The Mourinho Thread

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Great coach, but I feel sometimes he has to be less pragmatic because it costs valuable points and goal difference

[Fernando 6,590]

Diving debate annoys mourinho.

http://m.skysports.com/article/football/yourclub/9615607?compid=263&teamid=524

There's some truth to what mourinho said, however the things he's referencing would not be possible if there was an official panel.

Right now what a panel can sanction it's vague and sometimes not applicable everywhere.

A panel set just for diving will be fair because that will be it's main focus.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,090]

Great coach, but I feel sometimes he has to be less pragmatic because it costs valuable points and goal difference

Not, in my opinion, as many as it has gained.

Perhaps this differing view might be traced to my thoughts about the prowess of our team. It is widely believed that we have an outstanding team capable of beating almost anybody by pressing high and playing through teams. Not me however. I think that our generally great results this season have caused people to overlook some of the flaws in our squad and to overrate the quality we can put on the pitch.

Clearly we do have some outstanding footballers but, as controversial as my opinion might be, I also think we have rather too many who are short of the quality required if our play is to justify the rave reviews we've been getting. For example, I don't think any of Oscar, Schurrle or Willian are as good as needed. Even Costa, who is a big improvement on what we have had previously, has clear weaknesses that restrict our flow.

Believing all of this allows me to support a pragmatic approach more often than some others seem to. I am delighted that we have a manager who will go the pragmatic route whenever he does not feel that we can win by going on to/staying on the front foot. I am convinced that we have gained much, much more from Jose doing that, than we have lost.

[Fernando 6,590]

Not, in my opinion, as many as it has gained.

For League format it's good but for cl format not.

Take a look at United game. If we had been content with just one goal we would had a hard time after United scored on us the last minute.

Indeed something like that happened against Barcelona where they scored last minute and we got eliminated.

In league we at least get one point.

This is why being over cautious in cl can be at times harmful and cost you badly.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Diving debate annoys mourinho.

http://m.skysports.com/article/football/yourclub/9615607?compid=263&teamid=524

There's some truth to what mourinho said, however the things he's referencing would not be possible if there was an official panel.

Right now what a panel can sanction it's vague and sometimes not applicable everywhere.

A panel set just for diving will be fair because that will be it's main focus.

Yeah I don't agree with Mourinho here. Diving is a problem, not in the PL alone, and it needs to be addressed.. It's just not nice to see, especially from your own players. It's cheating and we're better than that.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,090]

For League format it's good but for cl format not.

Take a look at United game. If we had been content with just one goal we would had a hard time after United scored on us the last minute.

Indeed something like that happened against Barcelona where they scored last minute and we got eliminated.

In league we at least get one point.

This is why being over cautious in cl can be at times harmful and cost you badly.

Again, I disagree.

That performance against Bacelona was one of our better displays against them and we certainly deserved a second goal before they equalised. Even so the high quality nature of our play that night was based on a solid, shape holding, defensive set up. Trying to mix it with that Barca side was not the way to go for anybody. They were extremely fortunate to put us out, but what happened when AF deployed a less pragmatic approach against them in the final? The scoreline was decisive but nevertheless extremely flattering to a United side who were comprehensively outplayed.

The notion that when a side lines up in the 'low-block' it means that they are not trying to win is one of the great myths of the game. Sometimes doing that is exactly the right way to try to win. JM knows this and he is not alone. I want to see us able to beat more sides on the front foot, dominating possession and confidently able to challenge them to outscore us if they can. Not with this collection of players we can't however. We are closer now to being able to adopt that approach but we aren't there yet.

Not quite sure what you meant in reference to the United game, after all we did have a hard time when they scored against us.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

I want to pointed out, why we're usually 'struggling' against mid table teams, but having a great record against big clubs in an away matches. The answer is, we play 433 formation against big ones, while we play 4231 formation almost every times against the rest away. Yes, it seems worked against Everton this season, but that is 'very rare' to happen imo.

Now the real question is, why we're not playing 433 formation in every away matches, regardless they are big clubs or not? We have the resources, I don't see why we couldn't do that.

[Tomo 21,751]

Great coach, but I feel sometimes he has to be less pragmatic because it costs valuable points and goal difference

Ask Liverpool fans if relentlessly chasing goal difference is a good idea.

[The Chels 2,502]

Not, in my opinion, as many as it has gained. Perhaps this differing view might be traced to my thoughts about the prowess of our team. It is widely believed that we have an outstanding team capable of beating almost anybody by pressing high and playing through teams. Not me however. I think that our generally great results this season have caused people to overlook some of the flaws in our squad and to overrate the quality we can put on the pitch. Clearly we do have some outstanding footballers but, as controversial as my opinion might be, I also think we have rather too many who are short of the quality required if our play is to justify the rave reviews we've been getting. For example, I don't think any of Oscar, Schurrle or Willian are as good as needed. Even Costa, who is a big improvement on what we have had previously, has clear weaknesses that restrict our flow. Believing all of this allows me to support a pragmatic approach more often than some others seem to. I am delighted that we have a manager who will go the pragmatic route whenever he does not feel that we can win by going on to/staying on the front foot. I am convinced that we have gained much, much more from Jose doing that, than we have lost.

Again, I disagree.

That performance against Bacelona was one of our better displays against them and we certainly deserved a second goal before they equalised. Even so the high quality nature of our play that night was based on a solid, shape holding, defensive set up. Trying to mix it with that Barca side was not the way to go for anybody. They were extremely fortunate to put us out, but what happened when AF deployed a less pragmatic approach against them in the final? The scoreline was decisive but nevertheless extremely flattering to a United side who were comprehensively outplayed.

The notion that when a side lines up in the 'low-block' it means that they are not trying to win is one of the great myths of the game. Sometimes doing that is exactly the right way to try to win. JM knows this and he is not alone. I want to see us able to beat more sides on the front foot, dominating possession and confidently able to challenge them to outscore us if they can. Not with this collection of players we can't however. We are closer now to being able to adopt that approach but we aren't there yet.

Not quite sure what you meant in reference to the United game, after all we did have a hard time when they scored against us.

I understand what you're saying and agree that we don't have the players to dominate every team but there is a way to be pragmatic. And personally I'm not a big fan of Jose's defensive system when I compare it to the pressing systems used by Dortmund in recent years or by Simeone's Atletico, who really are the template for defensive stability and tactical balance in the big games.

Compare our performance away to Atletico last year (or ours away to City this year) with Atletico's away to us last year (or away to Real this year). The only advantage ours has is it is perhaps less tiring for the players. Otherwise we concede more chances as we retreat and the opposition has more of the ball around our box; pressing (if any) is localised and disorganised which leaves big gaps and eliminates the opportunity for turnovers high up the pitch; and all it takes is one lapse of concentration, à la Hazard v Atletico or Schurrle/Ivanovic v City, and you're done for.

We are more than capable of playing a high intensity pressing game but Jose for some reason prefers to 'park the bus' even though it relies a lot on luck and we are not good at counter attacking from deep. I firmly believe Atletico are again more likely to win the CL than us even though we have better players because Simeone's tactics (which are still very defensive and includes a low-block but with very organised and intense (counter) pressing) result in fewer clear-cut chances being conceded and more high-quality chances being created.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Ask Liverpool fans if relentlessly chasing goal difference is a good idea.

Ask Man Utd fans how much it sucks losing out on goal difference

[didierforever 7,349]

Ask Man Utd fans how much it sucks losing out on goal difference

manu lost 6-1 to city and they had a 10 goal gap at the end of the season. make that defeat as a 2-1 defeat and the goal difference at the start of the last day would become -2 instead of -10. united could easily have won 3-0 at sunderland on the last day.

and now lets talk about the 6-1 defeat, they were a man down, 2 goals down, and yet they tried to get those 2 goals. 90th minute, 91st minute and 93rd minute were when they conceded the goals. if they have anything to blame for the loss, its their stupid approach of attack.

[Jase 43,479]

Ask Man Utd fans how much it sucks losing out on goal difference

Players don't convert the chances. Blame Mourinho for it.

[Madmax 9,219]

Can you imagine the meltdown here if we don't win tonight?

[didierforever 7,349]

Can you imagine the meltdown here if we don't win tonight?

i can imagine a couple of "JOSEOUT"s already!!!

[KevinAshburner 1,270]

https://www.youtube.com/user/theclarebaldingshow/videos

youtube.com/user/theclarebaldingshow/videos

The Clare Balding Show

check out The Latest Jose Mourinho Clips uploads for the Christmas Program aired for 25/12/2014.

EDIT : THEY REMOVED ALL THE UPLOADED CLIPS OR JUST PUT THEM ON PRIVATE. THE CLIPS ARE NO LONGER THERE.

Edited December 22, 2014 by KevinAshburner

[Fernando 6,590]

"I like these matches. Its no problem - with a good referee that can understand what is aggressivity, or when aggressivity finishes and when the rules of the game start." - Mourinho

Hmmmm aggressivity?

[LAM09 7,069]

Jose Mourinho is top of the league at Christmas for the 8th time in his career. He's won it all 7 times previous.

Good omen.

[Jase 43,479]

[Fernando 6,590]

He admires Mourinho just like Mourinho admires him.

And that's how it should be.

[Barbara 15,149]

Can you imagine the meltdown here if we don't win tonight?

just as expected as the absolute silence after won... that's TC these days.

Loved his absolutely infuriated reaction at Barsdley's tackle on Hazard

He was furious - rightfully. That's what sets him apart of everyone else imo... his passion