The Mourinho Thread

[The Skipper 20,609]

It has been a pretty good season, but I wouldn't say we overachieved. I said at the start of the season that I expected a top 3 finish, a deep run in the CL and maybe one of the cups if things go our way. So in that sense we've met expectations, but I wouldn't say we've overachieved IMO.

Overachieving would be winning the league or/and winning the CL.

[Clevemayer 764]

It has been a pretty good season, but I wouldn't say we overachieved. I said at the start of the season that I expected a top 3 finish, a deep run in the CL and maybe one of the cups if things go our way. So in that sense we've met expectations, but I wouldn't say we've overachieved IMO.

Overachieving would be winning the league or/and winning the CL.

I can live with this view mate

[BlueLyon 9,359]

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/premier-league/ballbesitz/wettbewerb_GB1.html

We have the highest ball possession in the league.

http://www.squawka.c...otal#desc#total

Filter by chances created, and you will see us 2nd. Not bad for a team that supposedly only plays defensive football, and has no creativity.

A couple of top strikers will sort this out. Eto'o has been good but can't play week in week out anymore, Ba and Torres hinder this team so much.

Well on whoscored we are not even in top 5, in terms of ball posesion.

Am I missing sth?

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

Could be worse, look at United

Liverpool's best season in years and we weren't far behind them or City

Wenger has been at Arsenal a long time and this was Arsenal's best chance at winning the league, didn't happen.

Costa will pull defenders all over the place and make space for our midfielders he can hold the ball up too. It's been too easy for teams to play against us this season. Men behind the ball and don't give Hazard any room it's very effective when we have no one decent up front. I still think a good CM that can distribute the ball quickly is needed, we are too slow going from defense to attack.

Have faith! You want stability and it requires patience.

Next season we will see the difference a few key signings will bring

[BlueLyon 9,359]

We all expect (and hope) Mou will buy LB, CM and striker (all top level, I guess).

But Mou could do a masterstroke, bringing just two world class strikers. Lets imagine Costa and Benzema/Cavani. And no one else. Money wise, that would be possible. With the sales of deadwood etc. But willl Psg/Real sell...thats different fact.

Anyway, Mou could put all apples into one basket and pick two world class strikers. Im sure everyone would prefer CM and LB too, but lets say Mou gets strikers only. And then all the questions is he mad and how bad is our midfield etc...maybe its just two world class strikers that we need. If Mou pulls something crazy like that and goes on winning league, with improved Ramires in pivot, I think that would be pretty epic.

We seem to have soo many problems, maybe we only need couple of realy good strikers. I would prefer CM too, but its up to Mou who will he buy with available money.

[The Skipper 20,609]

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/premier-league/ballbesitz/wettbewerb_GB1.html

We have the highest ball possession in the league.

http://www.squawka.c...otal#desc#total

Filter by chances created, and you will see us 2nd. Not bad for a team that supposedly only plays defensive football, and has no creativity.

A couple of top strikers will sort this out. Eto'o has been good but can't play week in week out anymore, Ba and Torres hinder this team so much.

Those possession stats are incorrect. Here's the right table for you. We're 8th in the league:

Also, the chance creation stat is very, very misleading. It's definition:

"the final pass or pass-cum-shot leading to the recipient of the ball having an attempt at goal without scoring"

So basically, any shot at goal is considered a "chance created", and we all know that a lot of the shots we've had this season were speculative/long range. Not real quality selected shots.

[Stats 7,142]

It's not important if you agree with me or not, the important point is you understand that this season we didn't fight for the title, because we simply couldn't. I say we overachived and it has gotten ppl to think in a wrong way about our possibilities. We fought with city for the title, there are mere 2 pts seperateing us from Liverpool and this is because they had an unexpectedly high flying season so far. So I don't know where this argument from you is directed at. It makes no sense to me.

We overachieved for me because we played some very nice football and did so pretty much immediatly. We fought for the two biggest trophies right till the end against 4 very good teams which all had as good players or better ones than we have. Hate'em or not Tottenham, Everton, Man City, Chelsea and even Arsenal and Looserpool had very good and balanced squads (even though arsenal fuck'ed it up like always). Liverpool had a good decent run helped by the fact they didn't play CL let them fly high.

Further you saying I have Arse( a )nal standards because I'm fine with a top three finish in a tight seasen, where we've played with literally no striker and a CM that didn't click at all plus the team was supposed to change the philosophy to a more "attractive" style is ridiciulus to say the least. It's ppl like you that make a change in a shape and a overhaul in tactics impossible because you demand success and you will call for the head of the coach after a maximum two seasons (because you want a "longtime soloution" you will give him two seasons) and you wont accept a mid table finishing. I on the other hand don't give a f*** und will accept any finish as long as ppl give they're all. We could be full of Cahills in the squad as long as they fight till the end. But I can't live with any individual egomaniacs demanding all should be they're way. I will even accept five straight seasons without CL if the club would bring in better players with promise. We've been lucky we got so many young players mixed with the old dogs in the squad. It nearly was too late and maybe was one or two seasons too late to accept the old guard wont carry us anymore but we realised it soon enough.

We have a very nice youthful squad which lacks certain qualitys and the seniormembers wanted to do it but couldn't (despite Terry). Lamps didn't have the legs and Ash was dropped for certain reasons.

Very good seasons, achieved challenges and nearly went much further then expected... thats my point

Mate, don't think I was having a go at you. I was simply making the same point as The Skipper. I wouldnt say we played entertaining football as a whole this season. I would say we have done what is necessary to win the game. This is nothing to do with the big games btw. I am talking about games against lower opposition teams. Do I think the football could have been better? Yes. Mix and match for me. Some games we have entertained and some others we have been a bit more cautious in our approach.

My point about Arsenal was not a dig at you. I was mocking Arsenal mate. Don't take offense to that. However some of the stuff you mentioned is complete rubbish and overboard. I have not ever "demanded success". I have always said as a whole I am content with the season. Annoyed about the league because we won all the big games but flopped up in the ones we should have won. Where have you got any proof to say I am one of those who demand success. Chill out seriously.

Yes, we have challenged for the league and fallen just short but like I said we are ending the season trophyless and most likely 3rd place. That is no way an overachievement let alone an achievement. But it has been a solid season where we have provided a solid stepping stone for next season. I still don't agree with your reasons for saying we overachieved. Does not make sense to me. If I had been demanding success you would have seen me saying this season is a failure. In the actual poll I voted that this season was neither a failure or a success.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

It has been a pretty good season, but I wouldn't say we overachieved. I said at the start of the season that I expected a top 3 finish, a deep run in the CL and maybe one of the cups if things go our way. So in that sense we've met expectations, but I wouldn't say we've overachieved IMO.

Overachieving would be winning the league or/and winning the CL.

Sanity at last!!!

Proper judgement, not rants, not side attacks, no moaning just plain and raw assessment of the season.

[DDA 9,928]

You have just proven my point right there, mourinho fan boys only see positive when it comes to him never negative even if he blew the league with 4 games to go

How has this proven any point of yours. I don't think Jose gets everything right and and have already stated how much he has got wrong this season. It's not about 'fanboys' or 'bias', there's more to football than black and white.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Our stats are also bellow level (the likes of United, City, Everton, Lpool,...) have better passing and ball possession. I know we play counter football, based on defending, which results in passing acc. and ball possession, but those are basic things. Passing, keeping the ball. You improve that and you get more options how to play the game, how to score...but not to go too far with that, think tikitaka, which results in passive attacking, leading to less efficiency.

But imo our finishing is number one thing to improve. We are horible. We had more shots on goal than City, yet we scored 30! goals less. Talking about efficiency and chance conversion. Its terrible here.

[Jase 43,479]

Jose Mourinho ready to get one over Sam Allardyce as pair face-off at Soccer Aid

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Two things that have to improve

Finishing (mostly players fault, partly Mou for not improving, motivating)

Versatility (mostlycMou fault, partly players for lack of dynamism)

Fix that and we are almost there.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Our stats are also bellow level (the likes of United, City, Everton, Lpool,...) have better passing and ball possession. I know we play counter football, based on defending, which results in passing acc. and ball possession, but those are basic things. Passing, keeping the ball. You improve that and you get more options how to play the game, how to score...but not to go too far with that, think tikitaka, which results in passive attacking, leading to less efficiency.

But imo our finishing is number one thing to improve. We are horible. We had more shots on goal than City, yet we scored 30! goals less. Talking about efficiency and chance conversion. Its terrible here.

Nice. That's why the clinical striker is important. A striker good in tight spaces or can use his physical strength to create space for himself and shoot.

Two things that have to improve

Finishing (mostly players fault, partly Mou for not improving, motivating)

Versatility (mostlycMou fault, partly players for lack of dynamism)

Fix that and we are almost there.

Not just that.

1. We also need team combinations. 1-2 movements between hazard and willian is needed and with the striker. We need a constant front 4 again with no rotation to increase team chemistry.

2. I heard that pellegrini trains with his team in shooting practice at the etihad stadium a day before home matches. We could adopt similar methods to increase our accuracy in finishing.

3. Also hazard needs the leftback to support, we can't have him marked by 3 people and not let a runner take advantage of the space. If we are building the team around him, we should do it properly with more team support.

4. We need to learn how to keep possession too. It will help conserve pressing energy in matches so that the players can rest a little. Be like athletico, perfect pressing and good on the ball with two full backs going forward at EVERY attack. We shouldn't just play like they met each other for the first time when opposition let us have the ball, we should have more passing triangles especially in the attacking third.

5. We play too slow!! Increase the tempo and we force defenders to make mistakes. This is our biggest problem against small teams.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Nice. That's why the clinical striker is important. A striker good in tight spaces or can use his physical strength to create space for himself and shoot.

Not just that.

1. We also need team combinations. 1-2 movements between hazard and willian is needed and with the striker. We need a constant front 4 again with no rotation to increase team chemistry.

2. I heard that pellegrini trains with his team in shooting practice at the etihad stadium a day before home matches. We could adopt similar methods to increase our accuracy in finishing.

3. Also hazard needs the leftback to support, we can't have him marked by 3 people and not let a runner take advantage of the space. If we are building the team around him, we should do it properly with more team support.

4. We need to learn how to keep possession too. It will help conserve pressing energy in matches so that hazard can rest a little. Be like athletico, perfect pressing and good on the ball with two full backs going forward at EVERY attack.

Sure, I was just pointing most important things. We already plenty of shots this year. If we can improve the shooting, we will score and win more. There were games where we couldnt break opponent. With versatility we will do that and w will win more games. But for that we need few new players, current players to improve and more team work in team when going into attack (we were pretty solid in defending already).

However pressing, they way Bvb or Atletico does, is something you dont 'learn' in year or two. It takes years of adjusting, team work etc. It also requires special type of players and very good understanding in the team.

There is reason why two "outsiders" got similar tactcs. They have strong mentality, they are not superstars, they would die to win those games. And they dont have such pressure when playing; team like Chelsea has extremely big pressure I feel (just compare lpool and our strikers; they play for fun, while here, everyone is afraid of failing).

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Sure, I was just pointing most important things. We already plenty of shots this year. If we can improve the shooting, we will score and win more. There were games where we couldnt break opponent. With versatility we will do that and w will win more games. But for that we need few new players, current players to improve and more team work in team when going into attack (we were pretty solid in defending already).

However pressing, they way Bvb or Atletico does, is something you dont 'learn' in year or two. It takes years of adjusting, team work etc. It also requires special type of players and very good understanding in the team.

There is reason why two "outsiders" got similar tactcs. They have strong mentality, they are not superstars, they would die to win those games. And they dont have such pressure when playing; team like Chelsea has extremely big pressure I feel (just compare lpool and our strikers; they play for fun, while here, everyone is afraid of failing).

We look so uncomfortable on the ball sometimes and looks like we don't want the ball... its ridiculous

But our slow tempo is a big issue, if we attack faster, mistakes will happen even in tight defences. So we should attack with much quicker tempo and stop playing so slow like grannys