The Mourinho Thread

[lionsden 4,689]

Chelsea's poor defence has exposed Jose Mourinho's lack of attacking nous

Jose Mourinho scapegoating Oscar, Loic Remy and John Terry sends shockwaves through Chelsea squad

What are the chances he reads the first article. He will probably just attack the writer instead of looking himself in the mirror

[Henrique 9,133]

Chelsea's poor defence has exposed Jose Mourinho's lack of attacking nous

Jose Mourinho scapegoating Oscar, Loic Remy and John Terry sends shockwaves through Chelsea squad

Can anyone copy the telegraph article here? They are asking me to pay money, because it seems I've reached the limit of free articles per month.

[kmk108 1,186]

I see a select few are still trying to convince themselves that we are better off with Jose as the manager in the long run. Hilarious.

The fact that he hasn't been fired yet shows that Roman has lost his ruthlessness and demand for high standard. Any other top team in europe would have given him the boot already and rightly so. mediocrity all round.

It proves what has been said this second Mourinho spell, he wants stability over instant success. For me, it's refreshing. I don't think Mourinho is the best for the long term, but I'm happy he's not wielding the axe as soon as he has in the past. The revolving door of managers isn't good for the stability of the club in the long term.

I don't think Mourinho is the answer for the long term, but little good will be done by sacking him and bringing in a caretaker manager for the rest of the season. Let him see it out. If things look up and we show signs of promise, all of this will be forgotten. If things don't, we'll sack him and move on with a full summer to prepare for next season. Not winning anything for a season isn't the end of the world. The only thing that would be really bad would be to miss out on Europe, and personally, I don't think that's going to happen.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Can anyone copy the telegraph article here? They are asking me to pay money, because it seems I've reached the limit of free articles per month.

Jose Mourinho scapegoating Oscar, Loic Remy and John Terry sends shockwaves through Chelsea squad Chelsea's manager faces questions over whether he has picked on the wrong players as club's disastrous start to the season continues

There are fears Oscar is being made a scapegoat at Chelsea Photo: REX

By Matt Law, Football News Correspondent

1:23PM BST 30 Sep 2015

Jose Mourinho is facing a battle to prove that he is not scapegoating the wrong players for Chelsea’s disastrous start to the season.

Chelsea manager Mourinho left Oscar, Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao in England for Chelsea’s Champions League defeat to Porto, while captain John Terry remained on the substitutes’ bench.

The decisions over Oscar, Remy and Terry, coupled with the fact Branislav Ivanovic kept his place at right-back despite his terrible form and the growing belief that his focus has been affected by unresolved contract negotiations, sent shockwaves through the club's squad.

John Terry's position at Chelsea has been uncertain since he was dropped to the bench at Manchester City

With Chelsea in 14th place in the Premier League and now third in Champions League Group G, Mourinho’s actions are facing greater scrutiny from inside and outside the club.

Mourinho insisted that his team selection for Tuesday night was not a form of punishment for Oscar, Remy or on-loan Falcao, and the Portuguese has consistently refused to publically criticise individuals this season.

But having seen Mourinho complain about the “unstable attitudes” of some unnamed players, the view from inside the camp is that Oscar and Remy paid the price for the first-half performance against Newcastle United last weekend, which Mourinho rated as “minus one.”

• What happens when you cross Jose Mourinho?

Oscar and Remy are now becoming increasingly resigned to the fact that they face uncertain futures at Chelsea while Mourinho is in charge.

Both players were open to the possibility of leaving Stamford Bridge in the summer, but neither Oscar nor Remy pushed the issue with Mourinho or the club.

Loic Remy does not get a look-in at Chelsea

Oscar would have joined Juventus if Chelsea had agreed to sell to the Italians, while Remy was interested in the prospect of remaining in London with West Ham United or Crystal Palace, or moving back to France.

It remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea will be able to do the incoming business that would allow Oscar and Remy to move in the January transfer window, but the pair are not optimistic they will last past next summer.

Mourinho’s reservations over Oscar have confused some of the Brazilian’s team-mates, who believe the 24-year-old is vital to the side playing cohesively.

The situation regarding Ivanovic is more complicated, with the defender’s future uncertain, even though Mourinho keeps picking him.

It is not viewed as a coincidence that the form of 31-year-old Ivanovic dipped last season, when stories started to appear that he was unhappy with the prospect of only being a offered a one-year contract extension.

Branislav Ivanovic struggled at Porto

Ivanovic was subsequently linked with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, but Chelsea called the defender’s bluff by refusing to be panicked into accepting his demands and allowed the Serb to start this season with only 12 months remaining on his current deal.

The negotiating position of Ivanovic has now been severely weakened by his poor performances and the fact he has offered little evidence on the pitch that he is worthy of a long-term contract.

It is hard to fathom, therefore, why Ivanovic was made vice-captain for the season and continues to be picked by Mourinho while others are left at home and Terry has dropped down to the substitutes’ bench.

Unlike Ivanovic, Terry is philosophical over his contract situation after being made to wait until May and March to secure extensions for the past two years.

The 34-year-old is far more focussed on trying to win his place back and prove to Mourinho he is still the man for the big occasion.

With Terry on the bench and the likes of Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba and Petr Cech now gone, Chelsea once again lacked leadership on the pitch in Porto.

Chelsea's line-up in Porto lacked leadership

Cesc Fabregas was the one man trying to lead by example and was constantly talking to his team-mates, but there are no longer authoritative voices all over the pitch.

Former Chelsea defender and talkSPORT host Jason Cundy, who still has close ties to the club, went public in his view that Mourinho has got it wrong over Terry and Ivanovic.

“Something is bugging me at Chelsea – if you’re going to drop John Terry, that’s the manager’s decision and whether you agree or disagree you have to go with that,” said Cundy.

"But to give the armband to Ivanovic, who is having a really tough time at the moment and has arguably been Chelsea’s worst player this season, what does that say to the best defender Chelsea had last season in John Terry?

"If you’re going to drop him, that’s fine, it happens in football, but I think Mourinho is sending out a message.

“John Terry hasn’t played badly this season and I think he’s been really unfairly treated. I don’t think he’s played badly enough for him to be on the bench.”

[Pizy 18,850]

I see a select few are still trying to convince themselves that we are better off with Jose as the manager in the long run. Hilarious.

The fact that he hasn't been fired yet shows that Roman has lost his ruthlessness and demand for high standard. Any other top team in europe would have given him the boot already and rightly so. mediocrity all round.

Or he knows that if he's going to sack such a great manager he needs to have another of similar quality lined up to replace him. Klopp and Pep will both be available at season's end. No point sacking Mourinho now and essentially writing off any hope at all of turining things around.

[lionsden 4,689]

It proves what has been said this second Mourinho spell, he wants stability over instant success. For me, it's refreshing. I don't think Mourinho is the best for the long term, but I'm happy he's not wielding the axe as soon as he has in the past. The revolving door of managers isn't good for the stability of the club in the long term.

I don't think Mourinho is the answer for the long term, but little good will be done by sacking him and bringing in a caretaker manager for the rest of the season. Let him see it out. If things look up and we show signs of promise, all of this will be forgotten. If things don't, we'll sack him and move on with a full summer to prepare for next season. Not winning anything for a season isn't the end of the world. The only thing that would be really bad would be to miss out on Europe, and personally, I don't think that's going to happen.

Why do people keep saying this? When has that ever backfired on us. A caretaker manager to come in and steady the ship could be exactly what the team needs right now and could ignite our season now that we still have a slight chance of making top four. We are going absolutely nowhere with Jose in charge.

[kmk108 1,186]

Why do people keep saying this? When has that ever backfired on us. A caretaker manager to come in and steady the ship could be exactly what the team needs right now and could ignite our season now that we still have a slight chance of making top four. We are going absolutely nowhere with Jose in charge.

We're not even a quarter of the way through the season. We've gone on horrible runs before, and things haven't always looked dire. The ball goes in the net at the end of the Porto game and we're at the top of the group. We get one more goal in the Newcastle game and we get 3 points at a place we haven't since 2011. The team hasn't been setting the world on fire, but we're a couple of goals away from being on the up. Things aren't as dire as people make it seem.

At least wait until Christmas.

[Spike 12,049]

Oh boy, the managerial merry-go-round. Who should be in charge next? How about big Sam? That cunt doesn't have a job at the moment.

[lionsden 4,689]

We're not even a quarter of the way through the season. We've gone on horrible runs before, and things haven't always looked dire. The ball goes in the net at the end of the Porto game and we're at the top of the group. We get one more goal in the Newcastle game and we get 3 points at a place we haven't since 2011. The team hasn't been setting the world on fire, but we're a couple of goals away from being on the up. Things aren't as dire as people make it seem.

At least wait until Christmas.

Are you seriously playing the "if" game right now.

[kmk108 1,186]

Are you seriously playing the "if" game right now.

Only because they're entirely possible. I'm not saying "If we would have beaten Crystal Palace..." That wasn't going to happen.

Results matter the most, but the sky isn't falling. We're not going to be relegated. Half of the team is out of form, regardless of what Jose does. I don't think any manager would come in and make an immediate impact. There's something wrong with the players and it's not entirely Jose's fault.

[Spike 12,049]

Are you seriously playing the "if" game right now.

Well aren't you essentially playing the 'if' game by saying that Mourinho should be sacked and replaced by an interim-manager? If everything goes right, the team might win a trophy and could finish top four. Nothing but hypotheticals if you are speaking about an interim-manager so to criticise someone condescendingly for playing the 'if' game is completely hypocritical.

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

Wonder what the sack crowd will start shouting when the "next manager" who is handsome, gives chances to youth, keeps playing JT, Wins trophies every season, wins most games with a 5 goals difference, has a beautiful style of play, is a gentleman in the pc and drinks wine in the dugout will have a bad run of games.

[Roquila 1,335]

I don't really know what's happening to the team.

A Dragon in a bar would make more sense than this.

[FabHazard 655]

Excellent atricle by miguel delaney..Especially this part

"It also seems to prove what many say about his coaching. Sources close to Chelsea players state that, for all the sophistication of most of his training, the drills and plans relating to attack are extremely basic. Last season, it amounted to getting the ball to Hazard and trusting the rest of the attackers to be good enough and clever enough to play off him.

It is a world away from the craft of Pep Guardiola's attacking approach, but it can still work if players are on form or if the defence is tight enough so you don't need many goals"

It is clearly visible when players are looking clueless in final third...the combinations ,passing and maintaing possession of our players is not good enough for a top club..

[manpe 10,861]

Some pundit on ESPN said that Mourinho's reputation and success has been built on defences and I agree 100000%. When the defence is failing him and he is unable to fix it, he is out of his depth I'm afraid.