The Mourinho Thread

[The Mak 4,459]

I think this is less about FFP but more of our club looking to break even as planned years before FFP came in. Every better accountant can fuck FFP over. If we wanted immediate success like City or like we did 9 years ago, we would have no problems splashing cash.

But I hate it we are not in for more. Instead of this van ginkel signing when we got Josh, Chalobah who are arguably not that much behind MvG from our own youth behind Lamps and Ramires we should really look for that De-Rossi signing or something similar who really can make an impact and brings in experience. Even if MvG as an goalscoring B2Bmidfielder shall be Lamps replacement. We do not even got a proper place for Lampard in our formation so how shall MvG fit in there??? Both, Essien and Mikel are not good enough for the holding role in a double pivot, both ahve seen better times, both are better in a 4-3-3 and both are simply not the quality we fuckin need there.

And instead of just spending some odd 15m for a classy DM, which will not harm us financially at all, we fuck a round with a blockbuster 30m+ 220k a week Rooney signing. I mean wtf? With de Rossi or Luiz Gustavo our squad would be complete. BAyern won the triple last year with bloody Mario Mandzukic as striker. Ok, no one would win the EPL with Mario mandzukic, but Lukaku scored just as many league goals in less games than the Bayern striker. Even fuckin Torres scored more goals than him...I think if you had Lukaku, Ba, Torres in the Bundesliga they would outscore Gomez, Pizarro, Mandzukic.

So my point is. Attacking wise we are much better off than in terms of DM tho 15m there and we are fine. 30m for a striker and we still have a weak DP. Some games last season, many games actually were lost because we had no one up front to finish our chances. But remember those 2-2 draws vs S'hampton and Reading? We were shit in these games and did not have many chances, still Ba and Lamps were clinical enough to secure 2 goal leads. Afterwards we simply got overrun and got unlucky. With a fuckin decent DM this would never happen. Remember us being stuffed by ManCity? We weren't wasteful, we did not even had real chances cos we got overrun in midfield. Last year we only got an inconsistent Torres and an inconsistent Ba. To the end of the season Torres looked at-least a half-decent player (kinda Kalou like), Ba will surely find his feet sometime and Lukaku is promising, so we already have massively improved there. In DM we are just as shit as last year with the difference being we got another average player on outrageous wages who is just not suited for that role + Lamps is a year older. So, all in all, exactrly 0 players suited for the DP.

My thoughts exactly, great post mate.

[didierforever 7,349]

I think this is less about FFP but more of our club looking to break even as planned years before FFP came in. Every better accountant can fuck FFP over. If we wanted immediate success like City or like we did 9 years ago, we would have no problems splashing cash.

But I hate it we are not in for more. Instead of this van ginkel signing when we got Josh, Chalobah who are arguably not that much behind MvG from our own youth behind Lamps and Ramires we should really look for that De-Rossi signing or something similar who really can make an impact and brings in experience. Even if MvG as an goalscoring B2Bmidfielder shall be Lamps replacement. We do not even got a proper place for Lampard in our formation so how shall MvG fit in there??? Both, Essien and Mikel are not good enough for the holding role in a double pivot, both ahve seen better times, both are better in a 4-3-3 and both are simply not the quality we fuckin need there.

And instead of just spending some odd 15m for a classy DM, which will not harm us financially at all, we fuck a round with a blockbuster 30m+ 220k a week Rooney signing. I mean wtf? With de Rossi or Luiz Gustavo our squad would be complete. BAyern won the triple last year with bloody Mario Mandzukic as striker. Ok, no one would win the EPL with Mario mandzukic, but Lukaku scored just as many league goals in less games than the Bayern striker. Even fuckin Torres scored more goals than him...I think if you had Lukaku, Ba, Torres in the Bundesliga they would outscore Gomez, Pizarro, Mandzukic.

So my point is. Attacking wise we are much better off than in terms of DM tho 15m there and we are fine. 30m for a striker and we still have a weak DP. Some games last season, many games actually were lost because we had no one up front to finish our chances. But remember those 2-2 draws vs S'hampton and Reading? We were shit in these games and did not have many chances, still Ba and Lamps were clinical enough to secure 2 goal leads. Afterwards we simply got overrun and got unlucky. With a fuckin decent DM this would never happen. Remember us being stuffed by ManCity? We weren't wasteful, we did not even had real chances cos we got overrun in midfield. Last year we only got an inconsistent Torres and an inconsistent Ba. To the end of the season Torres looked at-least a half-decent player (kinda Kalou like), Ba will surely find his feet sometime and Lukaku is promising, so we already have massively improved there. In DM we are just as shit as last year with the difference being we got another average player on outrageous wages who is just not suited for that role + Lamps is a year older. So, all in all, exactrly 0 players suited for the DP.

nice post.

agree with a lot of things that you said. our board definitely has gone a little overboard in its signing of "youth players" rather even TRY to promote one or 2.

DDR would definitely have made us an PL winner, (i have big reservations about gustavo) and you have to wonder if buying mvg for 8mil and stuffing the midfield (we already had rambo, essien, mikel, lamps) was a wise decision.

but i have to differ with you on one thing. the rooney signing. i feel its a brilliant move by the club. if you compare the players of our club with bayern's , i feel at this moment they beat us in a player to player comparision for almost every player, except for probably mata, hazard and arguably cech. they definitely have a better defence and defenders. they probably have the best pivot partnership in the world, and a trio of ribery-kroos/muller-robben would be equal to or better than MAZACAR. so my point is we DO need an X-factor. someone who can change the match on its head in a bloody moment. some1 DD-ish and rooney does fit the bill. i seriously doubt if lukaku-ba-torres would be a match winner in a semi-final against bayern/barca/real.

i feel the problem here is not rooney but torres (everything bad comes down to that guy). the torres has signing screwed us at so many different levels that its hard to explain. the fans are scared of any big-money striker signing and we cringe even at the mention of it.

ps - dont insult mandzukic by comparing the guy to torres. he had 33 starts + 6 sub appearances for his 21 goals compared to torres who had 51 starts + 13 sub appearances for his 22 goals.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

nice post.

agree with a lot of things that you said. our board definitely has gone a little overboard in its signing of "youth players" rather even TRY to promote one or 2.

DDR would definitely have made us an PL winner, (i have big reservations about gustavo) and you have to wonder if buying mvg for 8mil and stuffing the midfield (we already had rambo, essien, mikel, lamps) was a wise decision.

but i have to differ with you on one thing. the rooney signing. i feel its a brilliant move by the club. if you compare the players of our club with bayern's , i feel at this moment they beat us in a player to player comparision for almost every player, except for probably mata, hazard and arguably cech. they definitely have a better defence and defenders. they probably have the best pivot partnership in the world, and a trio of ribery-kroos/muller-robben would be equal to or better than MAZACAR. so my point is we DO need an X-factor. someone who can change the match on its head in a bloody moment. some1 DD-ish and rooney does fit the bill. i seriously doubt if lukaku-ba-torres would be a match winner in a semi-final against bayern/barca/real.

i feel the problem here is not rooney but torres (everything bad comes down to that guy). the torres has signing screwed us at so many different levels that its hard to explain. the fans are scared of any big-money striker signing and we cringe even at the mention of it.

ps - dont insult mandzukic by comparing the guy to torres. he had 33 starts + 6 sub appearances for his 21 goals compared to torres who had 51 starts + 13 sub appearances for his 22 goals.

I did not say, Rooney would be a bad buy, but he surely should not be our first priority signing nor our only target.

Also in palyer per player i think it is more even. I think Mata is as good asMüller, Hazard is as good as Ribery, Cech is waaaaaaaaay better than Neuer, who is really overrated, Oscar is as good as Kroos, A.Cole is better than Alaba and I think Ivanovic-Luiz partnership is as good as Boateng-Dante. Of course their DP is very good, but also Martinez would get overrun in a faster league. People tend to overrate Bayern's players because of their success. But other than past CL winners, who often relied on few outstanding players, Bayern strenght is they got such a high density of high-quality players that fit their system, their style and their tactics perfectly. Individually, I rate Real, Barca and ManCitys squads way higher than Bayerns, but Bayern simply had the much superior tactics and better spirit.

That is also why I look forward to having a top coach like Jose again. he really can show what he is all about, when there is less money but more potential for development and his personal note. He won the CL with Porto and Inter by completely outfoxing his opponents tactically. which is what heynckes did last season. i hope Mou can repeat it here.

[didierforever 7,349]

I did not say, Rooney would be a bad buy, but he surely should not be our first priority signing nor our only target.

Also in palyer per player i think it is more even. I think Mata is as good asMüller, Hazard is as good as Ribery, Cech is waaaaaaaaay better than Neuer, who is really overrated, Oscar is as good as Kroos, A.Cole is better than Alaba and I think Ivanovic-Luiz partnership is as good as Boateng-Dante. Of course their DP is very good, but also Martinez would get overrun in a faster league. People tend to overrate Bayern's players because of their success. But other than past CL winners, who often relied on few outstanding players, Bayern strenght is they got such a high density of high-quality players that fit their system, their style and their tactics perfectly. Individually, I rate Real, Barca and ManCitys squads way higher than Bayerns, but Bayern simply had the much superior tactics and better spirit.

oscar<kroos but oscar's potential>>>> kroos' potential.

cole has lost a bit of his pace plus alaba gives a lot more to a team in attack.

also even though the dante-badstubber partnership is yet to come true but one can imagine bayern conceding even lesser amount of goals than last season.

.

That is also why I look forward to having a top coach like Jose again. he really can show what he is all about, when there is less money but more potential for development and his personal note. He won the CL with Porto and Inter by completely outfoxing his opponents tactically. which is what heynckes did last season. i hope Mou can repeat it here.

perfect.

[Fernando 6,585]

Just watched a documentary of Mourinho Madrid.

Very interesting to see.

Two things that stand out for me after watching that and that I agree with the speakers was:

1. First time ever for Mourinho in not having a unit cohesion of a team. Done it at Porto, Chelsea and Inter. But could not form that in Real Madrid.

and

2. That in all the teams that Mourinho left, it is hard for them to get back up. Takes some time.

[Strike 7,474]

It's funny how things work out. Back in November, had Chelsea hired a competent manager instead of Rafa, Mourinho would not be in charge now.

[nachikethas 1,154]

It's funny how things work out. Back in November, had Chelsea hired a competent manager instead of Rafa, Mourinho would not be in charge now.

well there wasnt many. and his return was well "written in stars......"

[nachikethas 1,154]

It's funny how things work out. Back in November, had Chelsea hired a competent manager instead of Rafa, Mourinho would not be in charge now.

well there wasnt many. and his return was well "written in stars......"

[Barbara 15,149]

It's funny how things work out. Back in November, had Chelsea hired a competent manager instead of Rafa, Mourinho would not be in charge now.

according to the man himself he knew he was going to come back here in December and talked to Roman in January... so I'm quite sure we could have signed anyone except overrated Guardiola and they would still leave for Mourinho to come.

Mourinho >>>>> Guardiola

Also I saw someone mentioning the Godfather nickname but I couldn't find the article here, so here it goes

José Mourinho turns Godfather on return to English family at Chelsea

Older and wiser, the Portuguese realises he needs to set an example on and off the pitch at Stamford Bridge

José Mourinho seemed rather tickled by the latest moniker to be ushered his way. The Chelsea manager was seated in one of the boardrooms at Kuala Lumpur's Club Saujana resort surveying a Premier League landscape stripped of Sir Alex Ferguson and in which only he and Arsène Wenger have claimed the title. At 50 he is almost one of the old breed these days, with three of his former assistants now coaching rivals in the division. If André Villas-Boas, Steve Clarke and Brendan Rodgers are his proteges, capos who have flown the nest, then he can now be considered The Godfather.

The nickname prompted the chuckle that had been intended, yet the Portuguese recognised the implications. Mourinho used to be English football's loose cannon, a figure whose unpredictability was box office. He could be charming one moment, explosively dismissive the next, his ability to undermine opponents long before his team had taken the field the stuff of legend. Those tempestuous last few months at Real Madrid had suggested little had changed in the six years since his acrimonious departure from Stamford Bridge, but he would insist plenty has. He has to act his age.

"I've won all the English competitions, I've almost the most number of Champions League appearances as a manager, and I'm the only one [in the division] who's a European champion," he said. "So maybe I have a bit more responsibility as one of the more experienced guys now. I have that situation added on my shoulders. I have to be an example for everybody, not just in terms of expectations but everything: conduct, support … I have to be there for everyone if they need me. I have felt it over the last few years, in Uefa meetings, trying to establish new ideas to improve the Champions League and Uefa competitions. A respect was there and my responsibility was getting stronger. If that happens too in the Premier League, I have to answer in a positive way."

The idea that Mourinho, once such a politically provocative figure, will become his fellow coaches' go-to man, imparting advice as Ferguson – whom the Portuguese referred to as the "Boss" and the "Dad" – did behind the scenes, reflects his standing. He returns to Chelsea a two-times Champions League winner, his record glittering upon every stage he has graced. They are to name a street after him, an Avenida de Mourinho, in his home town of Setúbal later this year. The assumption is this team, inspired by his presence, will go on to dominate in the Premier League once again, as they did with titles in 2005 and 2006. Yet, while the club has grown so used to claiming silverware, the challenge ahead is very different to that accepted when he was lured from Porto nine years ago.

"I faced a different profile of squad back then, if not a different profile of ambitions," he said. "One team built many years ago is disappearing and we're facing the new situation of financial fair play, so I'm working now with a squad whose best years are to come. After three years at Real, this profile of job comes at a good moment for me. I'm being a bit of a coach, a bit of a teacher. The (young) players have big space in their grey matter, lots of neurons free, ready to absorb and process information. I have to prepare the long-term future, and I don't want to be evaluated or loved for what I did before. I want to be loved because of what I'm doing now and what I will do in the future."

That task is to overthrow Manchester United while also fending off the threat of Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City, Wenger's Arsenal and Villas-Boas at Spurs. It is David Moyes at Old Trafford who draws the focus, a manager awaiting his first major honour and tasked with succeeding Ferguson, one of the greatest managers of all time. "Before I won the first trophy I had not won anything, so everyone is the same," said Mourinho. "He is experienced. To win trophies with Everton is not easy. When he finished fourth or fifth there, he didn't take the medal home but it's a trophy.

"One of the most difficult things in the club is to create a victory culture, one where you walk through the front door and smell the success, smell the confidence, smell the self-esteem. When I first came to Chelsea we were training at Harlington [the former university sports ground now occupied by Queens Park Rangers] and the only trophy they had from the previous season was the Malaysian Cup they won here. Now Chelsea is a big club.

"But other times you arrive and just think: 'This is already a big club.' David is in a big club with a winning culture already there, and that is a help. Everybody there knows how to win, but he must be the proudest man in the world and has a huge chance.

"City have bought four important players who will improve their fantastic squad. In my first time here people always put pressure on me, saying: 'You buy this, you spend that, you buy the title.' So I hope now they say that about the other side. But it's not about the money. It's always difficult to win. You can have the best players in the world, but you will have other kinds of problems to deal with, in terms of some choices, changes, rotations and turnovers."

City have already claimed a league title since they were transformed by Abu Dhabi money. Wenger's Arsenal, in contrast, have not lifted a trophy since Mourinho's first year in English football and, yet, he still considers them a threat. "They have their philosophy, and for some reason they do it. For sure, their manager does really good in the job. If not they wouldn't keep him. They will sign some players for sure to improve the team, and the manager brings stability. If he signs a new contract it means everything is comfortable and the board and the team know where they want to go. I think they are contenders."

And Villas-Boas, his former opposition scout whose decision to depart Internazionale for his own career in management so damaged their relationship? "All those people who worked with me, for me, none of them found my office locked. They don't have my files hidden under the bed. Everything was there for them: they had the chance to learn, to study, to be part of discussions and to be part of my training process. So for him, for Steve, for Brendan, I am very happy to see them successful.

"What they achieve is down to them. I'm just happy to help in their formation, in the same way Mr [bobby] Robson or Louis van Gaal did with me. After that, when they fly, when they fly well, I'm happy for them."

That prompted a moment's hesitation before, an hour after the nickname was first mooted, it was officially taken up.

"Maybe I am going to be The Godfather," he added with a smile. Chelsea are glad to have their seasoned champion back in place.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jul/19/jose-mourinho-chelsea-godfather

also in another Guardian piece he said this:

José Mourinho has warned John Terry he is not safe when it comes to selection with the restored Chelsea manager stressing all his players, including the club captain, must now work to make themselves "untouchable".

(...)

Mourinho, who has denied any interest in the Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuaín and either Daniele De Rossi at Roma or Luiz Gustavo of Bayern Munich, had once described a nucleus of his side as "untouchable". "But that word comes [in] at the point the work they do makes them untouchable," he said. "And that takes time. They become untouchable. They don't just get the stamp because I want them to be. They get there themselves."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jul/19/jose-mourinho-john-terry-chelsea

That's the kind of honesty and straightforwardness I love about Mourinho.

He doesn't lie saying there are no untouchable players in his squads because there are, just like in any other squad. He admits he can give the 'seal' to who earns it while the other managers are normally diplomatic and hypocrite saying everyone is treated the same. Everyone play by the same rules, but everyone isn't the same!

[ZanSnake 1,211]

What a love most by the fact that Jose is back, is the fact it seems to be a natural fit - there is no prancing around, hiding behind the card of it being a complete new chapter and the expectations - he charges into them with brutal honesty, and isn't afraid of treading into unknown water, he has become an identity, which we have lacked since Carlo, and has the feisty element that was missed with the suave manner of Roberto in contrast. In terms of now, i think he does have a bit of suave to him which he has gained with more experience and he is using that to feed into his charisma compared to his first run as manager.

There isn't a waiting period for him to stamp his authority into the team, he has done it from day one - easily making us one of the favourites, if not thee, favourite to win the league. And with Moyes coming into a sense of a higher grade of caliber, he will continuously test him like he has already with the Rooney saga.

I dunno if that makes sense to others, but that is something grand to be able to see in my eyes - finally we have the bite back in our charge, and that might have us gain what has been so illustrious in the last couple of seasons. Hail the Godfather!

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Nice read:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/jose-mourinho-you-have-to-praise-the-guys-who-play-at-their-limits-they-give-everything-they-are-not-superstars--chelsea-manager-has-warning-for-clubs-special-ones-8735139.html

[wj818 25]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jul/27/jose-mourinho-special-chelsea Not sure if someone posted this article already but a nice read. Gives an insight of how he wants mata and hazard to play.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

So after reading the above articles, it's pretty obvious it's going to be a much tougher season for both Mata and Hazard. Mou will demand and expect a lot from them. Mata is first choice RW and will have to work hard on defense as well which will def be very demanding for him. Hazard will be first choice LW but with the added pressure of providing those big goals.

He didn't specifically mention Oscar or KDB, but considering what he said about Mata and Hazard one can deduce that Oscar or KDB will be first choice CAM.

I also think he really wants to keep Traore, and considering his love for left-footed RWs I bet he would have given him a lot of games too even if he's only 17.

Mata - Oscar/KDB - Hazard

ST

[Barbara 15,149]

That's what I said the other day:

I meant that if a guy is special he will receive special treatment under Mourinho, as Ronaldo and Sneijder did... the most special in our team imo is Hazard and when he's ready (close to his peak and during his peak) I have no doubts he will have different treatment from Mourinho in the both instances I explained exhaustively in my post: defensive obligations and patience/complacency on bad performances' streaks.

That's what Mourinho said now:

"We've had Joe, Robben and Duff, Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel di María and Mesut Ozil … with me [at Real Madrid], players like Eden Hazard will have freedom. The kid has a lot of talent, but it's about what he does next. He has to go from a great talent to great numbers: how many goals, how many assists, how many winning goals, how many goals in big matches. Football is about numbers in a very pragmatic way. I'm ready to help him, I'm ready to work with him. And he must be ready too."

I feel backed up for saying the other day that Mourinho would make Hazard - not Mata - the player he gives freedom to. Eden is going to be his Wesley/Cris. Not backed up by only saying he has favorites (who he called the next day 'untouchable' players - in the exact argument I gave: he has players he doesn't bench no matter how long they slump and he has players he gives freedom from defensive responsibilities. I feel really backed up by his words. I may not understand much about football - I don't -, but after following this guy closely for the last 9 years, I understand a lot about how Mourinho's head works).

Which is why I keep insisting, Mata will change under Mourinho for better or for worse. He will have to improve his work rate otherwise he'll lose space. Mourinho knows the star in this team is Hazard. It's not diminishing Mata, it's just putting Eden where he belongs. Even a blind can see that. If he has to sacrifice someone he will sacrifice Mata - because that's the obvious thing to do.

thanks for posting the articles

[TrippingStep 336]

So after reading the above articles, it's pretty obvious it's going to be a much tougher season for both Mata and Hazard. Mou will demand and expect a lot from them. Mata is first choice RW and will have to work hard on defense as well which will def be very demanding for him. Hazard will be first choice LW but with the added pressure of providing those big goals.

He didn't specifically mention Oscar or KDB, but considering what he said about Mata and Hazard one can deduce that Oscar or KDB will be first choice CAM.

I also think he really wants to keep Traore, and considering his love for left-footed RWs I bet he would have given him a lot of games too even if he's only 17.

Mata - Oscar/KDB - Hazard

ST

I don't actually really like what he said.

Ok Ronaldo is a goal scoring machine at Madrid but he has become very one dimensional in his game, Ozil plays better with Germany.

At Inter, he had forwards and great defensive players in midfield or fullback with Zanetti who could play good at both, Motta, Cambiasso.

That reinforces my mind that KDB and Schurrle will have the best stats this year like I said earlier. They fit better his direct style in attack.

For me Hazard is at his best like Benitez used him the last three four months. More involved in the build-up, driving from deeper positions. More like a Iniesta playing in the wing with a bit more pace.

I'm not sure we have the midfield to play the game that Mourinho likes, eventhough we will have more options that last year.

Even if Eden will have better stats than last year, I'm sure it would have been the case if we would have started the season with the same philosophy than the last months under Benitez and with an improved midfield as well.