The Mourinho Thread

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Indeed. For years people used Ferguson example to talk about stability. He is the exception. United decided to fire Moyes even before the end of the season...

The differences between Ferguson and Mourinho, in my opinion.:

(1) Ferguson always re-invented himself with the times. Mourinho has failed to re-invent himself and the times have passed him by. This is very evident as he just recycles the same tactics vs any big team we face and simply relies on the quality of the team to dispose of the lesser sides we face. This is not just re-invention in terms of tactics alone, but in terms of man management and so on.

(2) Ferguson was never afraid to shake up his back room staff if he felt his team were stagnating, be it with Queiroz, McClaren or Walter Smith. Ferguson was also willing to play a secondary role and let his sides pick up different ideas from these guys. Ferguson was the manager in every sense of the word. Jose is both the main coach and the manager. Mourinho wants to be hands on about everything, he's the one that prepares the team tactically for every match, the only thing he doesn't do is scout the opposition. He's hardly ever added to his core group of back room staff, so it's the same ideas in his coaching from even his Porto days.

[iseah100 5,612]

Need Reus and Varane.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Lol so in less than 2 months he's forgotten how to coach attacking football?

He never knew how, I'm certain of that. From what I've heard some of his players play, from what I've read and from what I've seen of his team. Every manager has areas they are strong at. For instance, Brendan Rodgers is extremely strong at coaching attacking football, but not great at coaching defensive football. The same is partly true of Pellegrini and Wenger. Some are more balanced like Guardiola.

When you're a doyen of defensive organisation and the pressing game and all of a sudden you tell your players to go "express themselves" in attack, it means you don't know how and simply just relying on the quality of your attackers to see you through. Problem with that is against teams equally as good as you, that's not enough.

[didierforever 7,349]

The one that had the most expensively assembled squads in history. Yeah they were good at flat track bullying like we are but once they met a decent team in the semi-finals they were embarrassed! I'm not gonna even mention the season after that when they were exposed as one dimensional counterattacking team.

ohk.

so embarassed means, pepe getting a red card which was not whch ended with RM losing 2-0 and then in the return leg, RM getting a goal cancelled when one of the most shocking decisions i have seen!!!

the other semi was against bayern which went to penalties and RM pretty much were on the same level as bayern

the 3rd semi was against BVB where RM tried to attack them and got raped in counters. and in the return leg, should have been 3-0 up in the first 10 minutes gad higuain and ozil taken there chances. even then they almost ended up pulling it off.

well embarassed indeed!!!

[ZOS 580]

like most of you guys here, I want stability and wants Mourinho to stick around for a long while ... but how do you expect Roman not to react after witnessing this utter cowardice? Its not about the result tonight, its about the principle. You just can't sit back and let 10 men bully you around like a bitch.

[The Chels 2,502]

He hasn't and I wonder if he will. I wouldn't put it past him to do it though.

I still remember some of Jose's performances with Real in 11/12. It was notable how they would start games with great intensity and their pressing was wonderful to watch. They did it in a lot of games too and especially against Barcelona. We never ever play with that kind of intensity which is very disappointing. It did require a high line and very mobile, individually strong defenders. Perhaps if we had that then he wouldn't be so passive in his approach against the big sides and we wouldn't be so lacklustre. It's hard to tell though because I think Jose was probably forced to play that way at Real and in reality he does prefer this dull, tactically basic and excessively cautious approach.

[zolayes 14,489]

Jose IS good BUT not as good as he HE thinks he is

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I just don't get why we were so slow and without intensity in the 2nd half.

We were walking slower than ibrahimovic went down the tunnel.

See how PSG attack us with faster passes and making runs during possession, but we are slow and only costa made any runs even though his touch was horrific.

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Well that was pretty embarassing.

No balls Jose.

[Pseudo 92]

Lol so in less than 2 months he's forgotten how to coach attacking football?

He was never an attacking coach. His Madrid side were great at counterattacing but they weren't a proactive team. Proactive football is true attacking football and that's the thing he's not good at.

In fact, I think this Chelsea is the most expansive team he's had but he still has a lot to learn.

[DYC. 7,542]

I still remember some of Jose's performances with Real in 11/12. It was notable how they would start games with great intensity and their pressing was wonderful to watch. They did it in a lot of games too and especially against Barcelona. We never ever play with that kind of intensity and that really disappoints me. It did require a high line and very mobile, individually strong defenders. Perhaps if we had that then he wouldn't be so passive in his approach against the big sides and we wouldn't be so lacklustre. It's hard to tell though because I think Jose was probably forced to play that way at Real and in reality he does prefer this dull, tactically basic and excessively cautious approach.

I think it's safe to say this is his preference. And as long as the majority of the fans don't mind, which is clearly the case, he'll continue to do so. Real has different demands.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Jose IS good BUT not as good as he HE thinks he is

We all have a laugh about it when we're wining, but it's times like these when his massive ego becomes annoying. I wish, for once, he'd come out and take the blame.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

We all have a laugh about it when we're wining, but it's times like these when his massive ego becomes annoying. I wish, for once, he'd come out and take the blame.

He is like Benitez in this aspect, it is never ever his fault. If we have lost with Ibra didn't get the red card he would have said the pen was the game changing decision and start to rant about UEFA refs...etc.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Mourinho out, Avram Grant in, etc. etc.

Got it wrong tonight but even he isn't perfect. That being said the team completely ignored his instructions to press and play less deep.

Mourinho wasn't out there on the pitch. Blame the likes of Costa, Willian, Ramires and Cesc for their spineless performances instead.

[zolayes 14,489]

We all have a laugh about it when we're wining, but it's times like these when his massive ego becomes annoying. I wish, for once, he'd come out and take the blame.

EXACTLY say I GOT it wrong.. Other managers will say it ... well some will

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

I think it's safe to say this is his preference. And as long as the majority of the fans don't mind, which is clearly the case, he'll continue to do so. Real has different demands.

It's not just about preference. That's all he's good at. Many people are blinded by the amount of goals his team scored in the 11/12 season, but ask any Madrid fan, they were not happy with the football in his 3 year spell in general.

Do you really believe playing attacking football is not part of the job description given to him by Abramovich? That's very important to him and for the image of the club and rightly so.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

We all have a laugh about it when we're wining, but it's times like these when his massive ego becomes annoying. I wish, for once, he'd come out and take the blame.

What's even more amazing is how quick he'll throw his players under the bus i.e our strikers and even Hazard last season, but will never take blame for his poor tactics.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Mourinho out, Avram Grant in, etc. etc.

Got it wrong tonight but even he isn't perfect. That being said the team completely ignored his instructions to press and play less deep.

Mourinho wasn't out there on the pitch. Blame the likes of Costa, Willian, Ramires and Cesc for their spineless performances instead.

That is the key bit, are the players ignoring it or DID HE TELL THEM TO DO IT?

We did it for the majority of the match even with 11 men, surely by around 10-15 mins of doing so he would tell them that? We only tried to press higher at the start of the 1st half of extra time.