Jose Mourinho

[Bobby TwoShots]

We came damn close to winning the Champions league? By playing Wimbledon '88 style in the semi ... We then decided not to turn up in the final. Bit of luck as well ... Don't rewrite history to make a point.

We had a couple of tilts at the PL as well, for the first time in decades, and consistently finished top 4. But now we're 8th and you think the trophies are gonna start piling up? Honestly, I really want you to be right. But I just can't get my head around the logic.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

We had a couple of tilts at the PL as well, for the first time in decades, and consistently finished top 4. But now we're 8th and you think the trophies are gonna start piling up? Honestly, I really want you to be right. But I just can't get my head around the logic.

Same could be said for yours ... Like I said, game could be played all night, neither of us will win, bit like Spurs really.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

We haven't won anything playing the other way ... We could play this game all night. All I remember when we played the pretty football was the feint praise combined with the narrative that we wouldn't be anything unless we won something ... I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

It’s a very interesting debate and a fine balancing act.
Ole said after the game that is was a strange game as he felt they put us under a lot of pressure but only got a draw whereas last season in his words, we absolutely battered them and they won 1-0 on the counter attack so it just shows sometimes the more pragmatic approach can be successful.

The issue for me is simple, playing like this we simply have to get good results as turgid defensive anti possession boring football is ok if we win many games but if we don’t then it’s just not acceptable, but also it’s one thing playing this way against the top 6 or to get through in a crucial cup tie but it’s entirely another doing it game after game against every opposition because firstly I don’t think it will work consistently as it’s just too negative and secondly I and many other fans won’t be able to put ourselves through that game after game, BUT the game is about winning and I’m ok to give him end of this season a summer TW and next season to see how successful he can be but if by end of next season we’ve won nothing and finish outside of top 4 and the football is still insipid then I’d rather we moved jose on for a younger more progressive coach.

but holding out some patcience and faith in Jose for now but my god it’s hard to watch and I worry the players will hate playing this way especially likes of Kane dele son etc.

 

[Gb160]

As opposed to turgid and prehistoric

As opposed to winning the fucking lot.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

It’s a very interesting debate and a fine balancing act.
Ole said after the game that is was a strange game as he felt they put us under a lot of pressure but only got a draw whereas last season in his words, we absolutely battered them and they won 1-0 on the counter attack so it just shows sometimes the more pragmatic approach can be successful.

The issue for me is simple, playing like this we simply have to get good results as turgid defensive anti possession boring football is ok if we win many games but if we don’t then it’s just not acceptable, but also it’s one thing playing this way against the top 6 or to get through in a crucial cup tie but it’s entirely another doing it game after game against every opposition because firstly I don’t think it will work consistently as it’s just too negative and secondly I and many other fans won’t be able to put ourselves through that game after game, BUT the game is about winning and I’m ok to give him end of this season a summer TW and next season to see how successful he can be but if by end of next season we’ve won nothing and finish outside of top 4 and the football is still insipid then I’d rather we moved jose on for a younger more progressive coach.

but holding out some patcience and faith in Jose for now but my god it’s hard to watch and I worry the players will hate playing this way especially likes of Kane dele son etc.

If we're going to see matches filled with football like the majority of the second half of the game against Untied then I won't, just as one fan, be impressed. The first half gave me hope, but in such a small sample size, personally, I'll have to see if it will turn into being the norm or the second half is the future.

Still think the largest issue is the squad we have is toast, but different thread.

As the manager of Spurs, like all the ones before him, I'll back him, why wouldn't I?

We'll see.

 

[Gb160]

We had a couple of tilts at the PL as well, for the first time in decades, and consistently finished top 4. But now we're 8th and you think the trophies are gonna start piling up? Honestly, I really want you to be right. But I just can't get my head around the logic.

Yet you can get your head round the logic of writing off one of the most successful managers of the modern era this early?

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

As opposed to winning the fucking lot.

He's a cheque book manager now at a club without any signatures

 

[Bobby TwoShots]

Yet you can get your head round the logic of writing off one of the most successful managers of the modern era this early?

It is possible to be successful at one place and not at another. And there is the argument that the game has moved on since he last won the PL and the CL. But I'm just basing my opinion on what I've seen so far. And I've seen nothing to suggest he's going to be successful with us. And I don't know any Utd fans who want him back there. I hope I'm wrong and you get to rub my nose in it, mate, I really do.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

He's a cheque book manager now at a club without any signatures

That’s harsh. He was once much more than a chequebook manager. Those days are now long in the past though.

 

[ItsBoris]

Jose had five windows to build his squad at Man Utd since he took over in the summer of 2016, he signed 11 players at a cost of £360m at a net outlay of £285m.

After he left they've had to spend another 200 million?

That sounds anything but pretty well.

In contrast what was Pochs net outlay per season with us, something like £20 million a season?

That's perspective,

I would say most of his signings at Man Utd were pretty good. The main ones were Bailly, Lindelof, Ibrahimovic, Mkhitaryan, Sanchez (swapped with Mkhitaryan), Pogba, Matic, Lukaku, and Fred. The only major failures there are Mkhitaryan and Sanchez. And I don't think anyone would have predicted that Sanchez would completely flop after how well he was playing at Arsenal.

Mourinho did built a good team at Man Utd - in his last full season they finished 2nd, in the highest position in points and league placing since Ferguson retired. He also built a really strong team at Chelsea in his 2nd spell there from a pretty mediocre starting position. Signing Costa, Willian, Fabregas, and Matic with Hazard and Oscar already there created a really strong front 6.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

So did George Graham!!!

I know. I was joking. I've never been a fan of Mourinho.

 

[Gb160]

It is possible to be successful at one place and not at another. And there is the argument that the game has moved on since he last won the PL and the CL. But I'm just basing my opinion on what I've seen so far. And I've seen nothing to suggest he's going to be successful with us. And I don't know any Utd fans who want him back there. I hope I'm wrong and you get to rub my nose in it, mate, I really do.

He’s been successful everywhere he’s been, it would be daft to shit the bed and write him off yet imo.
I couldn’t give a fuck what Utd fans think, decades of success has made their fans understandably entitled....fuck knows where some of our fans get their sense of entitlement from.

 

[rossdapep]

You really think we're gonna win stuff playing how we do under Mourinho?

Chelsea were dwindling in the league and hadn't really challenged since Ancelotti left. They brought Jose back and they pretty much walked the league again.

They played exactly the same style as we were trying yesterday. Low block when not in possession in our own half but explode to life in transition.

It most certainly wasn't long ball or outdated football. It was quick incisive passing, getting the ball into the channels and danger areas.

Quick football exploiting the opposition's weaknesses, based on soild foundations.

When Jose s players buy into the team they can be a machine.

People keep wanting us to return back to a high press, high energy outfit who bomb full backs on and make a lot of sideways passes but the reality is we no longer have the players for it. We'd certainly need a new CM, CBs, FBs.

 

[rossdapep]

He’s been successful everywhere he’s been, it would be daft to shit the bed and write him off yet imo.
I couldn’t give a fuck what Utd fans think, decades of success has made their fans understandably entitled....fuck knows where some of our fans get their sense of entitlement from.

....and people forget for a little while United fans were really enjoying him being at the club. They won the Europa and then started the following season like a train and they were loving it.

Obviously something happened behind the scenes because the mood changed and players weren't responding. But to say that Jose is just long ball boring football is completely wrong.

United fans largely have that image as his last few months became just that. Chelsea fans may say the same. But sometimes the last memory lingers the longest and I think their fans are too quick to remember how good his teams were are their peak.

When his teams are fully functioning they are pretty unstoppable.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

He’s been successful everywhere he’s been, it would be daft to shit the bed and write him off yet imo.
I couldn’t give a fuck what Utd fans think, decades of success has made their fans understandably entitled....fuck knows where some of our fans get their sense of entitlement from.

I get what you say about his managerial record. I really do.

But if ever there was a club capable of wrecking a manager’s winning streak, it’s us. Since the inception of the Premier League, barring Poch’s reign, we’ve been mostly shit. Jol and Redknapp deviated from the shitness now and then, but we’re not exactly peppered with success

 

[danielneeds]

People keep wanting us to return back to a high press, high energy outfit who bomb full backs on and make a lot of sideways passes but the reality is we no longer have the players for it. We'd certainly need a new CM, CBs, FBs.

We need all those positions filled to become a solid defensive counter-attacking side too, so your point is rather moot here.

 

[JayB]

I don't see why Jose should be getting stick for setting up defensively when you consider that we're 15th in the table for expected goals against, which when averaged out over the course of the season is the most predictive statistic for total goals conceded. If you scroll down to the data table on this page and sort by xGA you'll see that every single one of the teams that rank worse than us are relegation contenders. In other words, there's a strong argument to be made that we've got the worst defensive record in the league among teams mid-table and above.

The back line has no protection whatsoever thanks to Levy and Co. neglecting the DM position for years, our fullbacks are thoroughly mediocre, and our CBs are prone to errors. Given what the manager has to work with, it would be suicidal not to set up in a pragmatic, structured manner. If you don't like it then blame the transfer setup, as we've done fuck all to rectify the situation.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

Chelsea were dwindling in the league and hadn't really challenged since Ancelotti left. They brought Jose back and they pretty much walked the league again.

They played exactly the same style as we were trying yesterday. Low block when not in possession in our own half but explode to life in transition.

It most certainly wasn't long ball or outdated football. It was quick incisive passing, getting the ball into the channels and danger areas.

Quick football exploiting the opposition's weaknesses, based on soild foundations.

When Jose s players buy into the team they can be a machine.

People keep wanting us to return back to a high press, high energy outfit who bomb full backs on and make a lot of sideways passes but the reality is we no longer have the players for it. We'd certainly need a new CM, CBs, FBs.

And this is key. Levy has to address the weaknesses in the squad and get the right players in to play the way Mourinho wants

 

[Gb160]

I get what you say about his managerial record. I really do.

But if ever there was a club capable of wrecking a manager’s winning streak, it’s us. Since the inception of the Premier League, barring Poch’s reign, we’ve been mostly shit. Jol and Redknapp deviated from the shitness now and then, but we’re not exactly peppered with success

I’m not saying he definitely will win stuff with us Doc, just think it’s far too early to write him off and say he won’t.

 

[slartibartfast]

Ever heard the best form of defence is attack?
I think a team that has an obvious problem defensively, 1 more clean sheet than bottom of the table, but has such obvious attacking talent at its disposal, shouldn't carry on trying to strangle the life out of games when they clearly can't do it.
Inviting teams to attack when you cant defend is daft.
It'll end in tears. Just a matter of time before JM is shown the door. More chance of me winning the lottery than him turning this around. And I dont play the lottery.