The Mourinho Thread

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

I'm just going to run this up the flagpole, but you can look at any of his teams across the years and see patterns of attacking play that produce measurable results. The league has become more competitive though and you need to constantly improve your squad or you fall behind. We didn't do that and what's worse, the players we already have (except Willian) performed poorly.

I've seen a lot of brilliant counter-attacking play, not attacking play per se. Mourinho's Madrid were the best counter-attacking team in the world. Chelsea 2004/2005 were a fantastic counter-attacking team. Those teams scored a tremendous amount of goals.

But Mourinho didn't install any attacking philosophy in those teams. So it wasn't that surprising to see those teams fall apart so quickly. Madrid went from having the record for goals in La Liga in one season to being a 3rd place, average Madrid side. We went from this super effecient, physically powerful, counter-attacking machine to long balls to Drogba. Over-reliance on Drogba.

T

[Kieran. 6,317]

It remains to be seen IMO whether some of these players mentioned (i.e. Cesc and Diego) are actually done here. People mentioning that Hazard should be replaced are just being ludicrous and emotional. Pedro has just arrived...

Solutions exist within our squad to get the best out of some of these players that are underperforming - we don't need a massive 7/8 player overhaul at all. Our squad is decent - a couple of great additions will turn it into a great one.

Are you on the board? As soon as you were Mourinho Out he was gone within a few days...strange...

[The Skipper 20,593]

Are you on the board? As soon as you were Mourinho Out he was gone within a few days...strange...

Shh.

[Ossie the King 634]

And I'm very certain SB won't be anywhere near as toxic as you're trying to make it out to be. There's time between now and the game, things will cool off. People are there to support Chelsea FC, not Jose Mourinho. We're more than a manager.

Not sure if you were around when Rafa was hired but right now it feels almost as bad. People are there to support Chelsea but Jose is a massive part of this club. It's hard to explain but a lot changed around the time Roman took over. We changed massively, but as much as Roman was the instigator for that, Jose was the architect. His attitude fitted not just with what Chelsea was before, but what it was after the money arrived. It's almost impossible to overstate the impact he had but I can't think of someone we've loved as much as him.

Even when things were tough, we stuck by him simply because he was that important. Chelsea is a club like no other, right down to the fact that many of us own part of the pitch itself. I don't really know what our ethos or perhaps even our identity is going forward because we don't have that core of players (JT, Lamps, Drogs etc.) like last time. It's a hugely worrying time.

[didierforever 7,349]

Very sad news, but good to see that most of you don't lack class and wish him well. I was a bit surprised, i must say.

Now the pro-Mourinho group has done their all, the bigger group who thought it was better to part ways, they have to bring their shit now

I expect the likes of Loftus-Cheek, Baba, Traore, Kenedy, Aina, Musonda and so on to see more and more because their lack of playing time

was on Jose, right?

I read Mourinho cried after the sacking, very very upsetting. "One of us" wasn't just a phrase, imo.

We'll see how it goes long-term, i have decided to come back, because i think the dicussions won't be so one-sided anymore (no harm meant).

Hope no one has a problem with that, at some of you, i don't intend to open a bookstore.

@Zolayes looking forward to speaking with you, bring it, no more Jose around the house, can only get better?

did he? any link? please dont let this be true.

[Miguelito 459]

I thought it was very strange that the club points we have agreed to part ways. Now this could just be for damage control. Making it seem like this was not just a board thing we're not going against mou's wishes, but it is a mutual thing. Will definitely help some damage control.

But it does make me wonderdoes this mean we aren't going to pay him the compensation. Is it not going to happen now that it was mutual and not just fired but it was agreed to part ways

[Parky 739]

He didn't get sacked. It was via mutal consent as per clubs official statement. Apparently it is being reported that he will get paid until the end of this season.

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

Jose Mourinho leaves Cobham, reported he was crying when he left.

[Special Juan 27,092]

Some reports saying he will get 10M. Mutual consent.

[Ossie the King 634]

I've seen a lot of brilliant counter-attacking play, not attacking play per se. Mourinho's Madrid were the best counter-attacking team in the world. Chelsea 2004/2005 were a fantastic counter-attacking team. Those teams scored a tremendous amount of goals.

But Mourinho didn't install any attacking philosophy in those teams. So it wasn't that surprising to see those teams fall apart so quickly. Madrid went from having the record from goals in La Liga to being a 3rd place, average Madrid side. We went from this super effecient, physically powerful, counter-attacking machine to long balls to Drogba. Over-reliance on Drogba.

Isn't counter-attacking play an attacking philosophy? Obviously it is but I thought I'd just ask the question.

Even then, it's one of a number of tactics Jose has employed. His philosophy (not simply attacking) has been to capitalise on team's mistakes and allow them the time to make them, then strike when they over-commit. He exploits the spaces teams create when they leave spaces by pushing forward too much, usually on one of the wings.

When teams defend deep then it's very hard for any team to break them down, but even then he's shown an ability to do that usually through Fabregas or Hazard.

But I think ultimately our failings come down to us not investing in players in the summer. You want to talk about attacking philosophies then where was the board's attacking philosophy? What was their plan to launch a defence of the title? I can see Man City's and I can even see Arsenal's a bit, but what was our's?

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Considering the club fucked with him that bad, why would you say no to the severance package? Fuck me, I'd have taken the 40 million in a heart-beat.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Empathise with him more than any other manager we've had. He really did care and it's a shame the fairytale couldn't go on. Wonder how he bounces back

[Adnane 1,101]

Mourinho's philosophy has always struck me as:

"I've already shown you guys how to stop "x" team from hurting us. Go out and beat "x" team. After all, we have more quality than they do and that eventually will tell"

It was instructive to listen to Mourinho wax lyrical about all the preparation he had done to ensure our players knew about all the means Leicester could score and win, as he's done several times this season.

But was what alarming about Chelsea was not Leicester's goals against us, but how clueless we looked in their final 3rd till they scored! Mourinho hardly ever speaks about that side, aside from some basic stuff here and there. "I told him to make some movement" How can players make movements when there is no space? Or when no one is attacking space? Or when the passing is so slow and ponderous? That's training ground stuff and we have to ask why we hardly ever saw it in almost 3 years.

Please, he's gone, and these are tough times for all of us.

Can you spare us this please ? Can you stop criticizing him ? At least helping us in the impossible task of keeping a good image of him in his last days ?

Let's just move on, we all love him, let's not keep blasting him here, we all know what went wrong and we all hope someone comes and fixes it.

[Kostas 1,468]

it would take too long but in a nutshell .. some things are more important than tin cups ,, I am now thought to be one of the most negative moaners on here .

hope you are well and things in Greece are improving

Sounds like a position based on principle(/ethics?) rather than purely utilitarian concerns. Am I on the right track?

Greece is actually getting increasingly worse :/ Glasgows been treating me fine through

[lucio 5,370]

Jose Mourinho leaves Cobham, reported he was crying when he left.

is that real???

[Parky 739]

'There is speculation that Chelsea have approached Pep Guardiola about taking over at the end of Hiddink’s temporary stint. The Daily Mail say the Spaniard has let the club know that he thinks they need 10 new players to get to where they want to be.' via the Guardian.

[Kieran. 6,317]

is that real???

Can't tell if hes crying but he looks absolutely shattered.

[Clockwork 1,762]

You can't blame the players; just like you can't blame soldiers for revolting or underperforming due to a toxic military officer, or employees who are underperforming due to a toxic CEO.

Its all the same; every solider, player, and employees wants to feel good about themselves, and that only happens when they are successful at their job.

The manager always takes responsibility for their subordinates.

Mourinho did not look like a leader to me this season at all. A leader takes responsibility for his team he never did in this situation. Blamed almost everyone players, media, ballboy, refs, medics, exterminators, etc.

I was never a fan of his tenure, never wanted him back at Chelsea from the start. Great he is gone, the club can move in the right direction now.