The Mourinho Thread

[Chelsea? 892]

https://twitter.com/Mourinhoesque/status/470811452639809536

we lost the title because we didn't really have a striker.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Lol, the fanboyism is strong with this one. So what happened when Mourinho was given squads much better than Porto's and Inter's at Chelsea and Real, let me spell it out for you, 6 CL semis, 0 win, zilch, nada, naught, 1 cup and 1 copa with hundreds of millions of dollars spent in 3 years. The truth is, Jose is sort of a one trick pony, albeit he's extremely good at this trick. If he can't park the bus and has to play attacking football, his team will struggle. For this reason, he has been and will succeed at teams aiming to upset the established order like Chelsea (his first stint), Inter, Porto, etc. but he has been and will fail at teams which are expected to play with dignity and flair like Real.

Real Madrid scored a record number of goals in 2012 under Mourinho. You're not talking much sense.

[Tomo 21,754]

I love how the media have even managed to brainwash even a section off our own supporters with this bus parking bollox, it's truly unbelievable.

The games in question mainly were Old Trafford, The Emirates, The Calederon, Anfield. The first two we approached with the tactic Fergie use to employ a lot in big away games, try and win but also be mindful that a draw away at a title rival (or in United's case who we thought would be one) isn't the end off the world. The latter two we were severly weakened and heading to the home's off the 2 most in form team's in Europe, any one who doesn't go defensive under those circumstances is an idiot and would get the hammering their stupidity deserves (Wenger at Anfield and The Bridge).

Sometimes it's like people don't have their own unique opinions and are just copying and pasting from the daily star website or John Cross's twitter account.

[Styles 9,790]

Mourinho is too loyal to his convictions and systems which is a good thing, but he needs to spread his vision a bit. His style needs some minor adjustments and he needs to offer more offensively. I think that's where he's lacking a bit, how to organize effectively the attack (although clearly his main issue at RM in addition to the dressing room, was the midfield). With us I feel like we have a good set up for the midfield, but I said a lot of times at the beginning of the season I think our squad is more suited to a 4-3-3 than a 4-2-3-1, but he won't let the 4-2-3-1 go. So either he signs the players to make that happen or he has to move to a 4-3-3. It's just some small adjustments, I'm not complaining about Mourinho. He had a season to evaluate Chelsea and English football (neither are the same from the last time he was here) and now he has to make his move.

[Zinedine Iniesco 172]

It is no doubt important to defend with 8 at the very least(important matches anyways), 4-2-3-1 implies a more complicated and less natural defensive scheme for attackers. 4-3-3 is prob the most fashionable formation atm as you have 3 midfielders which is one more that 4-2-3-1 while one of the three forwards can help from a little to alot depending on opponent.

[The Skipper 20,609]

It is no doubt important to defend with 8 at the very least(important matches anyways), 4-2-3-1 implies a more complicated and less natural defensive scheme for attackers. 4-3-3 is prob the most fashionable formation atm as you have 3 midfielders which is one more that 4-2-3-1 while one of the three forwards can help from a little to alot depending on opponent.

The 4-2-3-1 isn't as rigid as you're trying to make it sound. Someone like Oscar can easily drop off to alter the shape into a true 4-3-3.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

The 4-4-2 was destroyed by Jose when he came to England. Brought his 4-3-3, stuck an extra man in midfield and we dominated. I actually think that there could be a change next season, and we might move away from the 4-2-3-1.

[Zinedine Iniesco 172]

The 4-2-3-1 isn't as rigid as you're trying to make it sound. Someone like Oscar can easily drop off to alter the shape into a true 4-3-3.

I think one of the reasons Jose has stuck with the 4-2-3-1 is because you can have a more attacking counter setup, my point being that with a 4-3-3 you always have three midfielders, you have more midfield tools to pass, block, intercept, etc, with the 4-2-3-1 yes you can drop off but that also comes with a bit of a connotation that, that is not their main purpose, which is different with a 4-3-3. With 4-2-3-1 you can arguably notice the lack of forward tracking, something that was seen from hazard against atletico for example.

[The Skipper 20,609]

The 4-4-2 was destroyed by Jose when he came to England. Brought his 4-3-3, stuck an extra man in midfield and we dominated. I actually think that there could be a change next season, and we might move away from the 4-2-3-1.

Change to what? Problem is, not a lot of teams genuinely play a rigid 4-4-2 anymore.

[The Skipper 20,609]

I think one of the reasons Jose has stuck with the 4-2-3-1 is because you can have a more attacking counter setup, my point being that with a 4-3-3 you always have three midfielders, you have more midfield tools to pass, block, intercept, etc, with the 4-2-3-1 yes you can drop off but that also comes with a bit of a connotation that, that is not their main purpose, which is different with a 4-3-3. With 4-2-3-1 you can arguably notice the lack of forward tracking, something that was seen from hazard against atletico for example.

Atletico game isn't really a good example considering we played more of the 4-3-3 you're describing (like we do in most of the bigger games anyway).

[Zinedine Iniesco 172]

Atletico game isn't really a good example considering we played more of the 4-3-3 you're describing (like we do in most of the bigger games anyway).

Not really when it comes to tasks. 4-3-3's how i see them have specific tasks for much of the game. A drop off doesn't mean true 4-3-3 at all.

A midfielder in Hazard's place would have probably tracked the run. Defense was also quite stretched, to have an attacker defend a diagonal like that is a bit of a stretch.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Not really when it comes to tasks. 4-3-3's how i see them have specific tasks for much of the game. A drop off doesn't mean true 4-3-3 at all.

A midfielder in Hazard's place would have probably tracked the run. Defense was also quite stretched, to have an attacker defend a diagonal like that is a bit of a stretch.

Fair enough - but tasks/roles are different from formations set. You can still deploy a more defensive 4-2-3-1, it really just depends on the role you give your players.

I'd still argue that that formation against Atletico was a 4-3-3.

[Rom2013 446]

FOr me what makes the true difference between the 4-3-3 are the players not the way we play. If you have a Matic, Ramires and Oscar no matter how they play this is a 4-2-3-1, if we play with Lampard (OScar out) it would be a 4-3-3.

If you have players that are no.10's you won't play in 4-3-3 because for that you need players like Lampard, Gerrard, Schweinsteiger, VIdal. Players less offensive, but a lot more complete than a true number 10 like Oscar, Kaka, Ozil, etc.

That will depend on the quality of players, but in football we have more great players similar to Oscar, than similar to Lampard.

[Barbara 15,149]

FOr me what makes the true difference between the 4-3-3 are the players not the way we play. If you have a Matic, Ramires and Oscar no matter how they play this is a 4-2-3-1, if we play with Lampard (OScar out) it would be a 4-3-3.

If you have players that are no.10's you won't play in 4-3-3 because for that you need players like Lampard, Gerrard, Schweinsteiger, VIdal. Players less offensive, but a lot more complete than a true number 10 like Oscar, Kaka, Ozil, etc.

That will depend on the quality of players, but in football we have more great players similar to Oscar, than similar to Lampard.

mate, Oscar excels in Brazil NT's 4-3-3... I don't know what you're talking about when you say he makes the system a 4-2-3-1. He's much more suited for a 4-3-3 than for a 4-2-3-1 at this point in his development curve.

[Rom2013 446]

mate, Oscar excels in Brazil NT's 4-3-3... I don't know what you're talking about when you say he makes the system a 4-2-3-1. He's much more suited for a 4-3-3 than for a 4-2-3-1 at this point in his development curve.

Brazil plays exactly the same way Portugal did for more than 10 years (including with Scolari, right now is a little different because we don't have Deco anymore), the same way Chelsea does it, or last year Madrid. A 4-2-3-1 with Oscar as number 10.

It's something different from what right now Portugal do with Moutinho, or Spain with Inista and Xavi when Alonso is not in the field. That's a 4-3-3. Not Brazil.

[Fernando 6,743]

I love how the media have even managed to brainwash even a section off our own supporters with this bus parking bollox, it's truly unbelievable.

The games in question mainly were Old Trafford, The Emirates, The Calederon, Anfield. The first two we approached with the tactic Fergie use to employ a lot in big away games, try and win but also be mindful that a draw away at a title rival (or in United's case who we thought would be one) isn't the end off the world. The latter two we were severly weakened and heading to the home's off the 2 most in form team's in Europe, any one who doesn't go defensive under those circumstances is an idiot and would get the hammering their stupidity deserves (Wenger at Anfield and The Bridge).

Sometimes it's like people don't have their own unique opinions and are just copying and pasting from the daily star website or John Cross's twitter account.

We did play some attacking futbol, but after the Sunderlan defeat in the Capital One we revert to a more defensive mind approach (coincidentally this is when Oscar disappear as well).

In fact Mounrinho said this, that he had to change that style to a less pragmatic approach in order to secure top 4.

I wonder, will we be struggling again to qualify for top 4 this season if he goes to what he was trying at the beginning of the season?

[Tomo 21,754]

We did play some attacking futbol, but after the Sunderlan defeat in the Capital One we revert to a more defensive mind approach (coincidentally this is when Oscar disappear as well).

In fact Mounrinho said this, that he had to change that style to a less pragmatic approach in order to secure top 4.

I wonder, will we be struggling again to qualify for top 4 this season if he goes to what he was trying at the beginning of the season?

Im not saying he hasn't been cautious at times, i just find this 'park the bus' notion baseless rubbish. After he accused Big Sam of '19th century football' we kept hearing the same line 'how can Jose say that when he does it himself?' when the thing is he doesn't.

I was at The Bridge that night and the game, especially the 2nd half followed the same pattern, WHU defence hoofs it, Caroll headers down, JT or Cahill sweep up, Chelsea attack, Collins blocks or Adrian saves, rinse and repeat, shot count that night was 39-1 in our favour.

Mou in either spell at Chelsea never went as defensive as WHU did that night, so people saying it's a 'bit rich' of Mou to criticise the gum chewer are brainwashed with this tedious myth's or didn't watch the games Mou allegedly parked the bus.

[remains of the day 564]

Im not saying he hasn't been cautious at times, i just find this 'park the bus' notion baseless rubbish. After he accused Big Sam of '19th century football' we kept hearing the same line 'how can Jose say that when he does it himself?' when the thing is he doesn't.

I was at The Bridge that night and the game, especially the 2nd half followed the same pattern, WHU defence hoofs it, Caroll headers down, JT or Cahill sweep up, Chelsea attack, Collins blocks or Adrian saves, rinse and repeat, shot count that night was 39-1 in our favour.

Mou in either spell at Chelsea never went as defensive as WHU did that night, so people saying it's a 'bit rich' of Mou to criticise the gum chewer are brainwashed with this tedious myth's or didn't watch the games Mou allegedly parked the bus.

I'm with you that some are falling too easily for the media driven rhetoric about Jose being this football ruining manager who always sets his team up to 'park the bus'. But I don't blame people for criticizing him for his 19th century jab. Regardless of the differences between our defensive displays under Jose vs what West Ham did when they played us...the fact is Jose has used those sort of tactics before. Maybe not to that extreme but It doesn't have to be identical to the way West Ham played for it to be constituted under the label of 'parking the bus'. Sam Allardyce did what he thought was necessary in order for his team to get a result at a hard ground, at the time they had only won two games in their last 7 or something like that so he set his players up to defend and run down the clock. Jose has had absolutely no qualms in using similar strategies when required, so him belittling it as outdated simply because he was on the receiving end of it, was indeed ironic.

What I don't understand is why folks are blowing it out of proportion. Managers say hypocritical things all the time. But it's Mourinho - he can't so much as say a word that resembles any kind of complaint without people foaming at the mouth.

[iseah100 5,612]

Wanna hear what my friend, who thinks he knows football, said about Chelsea's playing style? Here ya go:P

" Mou played with 6 in the back and one striker for like 3 months, he doesn't even use midfielders besides Matic. He didn't even play a natural CAM anymore it was a 7-2-1. Ramires, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Luiz, Azpi, Hazard, Matic/Mikel, Torres."

He then said Mou "plays" with a 4-2-3-1 but not really.

"Its a 4-2-3-1, but everyone drops back except Torres. Mou was even bitching at Hazard because he didn't know how to mark. Hazard, Willan drop all the way back and played as wing backs, the midfielders form a line of 3 and Torres stays on top, when its a counter Hazard and Willan run up, unless they are playing a shit team. Then they attack."

I told him everyone has to track back on Mou's teams, but on the counter they attacked like normal. Our wingers just didn't creat chances, or have anyone to create for.

Please someone say something to stop me from laughing.

He also said we parked the bus against City, Pool, Atleti.

[robdog 2,084]

He also said we parked the bus against City, Pool, Atleti.

ScoreBoard!!!

All you have to do is say what was the score against those 3 teams. He will realize that CFC came out on top in two of those cases. He must be a manure supporter