The Mourinho Thread

[Blue Gino 377]

Last season Jose said buying is done after Salah and Matic. Strictly speaking big names not youth players like Pasalic last season. I doubt he's lying. He wanted to get transfers out of the way and start sorting out squad players and if anything there will be nothing but loans and sales from here on till the deadline. Look how the club have progressed at eliminating debt to comply with FFP, you think they can generate enough sales to fund 60 million for Pogba or close to that for Cavani? Maybe they find a bargain out there but Jose spoke of building a team for the next decade and wants include 3 to 4 youth players in the squad and Terry even said a few will surprise people out there so I'm trusting Jose's words and let all the bullshit from the media fly to sell papers as far as I'm concerned

://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/25/mourinho-chelsea-finished-january-transfer-window

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Damn it @Barbara, stop writing what I want to say!

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Too long without Mourinho press conference i missed it so much, can't wait to hear what he'll say this season after last year "Specialist in failure" he's obviously already start the fight against wenger now after what he said on fabregas.

He really didn't say anything about Fabregas. This is what's so sad about the British media. Mourinho said nothing bad but because it's him the clueless hacks create a non-story using sensationalist headlines. It's just a sad reflection of the football culture in Britain, most especially in England. The players are bang average. The pundits are completely clueless. They know nothing about European football when compared to their European counterparts. "If it didn't happen in the Premiership, it didn't happen" is the mentality. The coaches are dire and antiquated, emphasizing physicality and "passion" over technical and tactical skill. The big, bulky kid always get's an advantage over the smaller more skilled ones in youth set-ups. This among many reasons is why England only have one World Cup to show despite apparently being a "big" footballing nation.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Omar Momani cracks me up everytime

[Jase 43,479]

no, sweetie, I'm not calling you delusional.

I'm saying the idea of having such big players as simply backups is an illusion. Ramires is a more than decent squad player. I don't want him to start our every match (he might though), but he's a very good squad player and so is Mikel imo.

It's delusional of us to expect such quality in a team's bench. It isn't attainable imo. To have players better than Ramires and Mikel as simple squad members and ignore potentials such as Marco, isn't something that I'd call possible or real.

It's only delusional when people make it out as if I'm asking the club to buy 2 world class players for every position. All I've been saying from the start is we need 1 more good midfielder as a 2nd choice because I'm not fully convinced with our midfield options. JUST ONE! It's not really "delusional" to have 1 good player sitting on the bench especially when you consider the rotation/suspension/injuries factors in and it's definitely not "delusional" when only a few seasons ago, we had like really good players sitting on the bench, being the second choices in the team. But if you think that's "delusional", then go ahead and think so.

And how does Tiago not fit that mould? Bar Matic he was better than all of our other options last season.

This.

While signing Tiago will add further number of options in the squad, people need to acting like he's only 25 y/o and is entering his prime/peak year. He's already 33, well past his peak and yet the way people have been going on about him is like he's gonna be our saviour in that midfield and thrash every player we come up against.

[Madmax 9,219]

This.

Why does it matter that he's 33 and not 25? You said it yourself - you want someone to add numbers and options without necessarily being world class, and Tiago does exactly that. You're stuck in a dichotomy there - you want someone good but aren't sold on Tiago because he won't 'thrash every midfield we come across' - which is what 'decent/good' but not world class players do. And I don't think anyone's hailing Tiago as our saviour - people are saying he's a good squad option, which is exactly what he is.

[xPetrCechx 13,598]

0-2 Down.

Sack Him.

[Jase 43,479]

Why does it matter that he's 33 and not 25? You said it yourself - you want someone to add numbers and options without necessarily being world class, and Tiago does exactly that. You're stuck in a dichotomy there - you want someone good but aren't sold on Tiago because he won't 'thrash every midfield we come across' - which is what 'decent/good' but not world class players do. And I don't think anyone's hailing Tiago as our saviour - people are saying he's a good squad option, which is exactly what he is.

Not sold on Tiago because I'm not sure what he adds to the squad besides depth and experience. Of course I could be eating my own words sometime soon (assuming he signs) but while he can perhaps do a decent job when called upon, I don't think he's the bridge that ensures there's no disparity (or minimal as possible) between the first and second choice players. That was the point. Apologies if I have made it too confusing.

[Barbara 15,149]

Khedira? The more realistic option at the moment..

Not terrible...on paper. Decent only in reality.

It's only delusional when people make it out as if I'm asking the club to buy 2 world class players for every position. All I've been saying from the start is we need 1 more good midfielder as a 2nd choice because I'm not fully convinced with our midfield options. JUST ONE! It's not really "delusional" to have 1 good player sitting on the bench especially when you consider the rotation/suspension/injuries factors in and it's definitely not "delusional" when only a few seasons ago, we had like really good players sitting on the bench, being the second choices in the team. But if you think that's "delusional", then go ahead and think so.

This.

Still you don't think keeping a player of Khedira's caliber in the bench isn't sort of having two world class players for each position.

Khedira who when isn't recovering from injury is Germany's and RM's first choice... you want that guy to come here to warm our bench until Matic or another of our midfielders can't play.

That isn't realistic imo. Not for a club and not for a player like Sami. He wouldn't come here to play that role.

Damn it @Barbara, stop writing what I want to say!

I learn from the wise (which means you and @Mohammed Seif)

(also someone had to stop the nonsense

I'll try to wait for you in the morning next time)

[Jase 43,479]

Still you don't think keeping a player of Khedira's caliber in the bench isn't sort of having two world class players for each position.

Khedira who when isn't recovering from injury is Germany's and RM's first choice... you want that guy to come here to warm our bench until Matic or another of our midfielders can't play.

That isn't realistic imo. Not for a club and not for a player like Sami. He wouldn't come here to play that role.

You have so completely exaggerated the point..

Anyway, agree to disagree.

[Jase 43,479]

Louis van Gaal is honest rather than arrogant, says Jose Mourinho

[Chelsea? 892]

Abramovich's Absentee Academy

Chelsea have preached owner Roman Abramovich's desire to build through their youth academy, yet the club have spent more than 175 million pounds on first-team players in the past year. What gives? Mark Worrall »

http://www.espnfc.us/club/chelsea/363/blog/post/1954369/bright-chelsea-academy-yet-to-deliver

Article made me so mad! but we should just atleast force a youth player through

[Fernando 6,743]

Abramovich's Absentee Academy

Chelsea have preached owner Roman Abramovich's desire to build through their youth academy, yet the club have spent more than 175 million pounds on first-team players in the past year. What gives? Mark Worrall »

http://www.espnfc.us/club/chelsea/363/blog/post/1954369/bright-chelsea-academy-yet-to-deliver

Article made me so mad! but we should just atleast force a youth player through

When I read this:

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich continues to bankroll lavish spending despite the club's assertion it wants to build through its academy.

I hhave a hard time taking them serious.

Cause first of all this whole year Chelsea has sold to buy new players.

Then there's the fact that the club makes revenue.

Are the revenues and players being sold not enough that it still has to come out of Roman wallet?

Just very poor analysis to me it seems.

[Chelsea? 892]

When I read this:

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich continues to bankroll lavish spending despite the club's assertion it wants to build through its academy.

I hhave a hard time taking them serious.

Cause first of all this whole year Chelsea has sold to buy new players.

Then there's the fact that the club makes revenue.

Are the revenues and players being sold not enough that it still has to come out of Roman wallet?

Just very poor analysis to me it seems.

exactly. we havent made a signing since maybe Torres and Luiz where Roman had to probably finance the deal. we need to start getting credit for being the ONLY major club that gives any regard to FFP

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Abramovich's Absentee Academy

Chelsea have preached owner Roman Abramovich's desire to build through their youth academy, yet the club have spent more than 175 million pounds on first-team players in the past year. What gives? Mark Worrall »

http://www.espnfc.us/club/chelsea/363/blog/post/1954369/bright-chelsea-academy-yet-to-deliver

Article made me so mad! but we should just atleast force a youth player through

it will be bittersweet the day we do bring through a talent from the academy. they will be under a microscope by everyone else as they will be the first.. it will be a lot of pressure.

[Henrique 9,133]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2698182/Jose-Mourinho-believes-Premier-League-strongest-world-football.html

Mourinho is wrong about this one. I watched a Paul Braitner interview, where he said that PL, just like brazilian football, stop its development. He believes PL was the best league until 2009, but the teams stopped looking elsewhere.

PL is not the strongest in the world anymore, it still is my favorite league, but not the strongest. We just need to look at english clubs record in Europe in past seasons. Since 2009, when United were favorites, but lost to Barcelona, we only had english teams involved in 2 finals out of 5, in both finals those teams were underdogs: United got smashed by Barcelona in 2011, and Chelsea win in 2012 was a result of the heroic efforts from the players, and not a result of dominant football.

We just need to compare english top teams from past season with those ones from 2005 and 2009. Liverpool had some miserable seasons, and is only returning to UCL this season, but right now without their big star, we can't see them emulating Benitez team success. United is in decline since they let Ronaldo leave. They got weaker season after season. Even in 2013, their last successful season, their european campaign was embarrassing. City won 2 of the last 3 domestic league, but in Europe they are non-existent. Chelsea never managed to be as strongest as in the old days, 2 season ago the team was ou in the group stage.

PL can't attract the best players anymore, since 2009 PL lost the likes of Modric, Fabregas, Ronaldo, Tevez, Suarez, Bale. Fabregas is back, but he is back because his return to Barcelona never went according to the plan. Cavani, Falcao, Kroos, James Rodriguez, Guardiola, all those guys decided to go to another league (even Mourinho returned because his life in Spain was not exactly what he expected).

Well, do we have more competition in PL? Last season was an anomaly, PL usually is a two horse race, its Chelsea/United, Liverpool/Manchester, City/United, and in some season we know who is going to win in the half of it, like Manchester in 12/13, or Chelsea in 05/06, and even if that was the case, its the same argument some crazy people use to say brazilian league is the best in the world: in the start of the season we have up to 6 teams fighting for the trophy, while is Spain its always Real vs Barcelona...

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Measure a league in terms of entertainment value, nothing comes close to the EPL.

[Fernando 6,743]

Measure a league in terms of entertainment value, nothing comes close to the EPL.

Entertainment value?

Ehmmm Bundesliga is a heck of a lot of fun.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Entertainment value?

Ehmmm Bundesliga is a heck of a lot of fun.

How many games before the final match day was the title won?

Entertainment value in the sense that there are a lot of background stories behind a particular match. No other league offers that on a constant basis. Not to forget the anyone can beat anyone idea.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2698182/Jose-Mourinho-believes-Premier-League-strongest-world-football.html

Mourinho is wrong about this one. I watched a Paul Braitner interview, where he said that PL, just like brazilian football, stop its development. He believes PL was the best league until 2009, but the teams stopped looking elsewhere.

PL is not the strongest in the world anymore, it still is my favorite league, but not the strongest. We just need to look at english clubs record in Europe in past seasons. Since 2009, when United were favorites, but lost to Barcelona, we only had english teams involved in 2 finals out of 5, in both finals those teams were underdogs: United got smashed by Barcelona in 2011, and Chelsea win in 2012 was a result of the heroic efforts from the players, and not a result of dominant football.

We just need to compare english top teams from past season with those ones from 2005 and 2009. Liverpool had some miserable seasons, and is only returning to UCL this season, but right now without their big star, we can't see them emulating Benitez team success. United is in decline since they let Ronaldo leave. They got weaker season after season. Even in 2013, their last successful season, their european campaign was embarrassing. City won 2 of the last 3 domestic league, but in Europe they are non-existent. Chelsea never managed to be as strongest as in the old days, 2 season ago the team was ou in the group stage.

PL can't attract the best players anymore, since 2009 PL lost the likes of Modric, Fabregas, Ronaldo, Tevez, Suarez, Bale. Fabregas is back, but he is back because his return to Barcelona never went according to the plan. Cavani, Falcao, Kroos, James Rodriguez, Guardiola, all those guys decided to go to another league (even Mourinho returned because his life in Spain was not exactly what he expected).

Well, do we have more competition in PL? Last season was an anomaly, PL usually is a two horse race, its Chelsea/United, Liverpool/Manchester, City/United, and in some season we know who is going to win in the half of it, like Manchester in 12/13, or Chelsea in 05/06, and even if that was the case, its the same argument some crazy people use to say brazilian league is the best in the world: in the start of the season we have up to 6 teams fighting for the trophy, while is Spain its always Real vs Barcelona...

Paul Breitner's word vs Mourinho's word haha. What if Dennis Rodman would tell you that the French basketball league is the best in the world? Would you quote him? Or Pete Rose would tell you that the Italian baseball league is the best in the world? Would you quote him, too?! Did you even read the whole article? Or did you stop after the title?

Mourinho is talking about the competitiveness part of this league, a thing we've already discussed during the Champions leg against Paris. All you do is compare English teams' performance in Europe.

EPL is the best league in the world because here you have at least four teams fighting for the title at the start of the season (Chelsea, City, United, Arsenal). Plus three other top teams in Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham not winning a title in ages does not make the EPL a two-horse race.

La Liga = Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico in the last two or three years. Until then, it was a two-horse race. In France it was Lyon, now it's Paris. In Germany it was always Bayern de Munich and Borussia. Italy used to be a decent league, but now Juventus is winning titles for fun.

As I said, Jose was talking about the competitiveness part of the league:

1) Almeria, Elche, Rayo, Granada will loose 99/100 matches against Madrid and Barcelona

2) Nice, Guingamp, Evian, Reims will always loose against Paris and Monaco.

3) Freiburg, Frankfurt, Hannover will loose 99/100 matches against Bayern de Munich and Borussia.

4) Italy? Is there any decent team to fight against Juventus? Sassuolo, Chievo, Cagliari would even get trashed by Everton and Newcastle.

Now how about England? Teams like WBA, Villa, West Ham will always put up a fight against the big boys. None of this teams will loose 99/100 matches against Chelsea, City and United. That's why EPL is the best in the world and that's what Jose was talking about - it's not only about teams fighting for the title, it's about the other teams, too. You can go to Rayo and say Madrid will trash them, but you can't go to The Hawthorns and say Chelsea and City will be having a walk in the park.

2014/15 EPL - you have Chelsea, City, Arsenal with strong squads, Rodgers building a good team at Liverpool, United with Louis, Tottenham with a new coach, Everton with a decent squad.

2014/15 La Liga - Madrid and Barcelona with Football Manager squads and a weakened Atletico.

2014/15 Bundesliga - Bayern de Munich and Borussia.

2014/15 Serie A - Juventus and Roma (plus the chokers from Napoli).

2014/15 Ligue 1 - Paris. And Monaco? Will they put up a fight w/o James and Falcao?

Now tell me, what's the best league in the world? The two-horse race leagues in Spain, Germany, Italy and France, or the EPL?!