The Mourinho Thread

[Liquidator 5,176]

Liquid,

Were you watching the game? You sometimes need to watch them games.

Yes I was from my seat in the Shed Upper. I probably do need to watch those games sometimes. I've been to every home game and 12 away games but I face away from the pitch so I never see any of the action.

[bushman 2,043]

Yes I was from my seat in the Shed Upper. I probably do need to watch those games sometimes. I've been to every home game and 12 away games but I face away from the pitch so I never see any of the action.

Most likely, you already had your 5th brewskie, then?

[Joe Cool 388]

It's about time he's stopped with his pathetic media bollox and just given it to the players in public. I don't give a shit what anyone says, pressure deflection, mind games, etc. The bottom line is that we're 5 fucking points behind Liverpool and losing stupid fucking games to teams that we should never be losing to. The players have been due a collective kick up the arse (publicly) for quite some time.

[The only place to be 11,313]

This is getting boring really.

Even with the half ass strikers we had the last season we scored a lot.

Somewhere the idea and philosophy of two seasons clash.

One season of attacking team but faults in defense to another season of well defense minded team to faults in attack.

But we also shipped goals. Sure we could give someone like Mata the freedom of the pitch but it makes us very fragile at the back and that was under both Robbie and Rafa.

We still create a lot of chances under Jose, but simply fail to take them.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Can you please explain to me how our strikers were good enough against big teams and suddenly garbage against 'smaller' teams?

How come Eto, (Torres) and Ba managed to score against Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal, PSG, but failed to score against West Hams and Villas of Premier League?

At home? Because away from home we've scored 2 goals against the 'big' teams, and one of those came from a right-back.

On the other hand against smaller teams who defended first and foremost against us, we couldn't fully implement our counter attacking play and we were somehow average in our attack in posession with bunch of hopeful shots and few clear cut chances which made it harder for our strikers?

I'm not saying that our strikers are great, far from it, I'm just saying that with better attacking plan and play they could chip that 5 or 6 goals extra we needed to become champions.

But the question was are they good enough to win the league because I don't think they are? Are you able to answer this question?

It's not simply about them scoring goals either. It's about them making the right runs to create space for the players behind them. Do any of our strikers do that either?

[didierforever 7,349]

This is getting boring really.

Even with the half ass strikers we had the last season we scored a lot.

Somewhere the idea and philosophy of two seasons clash.

One season of attacking team but faults in defense to another season of well defense minded team to faults in attack.

The faults in attack is that our strikers suck. Nothing else.

We scored a lot of goals last season and where did it get us? Out of CL group stages!!!! Fighting for 4th spot. We are not a defence minded team. There is a difference in being defence minded and being defensively solid.

By the way last season we scored 75 goals and we have alreadt scored 67 this year. Don't get what the problem is.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Everyone thinks our problems will be solved by buying about 5-6 players this summer. That's going to be incredibly hard this summer. Why? Because firstly it's World Cup year, if you want the best deal then clubs have to secure transfers before then and a club with said player would rather wait till after because a good WC for the individual means more demand. That means they can demand a higher price and start a bidding war from everyone. I don't see us buying 5-6, 2-3 most likely simply because of WC and FFP factors.

Secondly let's have a think about who's buying in bulk this summer. City, United, Liverpool, PSG, Real, Barca (if their ban is lifted). City & Real are the money giants right now and giants who are about the lose the league.. We know when they lose the league they want to strengthen as quickly as possible even if their squad is already good enough! Bruce Buck has forever, and every year since, been adamant we won't enter a bidding war with anyone.

[bushman 2,043]

Jose talks a lot of shit with the media. It certainly does not help the players to read about it. To some, it may be to take the pressure off the players. For others, it creates animosity with the media.

Now, if Jose is smart, he gears his energy on Atletico & plays Chelsea´s reserves at Ants field. No matter, what Chelsea does next weekend, the refs won´t allow Chelsea to win that game.

[Jase 43,479]

But we also shipped goals. Sure we could give someone like Mata the freedom of the pitch but it makes us very fragile at the back and that was under both Robbie and Rafa.

We still create a lot of chances under Jose, but simply fail to take them.

True but TBF, that wasn't the case when Mata was still around under Mourinho. Was given a role with responsibilites (especially defensively) but still able to create chances. It's just that comparing him with our other AMs, he can give us that X-factor and create something from nothing for others (apart from Hazard) in final third. Not talking just about playing those through balls, 1-2s with the others but also chances like ball over the top of the opposition's defence when they are parking the bus/defending in numbers in front of us (e.g. Ba's FA Cup goal against United, Torres' league goal against Swansea two seasons ago) and it's these kind of chances at times, this kind of ingenuity, that is missing from our play when the opposition are being stubborn against us.

[Jase 43,479]

it seems the only thing his mind games accomplished was talk us out of the title

maybe he kept saying we're not good enough to win the title one too many times, even our players went on to believe it

if Liverpool could win it, then so could we

I'm sure he would have told the players not to believe what he says in the media. His message would be completely different in the dressing room. If the players are so easily 'persuaded' mentally to believe what Mourinho says in the media, then it's no wonder that we are struggling out on the pitch in the last month or so.

[bushman 2,043]

If that's the case, telling players not to believe what he says with the media, then what did he actually accomplish? Fuck all.

[Jambo 231]

Jose talks a lot of shit with the media. It certainly does not help the players to read about it.

What gets said in the media will have little to no affect on the players. What gets said behind the scenes is what matters. Press conferences and interviews are are all corporate-line bull just to keep the press, public and fans happy.

Just like when you are at the airport and you get told your flight has been delayed for "technical difficulties." There's an engineer behind the scenes saying "the planes fucked."

There are very few managers (and on rare occasions) that will use the press to get a message across to their players. A good manager, especially at the level of Chels and other big clubs in the spotlight will be keeping the players feet on the grounds and telling them not to worry about what the media say.

[Jase 43,479]

If that's the case, telling players not to believe what he says with the media, then what did he actually accomplish? Fuck all.

On one hand, it is probably mind game and his intentions were clearly to take the pressure off the team and heap it onto City. He would be telling the players the opposite thing. But of course, this could have gone either way. If we are in a strong position to win the title like Liverpool now, people would be praising him for doing that but since we are not, people are obviously slam him for saying such things (and some have probably enjoyed it). Hindsight is a wonderful thing, eh?

On the other hand, was it even wrong of Mourinho to say what he did in the media? The issues with this team are clear and any blind fella can even see it themselves but people, more often than not, like to call it mind games, criticize Mourinho etc for saying it because he's Mourinho

[bushman 2,043]

What gets said in the media will have little to no affect on the players. What gets said behind the scenes is what matters. Press conferences and interviews are are all corporate-line bull just to keep the press, public and fans happy.

Just like when you are at the airport and you get told your flight has been delayed for "technical difficulties." There's an engineer behind the scenes saying "the planes fucked."

There are very few managers (and on rare occasions) that will use the press to get a message across to their players. A good manager, especially at the level of Chels and other big clubs in the spotlight will be keeping the players feet on the grounds and telling them not to worry about what the media say.

Wrong assessment, in my view. The players, the club would be much better off if he shuts up.

[bushman 2,043]

On one hand, it is probably mind game and his intentions were clearly to take the pressure off the team and heap it onto City. He would be telling the players the opposite thing. But of course, this could have gone either way. If we are in a strong position to win the title like Liverpool now, people would be praising him for doing that but since we are not, people are obviously slam him for saying such things (and some have probably enjoyed it). Hindsight is a wonderful thing, eh?

On the other hand, was it even wrong of Mourinho to say what he did in the media? The issues with this team are clear and any blind fella can even see it themselves but people, more often than not, like to call it mind games, criticize Mourinho etc for saying it because he's Mourinho

I would rather see Jose not saying anything about it.