The Mourinho Thread

[dmode 113]

If I track back to where Chelsea's decline started this season, it is the 5-3 loss to Spurs. That's where he lost confidence on the Cesc-Matic pivot and attacking football. Now he is just throwing a bunch of formation, with the basic idea of sitting back deep. The question is whether he will go back to the Cesc Matic combo again and play the way we played in the first 3/4 months

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Don't think you watched at the beginning of the year, did you?

José can play attacking football. We did it this year already. Problem is he didn't like the way we were leaking goals, and when he tried to balance things out, he failed. We look more more like the team from last year against the smaller sides but worse against tougher opponents.

A couple of posters have beaten this to death (The Chels I think was the first one that started bringing this up) - we can't transition from defese to offense as well as we did before and we're bad handling pressure. The fact that our centre backs aren't as high up the pitch makes our midfielders slide back which is leading to poor attacks (how many times do we see the front trio alone?), and with Hazard being our only world-class decision maker further up the pitch we're struggling to create. We look stagnent. Short of ideas.

The lack of rotation is killing us too. Most players have dropped form because of it. Fabregas and Oscar mainly (the latter to a lesser extent, he's been more rotated lately - in comes the question of whether Oscar is good enough for what we're trying to achieve - that's another topic)... Another reason why we don't create as well.

I do think Mourinho needs to take a look at the mirror and try to implement other ideas into his managing philosophy. He's obviously a great coach but as someone said earlier: he's outdated. Football is evolving and he's sticking to the same tactics he had 10 years ago. I'm sure he doesn't want to become another Wenger who seems to not know what he's doing. He has to find the right balance between attacking and defending, experiment new tactics, rotate the XI (Luís and Remy are begging for a shot as starters - the two most flagrant examples for me).

He also has to start trusting youngsters more often. It only helps us. Gives us a heck of a lot more depth, easier to fill the HG quotas, and I'm sure a lot of them are good enough to fill the roles some first team players don't seem up to.

With the PL being the only competition we're left in, I'd say it's mandatory to win it. No excuses. Bar a massive, out of his hands, disaster.

I still trust this man to be the one that takes us forward, maybe he needs to get that PL trophy to rejuvenate himself? We'll be here to answer that next year. But I sure hope he changes his mindset for everyone's good. Onwards to the title!

good post brother, I don't agree with all of it but the sentiment is bang on.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I really don't really know what to say to you. Do you realize that we were outplayed by 10 men today? 10 MEN! That goes beyond getting it right.

What does that have to do with what I wrote? or what we were talking about?

[Pseudo 92]

What does that have to do with what I wrote? or what we were talking about?

I don't think you realize what's going on with Jose. When you're up against 10 men and your team is not just struggling to create chances but are actually being outplayed it goes beyond a simple tactical mistake. I feel like the game is leaving him behind. That goes for the whole league as well

His struggles to incorporate simple things like pressing and one touch football is pretty telling to me. Lesser manager s have done it so why can't he.

[Parky 739]

I would say if we don't win the PL this season with the points advantage we have atm. Than Jose's job would come under very heavy scrutiny.

Roman is not afraid to let managers go...

[nono 791]

He should apologize to the fans at least.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I don't think you realize what's going on with Jose. When you're up against 10 men and your team is not just struggling to create chances but are actually being outplayed it goes beyond a simple tactical mistake. I feel like the game is leaving him behind. That goes for the whole league as well

His struggles to incorporate simple things like pressing and one touch football is pretty telling to me. Lesser manager s have done it so why can't he.

So what managers are the ones who are playing the 2015 style?

[ilovecolombia 25]

Maybe if he actually acquired a Right Back the team would be good. Maybe Danilo, De Sciglio or Santiago Arias. I think Alves is done but thats probably what we'll settle for.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Maybe if he actually acquired a Right Back the team would be good. Maybe Danilo, De Sciglio or Santiago Arias. I think Alves is done but thats probably what we'll settle for.

So now its Brana's fault? This board is always full of surprises.

[11Drogba 2,000]

I am sure Roman is not happy although we are at the top in the league. That's why a few weeks Mourinho talked about not leaving PL even if he is fired. That was a threat. For me Mourinho is "the scared one" atm. I hope we win the league but I don't think he can keep his job for long if we keep playing like this.

[Henrique 9,133]

The myth about Mourinho being a suppa genius of football tactics seems a picture from a distant past. Its really shocking to realize the 2015 Mourinho is only a shadow of the once Special One. Even people who hated the guy couldn't deny there wasn't a better manager in the world to win you big things.

Say whatever you want, his years with Madrid were a failure. For a second season in a row, the team is completely outplayed in UCL knockout-stage. To be quite honest, 2013 season aside, we had our worst UCL exits under Mourinho mk II. Outplayed at home for two seasons in a row. 3-1 and now a 2-2 playing with 10 men for 90 minutes.

I can't believe some people still believe its still about tik-taka vs pragmatic football. This is not pragmatical football, its a bad attempt of being conservative and lethal at the same time. We are not talking about 4-2 against Barcelona 10 years ago. Its also really annoying when every time you talk bad things about Mourinho, someone will say "Jose out, a supid name in".

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

The myth about Mourinho being a suppa genius of football tactics seems a picture from a distant past. Its really shocking to realize the 2015 Mourinho is only a shadow of the once Special One. Even people who hated the guy couldn't deny there wasn't a better manager in the world to win you big things.

Say whatever you want, his years with Madrid were a failure. For a second season in a row, the team is completely outplayed in UCL knockout-stage. To be quite honest, 2013 season aside, we had our worst UCL exits under Mourinho mk II. Outplayed at home for two seasons in a row. 3-1 and now a 2-2 playing with 10 men for 90 minutes.

I can't believe some people still believe its still about tik-taka vs pragmatic football. This is not pragmatical football, its a bad attempt of being conservative and lethal at the same time. We are not talking about 4-2 against Barcelona 10 years ago. Its also really annoying when every time you talk bad things about Mourinho, someone will say "Jose out, a supid name in".

I feel in the long term we probably need another manager, Jose is a short term solution, who might bring trophies in the short run, but in the long run will not improve the team. His regressed as a coach and seems to be afraid to lose rather than to win, something which has cost him dearly in the last 5 years. Look at all his knockouts they all have familiar pattens, go away and try not to lose then try to defend at home, he needs to find the right balance between playing for a win and being responsble, at the moment his just being irresponsible with the way his arrogantly setting up a team

[ilovecolombia 25]

The myth about Mourinho being a suppa genius of football tactics seems a picture from a distant past. Its really shocking to realize the 2015 Mourinho is only a shadow of the once Special One. Even people who hated the guy couldn't deny there wasn't a better manager in the world to win you big things.

Say whatever you want, his years with Madrid were a failure. For a second season in a row, the team is completely outplayed in UCL knockout-stage. To be quite honest, 2013 season aside, we had our worst UCL exits under Mourinho mk II. Outplayed at home for two seasons in a row. 3-1 and now a 2-2 playing with 10 men for 90 minutes.

I can't believe some people still believe its still about tik-taka vs pragmatic football. This is not pragmatical football, its a bad attempt of being conservative and lethal at the same time. We are not talking about 4-2 against Barcelona 10 years ago. Its also really annoying when every time you talk bad things about Mourinho, someone will say "Jose out, a supid name in".

It's because defensive football has gone the way of the dinosaur. Jose needs to either adapt or buy the best defenders you can get bar none. And he can't lure them. Or find players in the world at that level. Hummels would put this team on another level.

But we can't get him. He won't leave Dortmund no matter what.

Similarly it's hard to find defensive fullbacks anymore. They're all so offensive. Making the defensive game a lot harder to play.

[Hybrid Angel 2,130]

If Jose really wants to continue with the same approach, then why not just replace Fabregas with Kondogbia, Hazard with Milner, etc? As far as I'm concerned playing this type of game not only minimzes players like them's strength, but costs us a result as well because they are not suited to this style of play.

Its the Ferrari and Fiat deal all over again. Either keep the Ferrari and drive it like one or get a Fiat and drive it like a Fiat.

[Henrique 9,133]

The result of the game against PSG was only a consequence of Mourinho's job since he arrived. Our squad in really unidimensional. We only have a proper striker (who is not on par with the likes of Cavani and Ibra). The defense is a mixture of decadent players, average ones and average ones playing out of position. There is only one proper DM. Our attacking players can't score goals, and don't even try to.

The worst things of all. Some people still believe Mourinho is a tactics master, and that PL still is a powerhouse. The talk is: "Chelsea suffered an unexpected defeat". Really? To be honest PSG squad is way better. They are strong in every area of the field (GK aside).

This squad is perhaps the most lifeless one of the Abramovich era. Its a team that is more concerned about not taking risks than winning the game. No one can deny that at this point.

[didierforever 7,349]

They obviously weren't just ignoring the manager's instructions. Did you ever see Costa ignore Simeone's instructions to press? No it would never happen to him and it wouldn't happen with Jose either. If he wanted Costa and the midfield to press and play with more intensity then they would have but he clearly didn't. Even the pressing we used right at the start of the game seemed pretty half-arsed to me. PSG played around it so easily and still got into dangerous positions but that happens very often so it's not just the players at fault.

so all those times when jose was gesticulating at the players to move up the pitch. shouting and crying at them meant what?

it was pretty evident that he wanted us to press higher up but he simply could not help that players like cesc did not seem to have a care. i remember a moment in the game where costa went to jose and both had their arms in the air looking at the midfielders. after that we did move even further ahead on the pitch but the momentum and the die hadbeen cast.

psg playing around a half-assed pressing of walking players is NOT jose's fault. maybe you can argue that jose should have motivated them but players should not be needing motivation on a CL night with a golden oppurtunity to go thru the quarters.

[hamad138 190]

He needs a proper winger and a midfielder. Oscar and cuardrado are jokes

[ZOS 580]

Hi!

As I said before, I respect the opinions of all of us. A world with the same opinions would be terribly sad.

To me I liked the approach of Jose. But the double value of the goals was decisive. If we had attacked without care for our defense, they would have killed us before.

We have lost through two headed goals. Two corners. Two goals unstoppable.

We have been close to passing the tie, and if I supported Jose for his way of understanding football before the match, now more than ever I insist that I defend in as Jose makes the approaches of the matches.

But I understand what you say when perfectly. They are just different views. For me Jose has been good, but for you he has not been good. Perfect. But we're in the same boat and we must continue paddling together.

Regards.

I respect your views too.

you say you like Jose's understanding of the game. Good, so I take it you have your own understanding of his philosophy regarding 'big' games. Please make me understand this. Why is it, when ever we're facing a half good team, we're always, ALWAYS, the one to back off and play it safe? Why is it, out of ten or so games a year where we'll be facing so called big teams, we are the one to be cautious and reactive, trying to exploit mistakes and counter attack? why not them, sometimes? because we're clever and they're not? if it is not cowardice, then what is it?

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

If Jose really wants to continue with the same approach, then why not just replace Fabregas with Kondogbia, Hazard with Milner, etc? As far as I'm concerned playing this type of game not only minimzes players like them's strength, but costs us a result as well because they are not suited to this style of play.

Its the Ferrari and Fiat deal all over again. Either keep the Ferrari and drive it like one or get a Fiat and drive it like a Fiat.

Thinking the same. I got no problems with a bit of bus parking and counter attacking. But if we want to do so why not set up for this. Play a compact, counter-oriented system like last season vs Mancity away in the league. apart from the dismal finishing, that was a blueprint of modern football. pace, power and lightning transition. After the arrivals of Remy and Cuadrado we are even better equipped for that.

My theory is that mourinho does not even want us to look like parking the bus all the fuckin time, but it is more of a necessity. OUr defense is rather slow and immobile hence playing deep hence our midfielders keep tracking back all the way hence our attacks start from too deep with too knackered players and the opposition have time to defend. When was the last time we actually scored from a counter attack? we have a defender who can't defend (ivanovic) but is ok at attacking who needs to be covered by an attacker who can't attack.This alone would be kafkaesque enough. But it goes further. Our so called no.10 is more of a disguised DM who has to cover for the real no10 playing at DM because he needs spaceor the game in front of him or whatever. That leaves our only two players with the license and ability to actually score, Costa and Hazard.

My take is that we should simply get some Chelsea quality defenders in so our attackers can actually attack instead of spending the whole match defending around the corner flag to cover up for some defensively inept full- and centrebacks.

[Polo7 3,496]

Mourinho to be sacked...? He no longer understands the game? Lol you lot are pathetic. Yeah we lost a game we shouldn't have but it happens in football. We want the stability of having a brilliant coach for more than 1 or 2 years. Your all a bunch of glory hunters who can't handle defeats.