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Jose Mourinho

How do you feel about Mourinho appointment

  • Excited - silverware here we come baby

    Votes: 666 46.7%
  • Meh - will give him a chance and hope he is successful

    Votes: 468 32.8%
  • Horrified - praying for the day he'll fuck off

    Votes: 292 20.5%

  • Total voters
    1,426

Seafordian Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,157
4,141
JM was overheard by a friend of mine saying he learned a lot more from yesterday than he had in the previous three games put together. Regarding the players that is.

What he means by that I'm not sure. I guess we'll see in his team selection for Burnley.

Mate, pretty obvious.

There's some right whoppers in that team alas.
 

Guernman

Well-Known Member
Aug 24, 2013
1,507
7,838
We do still have a fantastic squad, but it is not balanced and it presents some serious conundrums for whomever is in charge.

We don't have the full backs to play in the expansive manner Pochettino preferred. Kane needs to play, Alli needs to play, but we don't have the midfielders to truly accomodate this pairing effectively.

While we may lament the loss of Eriksen, who has already gone in spirit, and fear the loss of key players like Kane or Alderwiereld, in truth we lost the true linchpin of the Poch era when we quietly and shamefully shipped Dembele off to China.

I know that his injuries compelled the move, but he was the key to our success. His stats were ludicrous, his tackling rates, dribbling rates, passing success - Mousa was the equivalent of two midfielders and it is no wonder that all the other players consistently acknowledged him as the best player at the club, and no wonder our form has spiralled since he left. As Dier put it, he was a beast with the feet of a ballerina.

And how could we have let him go months before a champions league final...?

Pochettino overachieved over all, but I can't help feel that when we had Dembele at his prime, the two best full-backs in the league with Walker and Rose, arguably the best CB pairing with our Belgian boys, the best striker in the league and the likes of Dele and Eriksen in full flow that was a team for the ages and we really should have won something.
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
25,351
38,294
We do still have a fantastic squad, but it is not balanced and it presents some serious conundrums for whomever is in charge.

We don't have the full backs to play in the expansive manner Pochettino preferred. Kane needs to play, Alli needs to play, but we don't have the midfielders to truly accomodate this pairing effectively.

While we may lament the loss of Eriksen, who has already gone in spirit, and fear the loss of key players like Kane or Alderwiereld, in truth we lost the true linchpin of the Poch era when we quietly and shamefully shipped Dembele off to China.

I know that his injuries compelled the move, but he was the key to our success. His stats were ludicrous, his tackling rates, dribbling rates, passing success - Mousa was the equivalent of two midfielders and it is no wonder that all the other players consistently acknowledged him as the best player at the club, and no wonder our form has spiralled since he left. As Dier put it, he was a beast with the feet of a ballerina.

And how could we have let him go months before a champions league final...?

Pochettino overachieved over all, but I can't help feel that when we had Dembele at his prime, the two best full-backs in the league with Walker and Rose, arguably the best CB pairing with our Belgian boys, the best striker in the league and the likes of Dele and Eriksen in full flow that was a team for the ages and we really should have won something.
TBF we probably didn't know months before that we'd make the CL final. I'm being facetious - he is obviously a big miss but it did feel like his body could no longer stand up to the rigours of football.
 

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
19,115
46,080
JM was overheard by a friend of mine saying he learned a lot more from yesterday than he had in the previous three games put together. Regarding the players that is.

What he means by that I'm not sure. I guess we'll see in his team selection for Burnley.

Hopefully he means the nice, cuddly new Jose act has finished and he can light a fire under the players arses. Because they need it.
 

freeeki

Arsehole.
Aug 5, 2008
11,836
69,426
Is Sessegnon injured? Presumably that's why he wasn't in the squad?

I think replacing our midfield two with Dier and Ndombele, letting Sessegnon get game time at LB (eventually), and perhaps putting Jan and Toby in at the back for now, will make a huge difference.

For all their possession and dominance last night, United still only beat us from a spot kick. Disappointing result, and we were dismal, but at least we didn't concede a sackful from open play even when under pressure
 

John48

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2015
2,249
3,143
Personally I did think it was a disappointing performance. We struggled to keep the ball & create chances, compounded by 2 serious mistakes that led to their goals.

At least last season when we lost 1-0 to them we could point to the chances we had & how their GK was the MoM & our performance deserved better, none of that is true after last nights game.
 

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
JM was overheard by a friend of mine saying he learned a lot more from yesterday than he had in the previous three games put together. Regarding the players that is.

What he means by that I'm not sure. I guess we'll see in his team selection for Burnley.


It surely has to mean he realises that some players just are nowhere near good enough.

Winks is a midtable player at best. He would be sold to Bournemouth if he was at Liverpool. Sissoko has some attributes but again, he would be a very rarely used squad player at Liverpool. You can already see the problem can't you. We are starting players in CM who simply are nowhere near the required quality, and then we act surprised when we play poorly.

Winks might give you one 8/10 game once or twice a season, that is it.

Sissoko had a fantastic season last season but he isn't good enough to be CM at the highest level.

We need to integrate GLC and Ndombele into the side and do it now.

It's insane we have over 100 million quid of CM talent sat on the bench and we are fucking playing Sissoko and Winks, its mindblowing.

Can GLC and Ndombele really be any worse than Winks and Sissoko? Even half fit, GLC and Tanguy have more talent in their little toe than Winks and Sissoko do.

I'm loathe to slag Sissoko off to much as he has his uses but generally 9 times out of 10 if you set up against the top 6 with Sissoko and Winks in your CM, you are fucked. Properly fucked. You are up against it from the off. Put it this way, if you were managing a top 6 side and came up against Spurs, and they picked Winks and Sissoko you'd be thinking, sweet. What a underwhelming CM that is.

Yes we have issues in defence too but our CM problem is the major major problem.
 

DEFchenkOE

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2006
10,527
8,052
But we don't have that extra body in midfield. Yes yes yes I know we have Lo Celso and it's a given that not using him is so stupid and that the head coaches don't understand a first thing about that. But maybe, just maybe two different managers not starting him isn't such a dark and stupid coincidence. Maybe we simply don't have an extra player for the midfield 3.

We haven't really played well with a 2 in midfield since Dembele left.

The extra player could have been Dier, Eriksen, Lo Celso or Ndombele. Would have meant Lucas being on the bench but having a combo like the below for example at least gives us more presence in the middle of the park.

Winks - Dier - Sissoko
Eriksen - Sissoko - Winks
Lo Celso - Dier - Ndombele (my preference)

There's a few other variations as well but I think we wouldn't lose much from an attacking point of view doing this. We're currently conceding 2 goals a game so need to try vary something.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,905
78,640
It surely has to mean he realises that some players just are nowhere near good enough.

Winks is a midtable player at best. He would be sold to Bournemouth if he was at Liverpool. Sissoko has some attributes but again, he would be a very rarely used squad player at Liverpool. You can already see the problem can't you. We are starting players in CM who simply are nowhere near the required quality, and then we act surprised when we play poorly.

Winks might give you one 8/10 game once or twice a season, that is it.

Sissoko had a fantastic season last season but he isn't good enough to be CM at the highest level.

We need to integrate GLC and Ndombele into the side and do it now.

It's insane we have over 100 million quid of CM talent sat on the bench and we are fucking playing Sissoko and Winks, its mindblowing.

Can GLC and Ndombele really be any worse than Winks and Sissoko? Even half fit, GLC and Tanguy have more talent in their little toe than Winks and Sissoko do.

I'm loathe to slag Sissoko off to much as he has his uses but generally 9 times out of 10 if you set up against the top 6 with Sissoko and Winks in your CM, you are fucked. Properly fucked. You are up against it from the off. Put it this way, if you were managing a top 6 side and came up against Spurs, and they picked Winks and Sissoko you'd be thinking, sweet. What a underwhelming CM that is.

Yes we have issues in defence too but our CM problem is the major major problem.
Still think Winks is a useful player to have in the team. He's much better when the balance is right, like all of them I guess.

The issues are that neither Sissoko nor Winks can provide defensive cover. Neither can really get an attack going - Sissoko can if a game is stretched but more often than not he fudges the pass. Winks may be able to control a midfield better but he needs a Wanyama/Dembele beside him to bully the opposition. Neither Ndombele nor Lo Celso are that kind either as they are better in Winks' position.

Our number 1 transfer priority should be a defensive shield.
 

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
Still think Winks is a useful player to have in the team. He's much better when the balance is right, like all of them I guess.

The issues are that neither Sissoko nor Winks can provide defensive cover. Neither can really get an attack going - Sissoko can if a game is stretched but more often than not he fudges the pass. Winks may be able to control a midfield better but he needs a Wanyama/Dembele beside him to bully the opposition. Neither Ndombele nor Lo Celso are that kind either as they are better in Winks' position.

Our number 1 transfer priority should be a defensive shield.


Have to disagree with you there. Winks is not good enough to work in a two man midfield. He barely has his uses in a three but then that would suggest building a team around him, which would be a farcical thing to do for such an average player.

Winks may be a useful player to have in the squad as a filler, but he is not a useful player to have in the team, if by team you mean first 11.
 

DEFchenkOE

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2006
10,527
8,052
Still think Winks is a useful player to have in the team. He's much better when the balance is right, like all of them I guess.

The issues are that neither Sissoko nor Winks can provide defensive cover. Neither can really get an attack going - Sissoko can if a game is stretched but more often than not he fudges the pass. Winks may be able to control a midfield better but he needs a Wanyama/Dembele beside him to bully the opposition. Neither Ndombele nor Lo Celso are that kind either as they are better in Winks' position.

Our number 1 transfer priority should be a defensive shield.

Agree, which is why until that happens we HAVE to play Dier there. Not the best option but its either him, Wanyama, Skipp or Foyth. Our options are extremely limited.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,905
78,640
We haven't really played well with a 2 in midfield since Dembele left.

The extra player could have been Dier, Eriksen, Lo Celso or Ndombele. Would have meant Lucas being on the bench but having a combo like the below for example at least gives us more presence in the middle of the park.

Winks - Dier - Sissoko
Eriksen - Sissoko - Winks
Lo Celso - Dier - Ndombele (my preference)

There's a few other variations as well but I think we wouldn't lose much from an attacking point of view doing this. We're currently conceding 2 goals a game so need to try vary something.
Don't think those options fit Jose's ideas and they may stunt Dele's influence.

Will have to see what Jose does next but we want the best Mourinho team I think it'll be

DM
Ndombele or Lo Celso
Alli or Lo Celso
with the width coming from full backs and wingers.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,388
It surely has to mean he realises that some players just are nowhere near good enough.

Winks is a midtable player at best. He would be sold to Bournemouth if he was at Liverpool. Sissoko has some attributes but again, he would be a very rarely used squad player at Liverpool. You can already see the problem can't you. We are starting players in CM who simply are nowhere near the required quality, and then we act surprised when we play poorly.

Winks might give you one 8/10 game once or twice a season, that is it.

Sissoko had a fantastic season last season but he isn't good enough to be CM at the highest level.

We need to integrate GLC and Ndombele into the side and do it now.

It's insane we have over 100 million quid of CM talent sat on the bench and we are fucking playing Sissoko and Winks, its mindblowing.

Can GLC and Ndombele really be any worse than Winks and Sissoko? Even half fit, GLC and Tanguy have more talent in their little toe than Winks and Sissoko do.

I'm loathe to slag Sissoko off to much as he has his uses but generally 9 times out of 10 if you set up against the top 6 with Sissoko and Winks in your CM, you are fucked. Properly fucked. You are up against it from the off. Put it this way, if you were managing a top 6 side and came up against Spurs, and they picked Winks and Sissoko you'd be thinking, sweet. What a underwhelming CM that is.

Yes we have issues in defence too but our CM problem is the major major problem.


It's more to do with 2 in midfield (as opposed to 3), than the players on the pitch. Winks and Sissoko would be fine with a DM in the middle, as would Ndombele and Lo Celso. Dier was awful in a pivot set up but IMO, would be fine in a central holding role where he could keep it simple, and not get caught out of position through trying to be creative and adventurous. I'd give Dele a free role behind Kane and Son in that setup too.
 

Primativ

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2017
3,229
12,486
Winks and Sissoko would be fine with a DM in the middle,


Really? You think a midfield of a DM with Winks and Sissoko is a fine midfield? WTF?

Sorry I don't mean to offend, I just find that baffling. That is nowhere near fine. Compare that midfield to Liverpool, City, even Chelsea's.

It's a terrible midfield. You could put peak Kante in that three, but if Winks and Sissoko are in there it would still suck balls.
 

YiddoTom90

Well-Known Member
Feb 9, 2015
1,456
2,051
8 new players are what's needed.

GK
2 RB
2 LB
2 CB
1 CM

Hugo wasn't good enough before the injury, Gazza is an ok No.2.
SA & KWP both not good enough
BD & DR Def not good enough
TA & JV too slow
MS ED VW HW CE would happily upgeade or change all of these.

So maybe up to 10 players.

Damn big job ahead. good luck Jose/Hose
We need a pacy forward as well. Player who can make something out of nothing. Kane seems to be more a poacher now. Which is fine but we need players to accommodate that
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,388
Really? You think a midfield of a DM with Winks and Sissoko is a fine midfield? WTF?

Sorry I don't mean to offend, I just find that baffling. That is nowhere near fine. Compare that midfield to Liverpool, City, even Chelsea's.

It's a terrible midfield. You could put peak Kante in that three, but if Winks and Sissoko are in there it would still suck balls.

Agree to disagree.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,388
Really? You think a midfield of a DM with Winks and Sissoko is a fine midfield? WTF?

Sorry I don't mean to offend, I just find that baffling. That is nowhere near fine. Compare that midfield to Liverpool, City, even Chelsea's.

It's a terrible midfield. You could put peak Kante in that three, but if Winks and Sissoko are in there it would still suck balls.


It wouldn't be my first choice but it would be a fuck site better than Winks and Sissoko in a Pivot.
 

Everlasting Seconds

Well-Known Member
Jan 9, 2014
14,914
26,616
We haven't really played well with a 2 in midfield since Dembele left.

The extra player could have been Dier, Eriksen, Lo Celso or Ndombele. Would have meant Lucas being on the bench but having a combo like the below for example at least gives us more presence in the middle of the park.

Winks - Dier - Sissoko
Eriksen - Sissoko - Winks
Lo Celso - Dier - Ndombele (my preference)

There's a few other variations as well but I think we wouldn't lose much from an attacking point of view doing this. We're currently conceding 2 goals a game so need to try vary something.
I agree with the lineups in theory, I guess I was imprecise in my post. We don't have 3 match fit senior CM specialised player who are physically ready to boss premier league for 90 players. The players are there on paper, but not in reality atm.
 

DEFchenkOE

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2006
10,527
8,052
Really? You think a midfield of a DM with Winks and Sissoko is a fine midfield? WTF?

Sorry I don't mean to offend, I just find that baffling. That is nowhere near fine. Compare that midfield to Liverpool, City, even Chelsea's.

It's a terrible midfield. You could put peak Kante in that three, but if Winks and Sissoko are in there it would still suck balls.

Liverpools midfield is really nothing amazing. Henderson - Fabinho - Wijnaldum.

I'd take Fabinho in an instant, the other 2 are solid pros, hard workers but by no means world class.

However their midfield performs its exact function in either getting the ball to the dangerous front 3 or providing cover for the attacking fullbacks.

I think a midfield 3 of:

Winks - good dm - Sissoko

Is not much worse than

Henderson - Fabinho - Wijnaldum

And thats before you add in our other midfielders who have more quality on the ball.
 
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