played for Chelsea recently that define Guts:

- Terry

- Lampard

- Drogba

- Essien (pre-injury)

- Ballack

- Zola

- Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (spelling? Been a long time since I wrote that)

- Cech

- Ed de Goey (spelling - see jimmy comment)

- Wise

- Le Saux

- Vialli

- Flo (massively underrated)

- Poyet

- Makalele (Legend!)

- Ferrer (Albert)

- Dan Petrescu

- DiMatteo

- Gudjohnsen (90% last season here he tailed off a bit)

If you have Poyet, then you can add Geremi, Melchiot & Super Mario Stanić. All had some damn good moments in Blue.

[Jase 43,479]

Mourinho looks to be his 'happy' self once more..

[Jase 43,479]

Chelsea's José Mourinho wary of threat posed by the nouveaux riches of PSG

[Strike 7,490]

We played 41 long balls; 11 more than Crystal Palace - a team managed by Toni Pulis!!!

wow. team really looked lost

[HD3D 1,038]

Luiz played 41 long balls; 11 more than Crystal Palace - a team managed by Toni Pulis!!!

I think that's what you meant lol

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think that's what you meant lol

When a team plays that many long balls, then you can't possibly pin it on one guy. It means that the front 6 did not make nearly enough movement and did not make themselves available to receive the ball.

[robsblubot 3,595]

When a team plays that many long balls, then you can't possibly pin it on one guy. It means that the front 6 did not make nearly enough movement and did not make themselves available to receive the ball.

indeed as it is difficult to pass the football to a player nearby when there isn't anyone nearby, at least not open. Now, that goes into the quality of the passer too: how precise can he pass? Can he pass into space, where his teammate might get to before the opponent? Can he, with his own movement, open up spaces for his teammates? Like Messi and Iniesta do all the time?

Luiz was actually playing well and connecting his (short) passes until he got that knock (check the stats); from then on it went downhill and he was indeed crap. Perhaps (prob) it is what Jose alluded to: that a player must have the mentality to withstand physical punishment imposed by these small sides in the PL. I couldn't agree more, but it's very difficult (as in expensive) to find 11 rounded players who are strong in all areas.

BTW, John Terry may consistently show the right determination, but he was also crap, but for a different reason. IMO he has had poor games lately, but not as bad as scoring an own goal out of nothing. And this drop of form stems from the physical aspect of his game. At 33 he can no longer play twice a week. Even more so for Lampard who once could cope with this type of physicality. That's where "wanting" bad enough just does not cut it; when your legs no longer follow your thoughts. people around here will understand this as soon as they turn 40 like me.

[drog.ba 239]

Needs to develop an additional game plan when we cant counter attack, bring in some players - probably a midfielder and striker who can break down a defence when we are forced to be patient

[Gilvorak 3,734]

He's failed this season no two ways about it. Aesthetically, this is the worst we've played since he's left. It's painful watching us play.

Sold two players with actual end product in Mata and De Bruyne. Let Lukaku and Courtois leave on loan who would have been useful tonight. Spending £30m on Wilian, you're having a laugh.

Bottled the League to fucking Liverpool, got battered in the FA Cup, got knocked out by Sunderland of all teams in the LC & we're barring another 2012 miracle we're out of the CL too.

The only great thing about this season were the Eto'o, Schurrle and Matic signings.

That's two failed seasons in a row for him.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He's failed this season no two ways about it. Aesthetically, this is the worst we've played since he's left. It's painful watching us play.

Sold two players with actual end product in Mata and De Bruyne. Let Lukaku and Courtois leave on loan who would have been useful tonight. Spending £30m on Wilian, you're having a laugh.

Bottled the League to fucking Liverpool, got battered in the FA Cup, got knocked out by Sunderland of all teams in the LC & we're barring another 2012 miracle we're out of the CL too.

The only great thing about this season were the Eto'o, Schurrle and Matic signings.

That's two failed seasons in a row for him.

You're a disgrace. Couldn't wait to stick the boot in eh?

You actually said you want Mata to 'destroy' us when he comes back with United. That is the type of supporter you are. You have no bottle, you have not guts and you have no loyalty.

See you at the trophy parades though yeah.

[Reddish-Blue 2,509]

You're a disgrace. Couldn't wait to stick the boot in eh?

You actually said you want Mata to 'destroy' us when he comes back with United. That is the type of supporter you are. You have no bottle, you have not guts and you have no loyalty.

See you at the trophy parades though yeah.

To be fair, Gilvorak pretty much summed up our season

It's not a disgrace, it's the truth, unfortunately.

This team has a LONG way to go

[xPetrCechx 13,571]

We just lack of top players...

[The only place to be 11,313]

To be fair, Gilvorak pretty much summed up our season

No mate, he hasn't. Once again he's piped up when we've lost again and stuck the knife in on the manager who is clearly still building a team but simply doesn't have the resources he needs because too many cunts were calling for short-term fixes a few years ago and never had any patience.

People like him are the problem at this club. How he can hope that Man United destroy us in the league and then pretend to still be a supporter is beyond me.

[Cech's helmet 220]

Letting Mata go was his dumbest decision. playing Ramires every game is even more stupid.(the dude still is playing on the right wing) other than that, there is no one better than him. we need some midfielders and strikers in the summer.

[Pizy 18,918]

Just hope he has free reign and total authority to rip apart and repair the team in the summer. The quality in our side pales in comparison to Bayern, Madrid, PSG, and even City's.

I hate to sound like a spoiled fan here, but we need some serious investment. Like more than £100m investment like ALL of the big European sides have done and will continue to do. PSG had the likes of Cabaye, Pastore, and Lucas on the bench, Madrid and Bayern can bring a couple of world class players off the bench at any given time, and City can afford to lose their best player and still be the best team in England. Our bench had a shit Torres, an ancient and past it Lamps, and useless Mikel.

[duo11bluecl 207]

Another drubbing of Dortmund-Real style, I am tired of HIS FUCKING NEGATIVITY APPROACH. SPENDING SHIT LOAD OF MONEY THEN FUCKING PARK IT at a decent team. It really wouldn't have matter tonight if Mikel was playing instead of Luiz or Ba instead of Schurrle, it means fk all.

[duo11bluecl 207]

Just hope he has free reign and total authority to rip apart and repair the team in the summer. The quality in our side pales in comparison to Bayern, Madrid, PSG, and even City's.

I hate to sound like a spoiled fan here, but we need some serious investment. Like more than £100m investment like ALL of the big European sides have done and will continue to do. PSG had the likes of Cabaye, Pastore, and Lucas on the bench, Madrid and Bayern can bring a couple of world class players off the bench at any given time, and City can afford to lose their best player and still be the best team in England. Our bench had a shit Torres, an ancient and past it Lamps, and useless Mikel.

GK: Courtois in Cech out

RB: No one in, Dave move there

CB: No one in or out, Ivan and Zouma to add to Cahill and Terry-potentially best in Europe there

LB: Shaw or Ricardo Rodriguez

CDM: Witsel maybe, Lampard, Mikel, Luiz ALL OUT

ST: Costa/Cavani

[The only place to be 11,313]

Just hope he has free reign and total authority to rip apart and repair the team in the summer.

Blimey. That's literally word for word what I was going to say.

He's clearly identified the players he can't trust yet he's still having to play some of them because we made such a mess buying players about 3 years ago. He needs to get rid of some of the deadwood and get the players he wants, although I can sense some people are getting twitchy fingers and are about to start a Mourinho Out thread.

I think this summer will be a massive one for us. At least one striker, at least one midfielder and maybe even a centre-half if Zouma or Kalas isn't quite there.