The Mourinho Thread

[Henrique 9,133]

Agreed with everything except labelling Azpilicueta as 'mediocre'.

mediocre is a misused word. I said Azpilicueta is an ordinary player. He is not special by any means. thats why I said he is mediocre.

[nicol 2]

hazard 11 goals i think

[Spike 12,049]

mediocre is a misused word. I said Azpilicueta is an ordinary player. He is not special by any means. thats why I said he is mediocre.

Fair enough. Yeah, I guess you are right, he is an ordinary player but solidarity and reliability are rare in fullbacks.

[nicol 2]

then Henrique nobody is good bar Costa

[Joker10 946]

This is Mourinho thread and Mourinho managed like 1/3 of his managerial career in England. He had a problem in bringing youth whenever he has been.

Mou certainly not great at bringing youth. I know this.

But he one 1/3 of the equation and saying it is only him is an issue.

England doesn't have a great structure to bring up youth players, this is why England in general lacks talent. Chelsea, There needs to be a gap between U21 leagues and first team. Loan system is not reliable, since you are at the mercy of other clubs to develop your players.

Chelsea fans is another great issue. I don't think Chelsea fans in general have the stomach for the highs and lows that comes with introducing youth players. You can't think that RLC or any other youth player can put in solid/good performance on a regular basis, a lot of learning process there is going to be times they are going to suck and they may cost you points. Also noting that players like RLC, Boga or Ake do not give you the best chance to win right now, with the money Chelsea have we can certainly buy establish players to play back up or play their minutes. But the upside of using youth players, is that knowing or hoping you have a better player in the future and gem. Some think RLC gives us a better chance to win then Ramires or Mikel, that is certainly not true but i do see the benefit of RLC in the future by playing him now. So there is a trade off, i don't believe Chelsea fans have the patience but i certainly do know that Chelsea fans like the idea of giving youths a try.

[Fernando 6,484]

For me its clear only a disaster will avoid the League trophy at the end of the season.

But I think its really weird that some people just don't accept any kind of criticism after a victory or because the team is 6 points clear on top of the league with one game in hand. Its really hard to imagine this team enjoying a long term success without major changes.

Its the greatest challenge of Mourinho's career. In last 10 years Mourinho managed clubs that only needed small adjustments. Chelsea in 2004 was a side that reached UCL semi-final and was runner-up in PL. Gudjonsen, Cole, Bridge, Damien Duff, Gallas, Makelele, Lampard and Terry were there before Jose. Inter de Milao was the best team in Italy for seasons. 9 out of 14 players used in UCL Final in 2010 were playing for the Italian club before Jose arrived. The same happened in Madrid, where he failed.

When Mourinho got back, Chelsea was a Europa League side, and struggled to be a top 4 side in PL. A team full of unproven and decadent players.

I'm not sure Jose is the right man to build teams. He is a winner, not an engineer. Last season he realized players like KDB, Mata and Luiz were not "Mourinho players". Instead of changing some of his dogmas, or taking time to teach his players a new way of playing football, he favored the mediocrity of Ivanovic, Cahill, Azpillicueta, Willian and Ramires. In January window he went to buy Matic, a limited and conservative DM.

His back four were created in a difficult momento of the season. Months later he was saying the back four was the team strongest point...in defense we need a completely overhaul. Terry was not even an untouchable player anymore during 2011/2013 period. Mourinho decided he was as good as in 2005, and now he is one of our players that started 100% of PL games this season. He is not as good as 2005. Ivanovic must find another club next season, or must become squad player. Cahill has always been mediocre. Azpilicueta is not even a great RB, but become Mourinho favorite LB (!!!!).

Ramires was player of the season in 2011/12 season, was very important in 12/13, but he belongs to past. His performance this season has been a disgrace. Willian is a solid squad player, he will never be a protagonist. Costa need some kind of competition. He has 18 goals, the 2nd team top scorer is Hazard with only 10.

This team need more dynamism in the midfield. Matic is very limited to one specific kind of game. Fabregas is a shy player. He won't decide any big match by himself.

Next season to be honest I think United will be a very dominant team, they are definitely the most solid team in this second leg of the season. They improved during the tournament, while our team seems to play worst game after game.

Mourinho returning in a moment when the team was full of attacking and exciting players seemed to announce years of dominance, but I'm really afraid the PL trophy this year might be an exception, not the rule.

Good points but we will find out next season.

I made a point how this season feels exactly like City last season.

They won the Capital One and PL but with a very unconvincing display.

Then this season instead of improving they regress.

So it will be a wait and see mode for next season. Do we improve or regress?

[Tomo 21,733]

I disagree. apart from the 92 class. These are list of youth that Fergie promoted into the first team and went on to nudge huge amount of games under their belt. Wes brown, Fletcher,Oshea,Cleverly, da silva twins and Welbeck.

And others like Gibson, Macheda et al were given opportunities but later moved on when it became clear they weren't good enough. If that's not impressive for an absolutely elite team with even bigger pressure to challenge for trophies than us then I don't know what is.

O shea and Brown were roughly about the same time as Fletcher, after that there wasn't too many, the only ones really promoted from scratch (as in promoted without any real first team expierence) were the twins, happy to be proved wrong if I've missed someone. United still have a better record than us to suggest otherwise would be moronic, but I do feel they are a bit overrated in that aspect due to the class of 92.

Although re Brown, O Shea, we should start using the academy to fill the squad especially with FFP and HG rules, Jack Cork could have been our O Shea in that regard.

[Tomo 21,733]

Good points but we will find out next season.

I made a point how this season feels exactly like City last season.

They won the Capital One and PL but with a very unconvincing display.

Then this season instead of improving they regress.

So it will be a wait and see mode for next season. Do we improve or regress?

City have made the same mistake we did in 2010 and they did themselves in 2012 and failed to refresh the squad with any real quality and got too comfortable.

Mourinho isn't the type of manager to rest on his laurels, if we lift the league in May he will be plotting back to back titles during the celebrations.

[Fernando 6,484]

City have made the same mistake we did in 2010 and they did themselves in 2012 and failed to refresh the squad with any real quality and got too comfortable.

Mourinho isn't the type of manager to rest on his laurels, if we lift the league in May he will be plotting back to back titles during the celebrations.

Well you said it, all depends what we do this transfer window.

If we do more buys like Willian and Cuadradro then expect to have the same outcome.

But if like Costa and Fabregas then good.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

England doesn't have a great structure to bring up youth players, this is why England in general lacks talent. Chelsea, There needs to be a gap between U21 leagues and first team. Loan system is not reliable, since you are at the mercy of other clubs to develop your players.

Very much agree with this.

Chelsea fans is another great issue. I don't think Chelsea fans in general have the stomach for the highs and lows that comes with introducing youth players. So there is a trade off, i don't believe Chelsea fans have the patience but i certainly do know that Chelsea fans like the idea of giving youths a try.

Nah, what Chelsea fans ? After the club failed to bring a youth through in the last 17 years (!!!) if someone can't show a little patience in bringing an Academy boy, then he's nothing short of glory-hunter. I'd leave them to be honest. Let's focus on real fans then. Bringing player through has way more dividends than just goals, assists, filling HG quota and saving money for FFP, they're bread and butter of the club, the way to keep an identity, it's a higher cause if you ask me.

That's why I'd rather shake my head around some Lewis Baker pass than Oscar or Willian.

And please, let's not hyperbole this thing again, we're talking about roughly 800-1000 minutes for ONE youth player in a season when you play over a 5000 minutes, being surrounded by all international players, FFS if you can't find a way to give that time to ONE youth player then you don't try hard enough.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Well you said it, all depends what we do this transfer window.

If we do more buys like Willian and Cuadradro then expect to have the same outcome.

But if like Costa and Fabregas then good.

Don't know...I don't want players who go missing for the last 4 months of the season. More like Hazard would do.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

We finally scored 3 goals this year. I thought it wasn't possible again

[didierforever 7,349]

this is so weird.

Our 20th win from our 29th game with a total of 2 losses.

won the league cup (so obviously won all there)

unbeaten in CL (only team i think).

PERSPECTIVE!!!

the bitching and the moaning is unthinkable. i dont blame posters like barbara (even though we have had one too many difference of opinion specially concerning oscar) for not wanting to be a part of this forum anymore.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

this is so weird.

Our 20th win from our 29th game with a total of 2 losses.

won the league cup (so obviously won all there)

unbeaten in CL (only team i think).

PERSPECTIVE!!!

the bitching and the moaning is unthinkable. i dont blame posters like barbara (even though we have had one too many difference of opinion specially concerning oscar) for not wanting to be a part of this forum anymore.

When forum does become a nazi camp ?

I don't want to over dwell on result. Everyone knows result so what's the point ? Maybe close adding posts and just put the result table ? I thought we want to share opinions of performance rather than write two liners posts of score.

Yes, results are good but I'm not glory-hunter to only be interested in that. I watch football to see passion, to see quality, it's been like that since I was a kid. I see Chelsea week and week out to know that performances are not good, doesn't excite me too much and especially against big teams I'm frustrated badly how toothless we are. Henrique said what I've been thinking - yes, we can win this title, but on the long term we have to rebuild this side. The line between defeat and glory is so thin now, good to have luck and coincidence on our side, hell even yesterday we scored a scrappy winning goal, how we managed to grind out result is remarkable, probably the most remarkable thing in our game now. I remember when I was waiting for shitty United team to drop points and they somehow managed to be on a winning side. It frustrates me as hell and I wished my club would have that luck. And we have that luck and for others fans this have to be nightmare like it was for me. I don't want to complain on that side at all but role can reverse easily. When I look on our fixture list I see so many potential dropping points performance but somehow we got positive at the end. Football is not basketball, volleyball, tennis or handball when you have to play good to win. In football you can win even not playing good and have one or two isolated situations. You can win the Champions League not playing good. That's football, one of a kind sport. But I simply know sooner or later, if that shitty performances are due to continue, we will be found out badly, just like we were against PSG.

This title will be nice, but painfully watching us in the last months, it ripped me off of an excitement and I know I'm not the only one (I hope someday you join us ). I want to win this title because we can build on that from far better position, and that's somehow now even more important to me than the title itself.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Our attack is better, its just the defending that has stayed bad. We need to fix that

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

On the other topic, I agree completely with Jose and other managers that a time on demand is needed. I already wrote that footballers are young, big earning twats with very fragile minds and very sensitive. They can't deal with a situation by themself at all. 2 minute break, manager tells : now we play this, you play here, you close him there and it's fixed.

Situation changes and it's necessary to get the point across the team to adjust, not one or two instruction through other players. It can't continue like this. Football has to me modernized and I hope when they finally bring video verification then they also introduce break on demands.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

this is so weird.

Our 20th win from our 29th game with a total of 2 losses.

won the league cup (so obviously won all there)

unbeaten in CL (only team i think).

PERSPECTIVE!!!

the bitching and the moaning is unthinkable. i dont blame posters like barbara (even though we have had one too many difference of opinion specially concerning oscar) for not wanting to be a part of this forum anymore.

And if we get the five wins and four draws we need to mathematically win the title (19 more points), would give us 86 points for the season, with 25 wins from 38. Not too bad, eh?

[didierforever 7,349]

When forum does become a nazi camp ?

I don't want to over dwell on result. Everyone knows result so what's the point ? Maybe close adding posts and just put the result table ? I thought we want to share opinions of performance rather than write two liners posts of score.

Yes, results are good but I'm not glory-hunter to only be interested in that. I watch football to see passion, to see quality, it's been like that since I was a kid. I see Chelsea week and week out to know that performances are not good, doesn't excite me too much and especially against big teams I'm frustrated badly how toothless we are. Henrique said what I've been thinking - yes, we can win this title, but on the long term we have to rebuild this side. The line between defeat and glory is so thin now, good to have luck and coincidence on our side, hell even yesterday we scored a scrappy winning goal, how we managed to grind out result is remarkable, probably the most remarkable thing in our game now. I remember when I was waiting for shitty United team to drop points and they somehow managed to be on a winning side. It frustrates me as hell and I wished my club would have that luck. And we have that luck and for others fans this have to be nightmare like it was for me. I don't want to complain on that side at all but role can reverse easily. When I look on our fixture list I see so many potential dropping points performance but somehow we got positive at the end. Football is not basketball, volleyball, tennis or handball when you have to play good to win. In football you can win even not playing good and have one or two isolated situations. You can win the Champions League not playing good. That's football, one of a kind sport. But I simply know sooner or later, if that shitty performances are due to continue, we will be found out badly, just like we were against PSG.

This title will be nice, but painfully watching us in the last months, it ripped me off of an excitement and I know I'm not the only one (I hope someday you join us ). I want to win this title because we can build on that from far better position, and that's somehow now even more important to me than the title itself.

i know its not a nazi camp, hence when some people decide to bitch and moan continously, i prefer to see at the positives and by god, there are a bucket load of positives.

- glory hunter. so i am a glory hunter who was supporting the team even when we got knocked out by PSG but people like you and others who were cribbing, moaning and simply acting like childish brats are perfectly fine gentlemen simply looking at the quality. atleast have the courtesy to call it as it is,

"luck".. really , there was nothing lucky yesterday. if we scored a scrappy goal and that tags us as "LUCKY", then what was the moment when courtois gifted them the goal. our first 20 minutes were very good attacking display. then we conceded 2 quick and horrible goals and from a comfortable situation, we found ourselves at the end of a barrel. the players were disorganized and needed a HT. after HT, we were again great. we deserved the win. also, do tell me about this luck that you keep talking about. were we lucky against burnley when we did not get 2 stonewall pens and then had a player sent off. were we lucky against soton when they got a pen for a similar thing that matic did but costa dint get a pen when fonte tackled him. i can go on and on and on. so dont try and put our team's realuts and performances down to luck. come up with a better argument.

well, i would take a couple of poor result like PSG rather than a whole lot of "good performances" but 9 trophyless years like arsenal's which is what you seem to be indicating to.

no thank you, really dont wanna join that group of fans. i am fine the way i am.