The Mourinho Thread

[Namika 922]

TBF, having that space behind the defence is fine as long as your entire team presses as a unit effectively over the pitch. The problem like with the case of Bayern yesterday is that their pressing wasn't there and made it easy for Real to catch them out on the counter.

They pressed the Tottenham way, thas was so Villas-Boas.

[Fernando 6,376]

If we had those stats against Bayern the football world would once again scorn us and call us enemies to the sport.

Real Madrid do it in BOTH legs and are praised and lauded. This is exactly how José wants to mold our side.

I can imagine that countless hack journalists are creaming themselves and salivating at the thought of RM winning the CL. "Did in his first season what Mourinho failed to do in three," they'll say. Never mind the fact that he'll have done it with José's squad and over £100m in transfers.

If we beat the odds and win the thing I hope José just stares directly into the camera silently smiling for 30 seconds straight and then walks away.

I would say yes, but you have to acknowledge that Carlo is more attack minded then Mourinho.

The same team that Mourinho built at Chelsea, was very tough and rigid. When Carlo came we play some amazing stuff.

Now the same at Real Madrid, the wheels has come of.

However when it comes to tactics vs tactics, Mourinho wins straight out. You see what he did to us against Inter.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

We praise Jose Mourinho for his tactical brilliance but it has to be said, his tactics in combination with poor defending as a team have cost us today. I've been a Chelsea fan before Mourinho and I will be one after. Having said that, we NEED stability at this club and Abramovich and the board have decided that Mourinho is the man to bring that stability. This is my opinion on the game:

(1) Playing Azpilicueta, a RB as a right winger just reeks of overly-cautious tactics, especially since we have better attacking options on the bench. We have an in-form goal-scoring Ba, Schurrle and Oscar, who always plays well in European competition. It simply makes zero sense to play that way in a game we HAD to win.

(2) Switching Hazard from the centre to the left wing was just asking for trouble, especially since the guy had just recovered from a calf injury. Mourinho made the right decision playing him through the centre initially, but switching him to the left meant he had to do a lot of running to track opposition runners. Hazard got exposed on two occasions as a result.

(3) Bringing on Eto'o destabilized the team defensively. That sub was too early and lo and behold, the guy gives away a penalty. A double whammy.

Those were the most obvious errors made today, but I guess it happens even to the best of them.

Now to problems beyond his control.

The midfield pivot of Ramires and Luiz is beyond a joke. There is little to no creative spark there and their defensive contribution is surprisingly poor. They left the back four exposed on many occasions today. It's a shame because Lampard and Mikel were suspended for the game and that Beast, our best midfielder, Matic is cup-tied and his absence showed today. We can't beat them without our absolute best team. They are just too good for anything less than that. That was my greatest fear going in to this game, the pivot.

But congrats to Atletico, till the penalty, it was fairly even, but at 1-2, it was virtually over. There is a reason why Atletico have not lost a single game in the CL this season.

Hazard, Schurrle, Oscar, Azpi........All these guys playing in the knock-out of the CL for the first time ever. They will grow together.

To make it to the semi-final is a fanstastic achievement. I'm proud of the boys, the manager and the support. We will be back with a top class CF next season and a top class CM to pair with Matic and then we can push on for the biggest titles. We just haven't had enough this season.

[Fernando 6,376]

I still think his a top manager despite this game.

Just like I still think Pep is a top manager despite their game against Real.

One isolated game does not make the difference, you have to look at the whole season and noticed if there's progress.

Chelsea for me has been a great progress.

But there's two points that I need to say.

One we have no creativity. At the beginning of the season we had Mata, KDB and Oscar.

Sold two of them, and the other is now nowhere to be seen.

What the hell happened? Does Mourinho does not like creative players? If not, what is he going to do for that spark in creativity?

And second, I hate this shit that we can't create two passes straight. We are so shit in passing that is borderline insanity.

Atletico is also a defensive counter attacking team, but they play great as a unit and string great passes. This is something Mourinho has to work in our team.

I'm excited for the summer cause I expect Mourinho to make the right changes and make us competitive from the go next season.

However if come next season we are still shit, then we will have to worry about Mourinho. But until that happens I'm still hopeful that we will do good next season.

[Henrique 9,133]

Impossible to mention Mourinho here: weird tactics in the first leg, and awkward line-up today. Second season in a row, and no trophies for the special one, second season in a row he was outclassed by another manager (Klopp last season).

Just like Guardiola, Mourinho should rethink his football philosophy.

[iseah100 5,612]

Impossible to mention Mourinho here: weird tactics in the first leg, and awkward line-up today. Second season in a row, and no trophies for the special one, second season in a row he was outclassed by another manager (Klopp last season).

Just like Guardiola, Mourinho should rethink his football philosophy.

You should re think your philosophy.

[zolayes 14,489]

Impossible to mention Mourinho here: weird tactics in the first leg, and awkward line-up today. Second season in a row, and no trophies for the special one, second season in a row he was outclassed by another manager (Klopp last season).

Just like Guardiola, Mourinho should rethink his football philosophy.

Ignore this guy he only joined when Scolari came and has been bitter ever since we sacked his hero

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

I think this CL season proved that sometime YOU HAVE TO CHANGE TO SURVIVE. Pep with his tiki-taka dominated Europe from 08-11 but now getting raped like Bara did last season. Jose is a great manager, one of the best there is in the world atm, but he also need to change his approach. Sometime too cautious WILL COST YOU as we seen with this tie with Madrid. If we have gone for an away goal in the 1st leg we might have lost but we could have also give ourselves a better chance today imo.

Last year he tried it with Real too but got destroyed by Dortmund in the 1st leg and ultimately losing it. So once he learns from his mistake and change a little bit next season, we will be a great force again that teams will fear.

[Sheva. 5,373]

4 straight semi's and no final. Only a matter of time though.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Impossible to mention Mourinho here: weird tactics in the first leg, and awkward line-up today. Second season in a row, and no trophies for the special one, second season in a row he was outclassed by another manager (Klopp last season).

Just like Guardiola, Mourinho should rethink his football philosophy.

I don't think it's that straight-forward though. Guardiola took over the treble winners and made them worse. Mourinho took over the 3rd best team in England and made them much better. Losing to an Atletico side who are a stronger and better team than us, a team that hasn't lost a single game in the CL all season and that has only lost twice in their domestic league. Costa, Turan, Koke, Villa, Courtois, their entire back four, and some genuine quality off the bench in Diego,Rodriguez and Garcia. They are a formidable TEAM.

As for last season in Madrid: It's well known Mourinho had already lost the dressing room. The players were not playing for him anymore but for their fans only. There is no shame in losing to THAT Dortmund team last season. That was a great side. Besides, Madrid kind of redeemed themselves in the 2nd leg, and if not for the poor finishing of Higuain, could have turned it around.

This is more to do with the squad not being strong enough (yet) than Mourinho, I'm sure you already know that. But I do agree with you about the Azpi thing. It was wierd and un-called for. We had to start that game on the front foot. Trying to "stabilize" and build from there only suited Atletico because all they needed was the away goal. They didn't have to win, so Jose takes some of the blame.

[Styles 9,790]

I think this CL season proved that sometime YOU HAVE TO CHANGE TO SURVIVE. Pep with his tiki-taka dominated Europe from 08-11 but now getting raped like Bara did last season. Jose is a great manager, one of the best there is in the world atm, but he also need to change his approach. Sometime too cautious WILL COST YOU as we seen with this tie with Madrid. If we have gone for an away goal in the 1st leg we might have lost but we could have also give ourselves a better chance today imo.

Last year he tried it with Real too but got destroyed by Dortmund in the 1st leg and ultimately losing it. So once he learns from his mistake and change a little bit next season, we will be a great force again that teams will fear.

I want to believe Jose is too cautious because he knows the teams limitations. It's up to him now to improve and assemble a team that can compete with the likes of Atletico. We opened up in the second half tonight and we couldn't get near them, they took us apart. We really have to develop a style of play beyond just soaking up pressure and counter-attacking.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

I want to believe Jose is too cautious because he knows the teams limitations. It's up to him now to improve and assemble a team that can compete with the likes of Atletico. We opened up in the second half tonight and we couldn't get near them, they took us apart. We really have to develop a style of play beyond just soaking up pressure and counter-attacking.

That is because we have been too one dimensional like you said at the end, a bit like Bayern except their passing style instead of counter attacking. We need to be able to play like Man City at home where we just go all out attack instead of just always play a bit safe and never go for the juggernaut.

[Henrique 9,133]

I want to believe Jose is too cautious because he knows the teams limitations. It's up to him now to improve and assemble a team that can compete with the likes of Atletico. We opened up in the second half tonight and we couldn't get near them, they took us apart. We really have to develop a style of play beyond just soaking up pressure and counter-attacking.

Do you believe the team is more limited than Atlético, in terms of individual quality?

[Henrique 9,133]

Ignore this guy he only joined when Scolari came and has been bitter ever since we sacked his hero

I joined this forum in 2010, Ancelotti was the manager. Scolari was sacked 1 year earlier. Why you keep talking bullshit, my friend?

[The Skipper 20,593]

I think this CL season proved that sometime YOU HAVE TO CHANGE TO SURVIVE. Pep with his tiki-taka dominated Europe from 08-11 but now getting raped like Bara did last season. Jose is a great manager, one of the best there is in the world atm, but he also need to change his approach. Sometime too cautious WILL COST YOU as we seen with this tie with Madrid. If we have gone for an away goal in the 1st leg we might have lost but we could have also give ourselves a better chance today imo.

Last year he tried it with Real too but got destroyed by Dortmund in the 1st leg and ultimately losing it. So once he learns from his mistake and change a little bit next season, we will be a great force again that teams will fear.

Yup, pretty much this.

[zolayes 14,489]

I joined this forum in 2010, Ancelotti was the manager. Scolari was sacked 1 year earlier. Why you keep talking bullshit, my friend?

NEVER call me friend till you give money here

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

4 straight semi's and no final. Only a matter of time though.

For jose?

bad stats...

[zolayes 14,489]

For jose?

bad stats...

How many coaches have made 4 CL semi finals ???