The Mourinho Thread

[Mouri_Matic 560]

AVB is absolutely pathetic. There is no other word to describe that scumbag.

Who are Liverpool playing next week? And I believe we'll play well against Arsenal. Common Jose!

Cardiff at home, 6-0 for me.

[haranr 485]

Cardiff at home, 6-0 for me.

Oh thanks.

Don't be so sure about the score. I actually think Cardiff can manage a point, they have a good manager but it will be very tough against "in-form" Liverpool.

[Namika 922]

Liverpool have to play City and us Away + Cardiff at home...

[iceboy 992]

Defiant Jose Mourinho: Manchester City need to be more like Chelsea - NOT the other way

"They have one point less. So they need to be more like us," the Special One bizarrely claims despite City's demolition job

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelsea-review-manchester-city-need-2930361

Mind games from Jose

[NishC300 1,865]

Which youngster do we have that can pass the ball from the midfield and is PL ready? Baker?.....I know we got a youngster MVG, but it think its a know fact that he is injured....We have tried pretty much the other options there, Essien, Mikel, Rami....Also how many world class AM's does Man U have?...Do you Januzaj, will get a spot among our 6 AM's, you have to put things in context....Why did the same Moyes not do the same with Ross Barkley last season?

Alright just got my internet back today!

JMac? Chalobah? Would be nice to see them. Mate transition isn't bringing a 35 year old Lampard back into the team? How is transition bringing older players back?

[The Skipper 20,593]

I don't believe in any of this "we are in transition" ideas being used to essentially blanket Mourinho with excuses if he does not win the title this season. We have been in "transition" for a good couple of years now, getting rid of some of the older players and replacing them with top quality players that are near the peak of their powers (Hazard, Ramires, Mata, Luiz etc.). Most of these players have settle in this squad and we have got enough depth (I admit its not in all area, but its still sufficient to last a season unlike last when we had a thin squad) to not worry about injury an crisis.

The simple fact is that this squad should be winning this title this year. Look at all the other teams season and it is clear to me that we are the only one that can be consistent if we are managed correctly. Yes we are a bit blunt with the strikers and central midfield, but Mourinho had a whole summer transfer window to buy these players, so it all lies at his door that we are weak in those departments and decided that he would rather pay £30 million for an attacking midfielder who is simply going to be used as a squad player, while having this deluded belief that players like Lampard can somehow be the backbone of the team. But even after all this, considering the inconsistencies of the other squads; we still should be able to win the title with some of the world class players we have got. Yet Mourinho is in two ways of what type of football we are wanting to play, trying to use flair players to constantly press defensively even though it damages their attacking abilities, and half the time is trying to convince fans that we are going to play attacking football while the other half is playing some messy counter attacking football that leaves us looking completely clueless. How can people say that Mourinho is trying to create an identity for us when after being in charged for 6 months still has no clue on what type of football we are playing? Probably the saddest thing about this is that players like Juan Mata, who are of exceptional class, able to influence games with one pass are being cast aside because of seemingly ego problems by Jose who decided that he would not like him because he does not fit exactly with his idea of everyone pressing even though there is serious doubt if this tactic even works while playing him out of form, never giving him the same chances as others who he plays out of favouritism (Lampard, Ivanovic) and never plays him in his best position, even when his favourite in the number 10 spot is not playing, he for some odd reason refuses to put him there and instead puts Willian or Schurrle there, even when its not as effective, like he won't do it because it would damage his pride.

This whole idea that were are in some sort of transition (which has been used for the last 2 seasons at least) and that Mourinho is developing a long term plan that will last for many years is absolutely nonsense. This man is the antithesis of long term management and stability. His whole career has been built around going to a club that already had a good squad, getting a huge transfer bank balance to buy expensive players, create a stock mentality, win some trophies, and then in two or three years time, as soon as signs of the train starting to derail, he quickly jumps to another and starts again. I had no belief that he would be here to stay for the long-term and I have seen no evidence that he is capable of doing this. But I have seen loads of evidence of the complete opposite. Nathan Ake, young talent with a promising future who got his breakthrough last season is cast aside to the reserves. Chalobah, another brilliant young talent who a wonderful loan spell last year is not given a chance but loaned out again, Lukaku - very bright talent who also had a great loan spell last year, is put down in the pecking order and goes on loan again while we recruit a 32 year old who is on the decline. While relying heavily on a 33 year old defender who has serious injury concerns that could come p any minute, and a 35 year old midfielder who in no way in hell is capable of being the backbone of the team but plays pretty much every game so far. We pay £30 million pounds for another attacking midfielder who we absolutely did not need and is essentially used like a squad player, yet the talented Kevin De Bruyne another for the future who could have easily be used in the position of Willian and was getting rave review in Germany has been cast aside and looks set to leave the club soon. How is this in anyway a transition? A transition would be offloading Lampard, Cole, Cech etc, using Terry much less frequently while promoting some youngsters into the first team to be bled with are other talented regulars, creating a strategy that unites their strengths - we have seen none of that. To me this will play like any reign of Jose's career time wise, 3 years at the maximum trying to win as many trophies as possible before something comes that makes him leave, whether we have any success is another question all together.

So no, I don't buy this transition idea or that Mourinho is trying to create a long term strategy that needs time. We have a squad that should win the title this season if managed correctly, of course as I have said he had plenty of opportunities to improve the squad, but considering that everyone else has been inconsistent and considering that most of the players that we bought the last few years have settle down with the squad, Mourinho has no excuse, we should win the title if the squad is managed correctly. And it seems to me he and some people here are using this "we are in transition" and "he is trying to create a long term identity" phrases in case we don't win the title this season as an excuse. When to me its obvious that Mourinho has no intention (or does not have the capabilities) of doing either of the two. By the grace of god we are second and a few points from the top, so he should be able to do this if he bucks up some of his ideas.

Very rational and fair post. I agree with quite a few things.

I'm not in the "sack Mourinho" camp whatsoever, to me the credit goes to Jose for having us be two points off top even though we don't have a concrete playing style whatsoever.

I agree that we haven't played as well as we should've been but that is not my biggest concern. My biggest concern at this moment is our lack of identity - at the end of last season under Rafa you could see that we were moving in the right direction with Hazard, Mata and Luiz all starting to shine. One would've hoped that we would've improved on that but so far it seems as if we've been stagnated. The three mentioned above aren't performing like we know they can and one must wonder why Mourinho hasn't got them to hit top form yet.

Attacking wise we've been shocking for the majority of the season, still heavily relying on individual brilliance - there is no pattern in our play whatsoever and that isn't good enough. I have the patience to wait it out but there hasn't been any promising signs whatsoever. Our AMs should be lighting it up for us but so far, most of them have been marginalised creatively. Our AMs haven't really got a clue on what they're doing IMO.

Obviously as I said before, credit to Jose for getting us this many points without us hitting top gear but we really need to switch a gear up sooner rather than later. Everyone knows we can play a lot better than this. We certainly have the players to.

[The_Flash 1,144]

I think Jose has done alot with what we have. If we could get some striker not necessarily Suarez etc but a firing striker we could then see really how we are doing.

[Phil Driver 503]

Alright just got my internet back today!

JMac? Chalobah? Would be nice to see them. Mate transition isn't bringing a 35 year old Lampard back into the team? How is transition bringing older players back?

That is a vital part of transition . Players who have been there and done it teach the younger players how to win and play for Chelsea.

[Tomo 21,681]

Our performance's this season have been average, sometimes really bad, but we are picking up result's and hanging in there.

Bad performances mixed with results, that formula usually ends in trophies.

[Blue Armour 4,165]

Very rational and fair post. I agree with quite a few things.

I'm not in the "sack Mourinho" camp whatsoever, to me the credit goes to Jose for having us be two points off top even though we don't have a concrete playing style whatsoever.

I agree that we haven't played as well as we should've been but that is not my biggest concern. My biggest concern at this moment is our lack of identity - at the end of last season under Rafa you could see that we were moving in the right direction with Hazard, Mata and Luiz all starting to shine. One would've hoped that we would've improved on that but so far it seems as if we've been stagnated. The three mentioned above aren't performing like we know they can and one must wonder why Mourinho hasn't got them to hit top form yet.

Attacking wise we've been shocking for the majority of the season, still heavily relying on individual brilliance - there is no pattern in our play whatsoever and that isn't good enough. I have the patience to wait it out but there hasn't been any promising signs whatsoever. Our AMs should be lighting it up for us but so far, most of them have been marginalised creatively. Our AMs haven't really got a clue on what they're doing IMO.

Obviously as I said before, credit to Jose for getting us this many points without us hitting top gear but we really need to switch a gear up sooner rather than later. Everyone knows we can play a lot better than this. We certainly have the players to.

I think someone mentioned the following on this forum or elsewhere, that the reason Mourinho looks like he is 'holding back' the team's attacking instincts even against weaker opposition is to compensate for the lack of solidity in central midfield. I think he might have expected more from CM when this season started, but has since realized there are serious problems, especially in organization when the team don't have the ball, and to control the game when the team have obtained the lead.

[Muzchap 8,966]

I will judge Mourinho next season.

He has inherited a real mixture of players - he needs a solid appraisal of them and that can only be given over time.

It's easy to look good occasionally, he needs to know how the players perform when the going gets tough, who will stand up and be counted and who will hide or make excuses.

It's unfair to expect too much this season and I said that from the start...

If we get CL next season and a cup or Final - I'm happy... You might think I'm under-believing, but at 37, I know Rome wasn't built in a day and after so many managers and signings, it's gonna be hard to stamp an identity and brand of football on the team, as well as instilling a 'mental belief of winners' - lets see how Arsenal cope for the rest of the season...

We could do better than what would make me happy, but we have some serious issues in midfield and they won't be solved in Jan.

We need Modric or somebody like him. Then we have the middle and both wings as threats to opposition defence. At present we are limited to just wing - easy to defend against.

It's not Torres, BA or anybody else's fault - those guys run and try for 90 minutes - the shape and style of play is still not there!

Disagree as much as you want just my opinion

[obiwan92 217]

After some fits and starts, we're still within inches of the top. Do you guys remember how we fared with our last... 3... managers?

[zolayes 14,489]

I think someone mentioned the following on this forum or elsewhere, that the reason Mourinho looks like he is 'holding back' the team's attacking instincts even against weaker opposition is to compensate for the lack of solidity in central midfield. I think he might have expected more from CM when this season started, but has since realized there are serious problems, especially in organization when the team don't have the ball, and to control the game when the team have obtained the lead.

We dont have Ballack any more ,,, BUT when we did a lot on here said he slowed things down and wanted him out

No I can't be bothered to find those quotes ,, BUT THEY HAPPENED

[ZanSnake 1,211]

Mourinho's mental strength is to win despite bad performances, and that was apparent during his first tenure - of course defensively we were more solid, but that is down to injuries and a required new shape up of the defense all together for me - and that is how you know that the league is not about a few matches but the whole 38. I can see up stepping up for Arsenal to take what we need - the advantage - play off their deflated team and use it against them to bag the three points and closer to the top spot.

[zolayes 14,489]

Defiant Jose Mourinho: Manchester City need to be more like Chelsea - NOT the other way

"They have one point less. So they need to be more like us," the Special One bizarrely claims despite City's demolition job

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelsea-review-manchester-city-need-2930361

Mind games from Jose

the Mirror is so cracked they cant see what he means ..if there are any Mirror journos on here ..Jose means their strikers have to stop

scoring. at least Aguerro understands he has got himself injured

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Let this Arsenal game decide Jose's first few months here and it would sum up our mentality, our performance and in general Jose's mindset about us. If we go there and play attacking and win or draw, then every mistake for the past few months will have been forgotten, if he goes there and play for a bore draw like we did against MU, we know nothing have changed and it was typical Jose so we shouldn't expect things to change as we hoped. Now if we lose, then you just know hell will fall on here and rightly so, this is a game we should win or at least get a draw, losing is not good enough especially since our B team destroyed them a few weeks ago.

So let this Arsenal game decide for us, whether you are supporting Jose or criticising him.

[The_Flash 1,144]

Got sent this by Chelsea have made it my background for Christmas

[Namika 922]

http://vimeo.com/76699843

Still the same.