The Mourinho Thread

[Fernando 6,376]

I'm still behind José for a number of reasons.

His critics on here say he doesn't/can't coach offensive football. The first half of last season we were revered as an excellent attacking side so it's clear he can do it.

To me, it's clear from his post match interview that he expects a certain level of intensity and tactical nous that he feels his players aren't delivering on. I don't think many will disagree with that - we complain about it regularly.

He suggested tonight that perhaps he took the squad to the next level last season, winning us the league. I agree. How many of these players, even during the first half of last season, would force their way in to other top European clubs?

The players, in my opinion, don't look remotely interested.

The recruitment this season has been gash.

Finally, Mourinho has a proven history of winning whilst half of this squad look like passengers.

Given his comments tonight I would like to see him throw a few kids on going forward. If he really believes these guys aren't doing as they're told then it will do no harm to give the youth a go. They'd be full of enthusiasm, which sure, might not win games, but it would be a whole lot easier to swallow

Yeah but he's been saying he will play the kids for a long time and nothing.

About rlc and nothing.

He just a liar and until he proves it with actions I can't hope for anything good with this guy.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

On the bright side, I suppose, is that we're winning the Champions League this season lads!

thats the spirit.......shall we book flights to Milan now?

[nullabletype 987]

If their heads begin to drop you can't blame them. They've never been in this position before.

Why is this an excuse for the players but not Mourinho, who indeed, has never been in this position before?

[Pizy 17,860]

thats the spirit.......shall we book flights to Milan now?

It is written in the stars. Have bad PL season, proceed to win CL.

We'll bring Frank back in January and our new manager Brentan Rodgers will lead us to glory.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Not saying that it is but what if the job those managers did was simply never as bad as we are currently seeing under Mourinho in 15/16? Is that possible?

You know what, that may be the case. But even under Carlo, which was our worst period before this nightmare, we played some horrendous football, but still found ourselves travelling to OT with a chance to steal the title. Personally, i chalk that up to the spine of that team grinding out results even in the face of a poor managerial actions. Carlo just sent out the same XI week after week, month after month, no adjustments, but the players still maintained that standard (in the grand scheme of position on table).

[nullabletype 987]

Yeah but he's been saying he will play the kids for a long time and nothing.

About rlc and nothing.

He just a liar and until he proves it with actions I can't hope for anything good with this guy.

The thing is, I get why he doesn't. As Lampard said tonight, trying to blood your youth in a situation like this is far from ideal and perhaps not really the environment for these lads to be given their first proper taste of Premier League football. So I get that Mourinho might be hesitant to play them. But whilst I understand that, I also think that there isn't a great deal to lose given our current predicament given that we look likely to get rolled over every game. If he truly thinks his squad can't hack it, then I say just give the kids a go regardless of whether it's ideal or not. Could it really be that much worse?

[Pseudo 92]

I agree with what you've said in totality..

However, when a team of the stature of Chelsea goes through horrible stretches of form, these said players that cost us tens of millions of pounds and are on high wages, you can't just sit back and chalk up all of this season's trouble to tactics. Like yes, JM should be fired, not even trying to exonerate him. But there's a standard that has to be expected. How do tactics explain Costa/Fabregas/Hazard all showing up over-weight at the beginning of the season? Our previous teams, even when they went through tough periods always knew how grind out results in spite of the many managers that we've fired under the Roman era. Heck, at one point, the main leaders of the team purposefully got a manager fired and delivered a UCL trophy on the back of it.

Even as Rafa Benitez struggles mightily at Real Madrid, do you not expect them to still finish Top 3? Those players are good enough (and in our case, "should" be) good enough to still win games "on their own" so to speak. We've seen it happen in the past at Chelsea, unfortunately, this group of players can't overcome such impediments.

Overall, JM's failure as a manager has made this situation exponentially worse than it should have been under a competent manager. Even if we were going to struggle this season under. Struggling should have comprised of being 8/9th at worst, not being in a relegation battle, imo.

Why are you comparing us to Madrid? We don't have those type of players capable of making atrocious managers look good. That's something you will have to live with.

Why do people bring up the UCL win like we pulled a Greece 04 and played magnificent defensive football? We won because of Cech, luck and Drogba. That back four was breached multiple times in three games of football and it should have been a blow out. We were comprehensively outplayed from start to finish in.all those games.

We were very lucky. that's all.

[zolayes 14,489]

it used to be said that jose blamed officials ,, bad decisions bad luck .. to deflect blame from and protect the players .. NOW he is blaming the players ...... to deflect criticism from

who ,,,,?????

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Why are you comparing us to Madrid? We don't have those type of players capable of making atrocious managers look good. That's something you will have to live with.

Why do people bring up the UCL win like we pulled a Greece 04 and played magnificent defensive football? We won because of Cech, luck and Drogba. That back four was breached multiple times in three games of football and it should have been a blow out. We were comprehensively outplayed from start to finish in.all those games.

We were very lucky. that's all.

Agree to disagree on this one then pal..

Off to continue running through the 6 with my woes..

[Pseudo 92]

Why is this an excuse for the players but not Mourinho, who indeed, has never been in this position before?

We're in this position because of him. Don't act like these are circumstances beyond his control.

He had a world class Madrid side playing utter garbage in his last season and managed to lose the league to a Barcelona side with no manager and an aging midfield.

[nullabletype 987]

it used to be said that jose blamed officials ,, bad decisions bad luck .. to deflect blame from and protect the players .. NOW he is blaming the players ...... to deflect criticism from

who ,,,,?????

I'll bite...

Himself, and why not if he feels that his playing staff aren't pulling they're weight? I mean, they clearly aren't. Maybe he feels it has gone beyond the point of defending the indefensible?

Of course, you and many others will feel that José is the one who cannot be defended and myself and many others will disagree. Forums, eh?

I just see it like this, he is this clubs most successful manager. He has led an incredibly successful career up to this point. He delivered a further two trophies last season. Maybe he's lost it in a few months. Maybe he lost it a long time ago and this squad really are excellent and it's only now that Mourinho has lost them that they have dipped. I just feel that it's more likely that last season the squad were raised to Mourinho's level and that this season, they are in fact, closer to their true selves.

Just as a note, this isn't a new theory off the back of tonight's comments, Martin Samuel wrote a piece about it a number of weeks ago. I thought it was very good.

[Fernando 6,376]

The thing is, I get why he doesn't. As Lampard said tonight, trying to blood your youth in a situation like this is far from ideal and perhaps not really the environment for these lads to be given their first proper taste of Premier League football. So I get that Mourinho might be hesitant to play them. But whilst I understand that, I also think that there isn't a great deal to lose given our current predicament given that we look likely to get rolled over every game. If he truly thinks his squad can't hack it, then I say just give the kids a go regardless of whether it's ideal or not. Could it really be that much worse?

Well it's never the time with our club.

When Mourinho first came out was because it was his first season.

Then second season because we had to win.

Now third season because of the situation we are in.

There's always an excuse each season and I'm sick of it.

[Pseudo 92]

Says a lot when you could only name 3 players. Wouldn't even put Matic in that bracket because taking aside the "he's gotta do the job of two players" notion, his performances have been nowhere near the standard he set in the last 1 1/2 years.

That is true but the thing is, we're talking about experienced players here, players who have won things. The least you'll expect them to show, especially at the current moment, is competency but they aren't showing that.

I'll just quote what I said to Henrique...

What do you want me to do? name more? Ok I feel our entire back four has been doing their best despite no protection from the midfield and two aging players.

Cesc has finally been exposed because we've not been playing well offensively. Teams are braver when they attack us because we don't trouble them enough on the attacking end and the more they attack, the more likely Cesc defensive frailties are exposed.

Look the players are doing the best they can. I don't expect a work horses like Willian and Oscar to become offensive juggernauts overnight and save Mourinho's bacon. We don't have a Madrid side full of stars to make him look good.

[nullabletype 987]

Well it's never the time with our club.

When Mourinho first came out was because it was his first season.

Then second season because we had to win.

Now third season because of the situation we are in.

There's always an excuse each season and I'm sick of it.

In fairness though, those are three pretty good reasons.

That said, I still at this point he might as well try it despite everyting. Maybe the site of some young guys putting our experienced pros to shame might be the boot in the bollocks they really need.

I doubt it will happen though.

[robsblubot 3,217]

I'll bite...

Himself, and why not if he feels that his playing staff aren't pulling they're weight? I mean, they clearly aren't. Maybe he feels it has gone beyond the point of defending the indefensible?

Of course, you and many others will feel that José is the one who cannot be defended and myself and many others will disagree. Forums, eh?

I just see it like this, he is this clubs most successful manager. He has led an incredibly successful career up to this point. He delivered a further two trophies last season. Maybe he's lost it in a few months. Maybe he lost it a long time ago and this squad really are excellent and it's only now that Mourinho has lost them that they have dipped. I just feel that it's more likely that last season the squad were raised to Mourinho's level and that this season, they are in fact, closer to their true selves.

Just as a note, this isn't a new theory off the back of tonight's comments, Martin Samuel wrote a piece about it a number of weeks ago. I thought it was very good.

As a manager he holds responsibility in building this inadequate squad. The options or lack thereof is also his fault.

I agree that he's not the sole responsible, but he's the manager.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

well at least it was fun when we went 3 at the back and seemed to have 4 or 5 upfront.

Remember the first stint when Mourinho wasnt afraid of doing crazy stuff like that to change the game......Seems very wary of doing it nowadays. I have only seen it a few times is last couple of years, the most effective time being Norwich away in his first season back when it was 1-1 and we went on to win 3-1.

Perhaps he should just show a bit more courage and trust the players earlier in the game

[bellion 170]

Because I know what proms about? Look man, all I am saying is that we could use a little bit more positivity around here since the club is in a real mess and we are all down in the dumps. I don't agree with Barbara that the moaners need to be banned (if she did say it, I don't know) either. Expressing unpopular views is a-okay, but it does get a bit tiring after repetitive comments. I want to complain as well but I rather just step off the screen and get on with life. Anyway it doesn't matter, not trying to get into an arguments or offend people. What I know is that we are in a terrible position and the club needs to start taking action.

Peace.

I would like to know what your suggestions are with regards to taking action.

[bellion 170]

I just read a post on shed end forum from a guy who typed "for the record, I'll gladly go down with Jose at the helm" . I kid you not. If this isn't RAWK like/a cult of Jose, I don't know what is!

Shed End is filled with Mourinho fanboys. I chuckle at his biggest fan who repeatedly crows "We are improving" even after losing to the likes of Bournemouth and sitting one point above the relegation zone.