The Mourinho Thread

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Shame this thread is more active when we don't win. Even if it's a point away from home against the Champions

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Said in the post-match interview that we didn't go all out for the win after the City goal because players looked mentally and physically tired.

Meant they didn't have a good reaction to conceding so decided to hold what he had instead of possibly conceding another.

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

Try to play beautiful football and not to win a single trophy in 8 years...

Like It?!

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Shame this thread is more active when we don't win. Even if it's a point away from home against the Champions

It's a point, yes but I don't see anybody bemoaning the fact we got a point at the Etihad, just the way we played and the incredibly negative tactics we deployed. I think that's perfectly normal.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Shame this thread is more active when we don't win. Even if it's a point away from home against the Champions

It is natural really, the way forums work. Also because posting something controversial is more engaging for most people than just simple praises. For example lets say someone post ''Mourinho is a world class manager, he will lead us to great glory!''. What do you expect people to say? Erm ''OK you are right, I agree!!!!''

However if we discuss general issues such as for example his negative tactics today, people can come in and argue about it, thereby creating a debate. But it seems it is either for or against. You either support him or you are a Pep supporter. There is no middle line. Same with people saying we should either do all out attack Arsenal and lose 6-0 or ultra bus parking and draw 0-0. There is no middle ground such as good defending and occasionally going forward like last season.

[Myself 793]

MrBlueGuy, out of interest, where do you rank Mourinho within the all time greats?

[Joker10 946]

did you miss the part where I said he's that TOO, but he isn't just that as you labeled him?

You can bring a lot of examples where he reacted and I can bring you a lot of examples where he took the risks and jumped at the gun. What's the point? Are we going to keep changing that? My point is that you can't label him as only that when he showed character to take matters into his team's hands many times - many of them against stronger teams - when he had to.

He's a manager that will make everything he needs to win. React, be pro-active, play mind games and come up with unexpected tactics, still you reduced him to simply a 'reactive' manager.

I'm not the one who's been deceived here.

I know about labels, i know calling Mou just a reactive manager is inaccurate. But on the scale of reactive and proactive, he fells awfully close to reactive.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

MrBlueGuy, out of interest, where do you rank Mourinho within the all time greats?

For us? the best manager in our history. In Europe? Certainly top 5, but that is only because I started watching football for around 10-15 years ago. So all the Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, MU greats...etc I never seen to judge. I don't just want to go on Wiki and see the stats for who won the most trophies and judge.

At the moment? Top 10 in Europe certainly and will be the best if we win the CL this season. For me he is among the likes of Ancelotti, Sir Alex, Klopp, Simeone...etc as modern day great managers. Not Wenger and LVG anymore but 10-15 years ago Arsenal were a top team and in those days Wenger and LVG were up there with the very best.

[Myself 793]

For us? the best manager in our history. In Europe? Certainly top 5, but that is only because I started watching football for around 10-15 years ago. So all the Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, MU greats...etc I never seen to judge. I don't just want to go on Wiki and see the stats for who won the most trophies and judge.

At the moment? Top 10 in Europe certainly and will be the best if we win the CL this season. For me he is among the likes of Ancelotti, Sir Alex, Klopp, Simeone...etc as modern day great managers. Not Wenger and LVG anymore but 10-15 years ago Arsenal were a top team and in those days Wenger and LVG were up there with the very best.

Ah, okay, just thought that maybe you didn't rate him as a manager.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Ah, okay, just thought that maybe you didn't rate him as a manager.

Nope I really like him as our manager and want him to stay as long as possible if we continue to win trophies every season. However I just don't like his tactic used today, a year ago it would have been acceptable because we could say we had Torres who would miss a 1 on 1 easily and try to get a point. Today however we were up AGAINST 10 men and a goal up but he still wanted us to play that same tactic. I really don't understand why.

[Styles 9,790]

With players like Costa, Hazard, Willian, Oscar, Fabregas and so on, I can understand and relate to the frustration of our style of play in this match. If football was solely about results then no one will have any qualms about the way we played today. But unfortunately, for one of the biggest clubs in the world, with fans all around the world, it isn't. No one is questioning Mourinho's record as a manager. His managerial record shows he is one of the best managers not only of this era but in history.

But he's not perfect. And part of his defects were shown today. We were clearly set up to play counter-attacking football (as is almost always the way with Jose away from home) and the problem with that is that when it doesn't work, we produce one of the most turgid brands of football among the big European clubs.

Mourinho's tactics were ineffectual today, at least part of it. He said it himself in the post match interview. The "final phase" of attack never happened. But it never happened vs Man United away, vs Atletico away, vs Man City FA cup loss away, vs Arsenal in the league away. He's going to have to brainstorm and come up with some new ideas in these big matches away from home. We have to start playing like a big team now, not just at home but away to other big teams. No excuses.

Can't wait for the next game so I can forget how we played in this one.

My biggest moan is that if we're going to play a counter-attacking style then at least go out and press the opposition and force them into mistakes. We let Man City amble into the final third and were still doing it even after they were down to 10 men. And in order to counter from that position the players would need to run the ENTIRE length of the field.

Why do we defend so fucking deep? Most of the top teams are proactive when they don't have possession; their players press and push up to squeeze the opposition; we drop back into a wall and let the opponents pass the ball around our defensive third and wait for them to make a mistake or force a bad pass/shot.

But now we know how we're going to play in the big games and it ain't gonna be pretty. Oh well.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I swear, if someone starts a "Jose Out" thread.....screw democracy, your ass is getting banned!

[Myself 793]

Nope I really like him as our manager and want him to stay as long as possible if we continue to win trophies every season. However I just don't like his tactic used today, a year ago it would have been acceptable because we could say we had Torres who would miss a 1 on 1 easily and try to get a point. Today however we were up AGAINST 10 men and a goal up but he still wanted us to play that same tactic. I really don't understand why.

Afree with you 100%. Exactly my thoughts

I swear, if someone starts a "Jose Out" thread.....screw democracy, your ass is getting banned!

I'll get right to it Chou

[didierforever 7,349]

Are people idiotson here. I mean seriously what the fuck is wrong?

We have played at etihad and goodison and are 5 points clear off the only title rival.

Still people are cribbing. We were getting hanmered put there with a man advantage. Jose chose right to simply play out last minutes. Every time city had the ball it seemed they would score. They had the momentum and the crowd. The lamps goal gave them extra impetus.

The DD inclusion was a little weird. I would have chosen remy (if he was on the bench) but costa needed to get off. A red card would have been devastating and he was walking a thin line

[lionsden 4,689]

My biggest moan is that if we're going to play a counter-attacking style then at least go out and press the opposition and force them into mistakes. We let Man City amble into the final third and were still doing it even after they were down to 10 men. And in order to counter from that position the players would need to run the ENTIRE length of the field.

Why do we defend so fucking deep? Most of the top teams are proactive when they don't have possession; their players press and push up to squeeze the opposition; we drop back into a wall and let the opponents pass the ball around our defensive third and wait for them to make a mistake or force a bad pass/shot.

But now we know how we're going to play in the big games and it ain't gonna be pretty. Oh well.

And this is a totally legitimate concern. We have spent big on top attacking talent and the board and jose have been pushing the idea that we are trying to implement an attacking philosophy. It's a big waste of our players attacking talent to turn into a rugby team in virtually every big game.

We didn't capitalise on the numerical advantage at all. Any other big team worth their salt would have had City pinned back in their own half and controlled the game after zabaletta was sent off, rather anyone who started watching the match after the fact wouldn't have guessed that we had a one man advantage over them. They actually looked the more likely team to win the match after the equalizer too as our players became really nervous and on the ropes.