Jose Mourinho

[bat-chain]

I was very much on the side of Pochettino, I would have given him time to rebuild the squad and I’m still sad he's gone.

That said we must now support Mourinho 100%, don’t rip him apart for bad results with this group, it won’t help anyone, it won’t bring Poch back, it will just give a free pass to the very same players who screwed him.

The club has so many issues to address and none of them are the manager. At least this result gives him cause to be proactive in his thinking and freedom to make changes.

 

[SpartanSpur]

I wonder whether it’s dawned on him yet that the great squad that he’s admired from the outside for the last few years is now not as good as it appeared?

A lot of those players ( including some that he tried to sign) have gone backwards.

For me the issues we have currently are mental and physical (we seem so unfit this season) more than ability. We lost that game as soon as that penalty went in last night. Sucked the life out of the team just when you thought we had gained a foothold after a now trademark slow start.

I'm sure Jose is delighted to be able to call upon Son, Dele and Kane for example, as would most coaches in world football. We just need him to start putting some faith in the new blood and come up with a solution to the CM area (unfortunately said new players look just as - if not more - unfit than the burnt out ones). Plus I highly doubt he came into the job thinking CM and the defence were fine.

A fired up Man Utd side at home under the lights (with a solid top 6 record of late) beating us does not mean we are back to where we were before he came in. That happens if we put in another limp display against Burnley. The squad needs a fair bit of work but there is enough quality there to keep pace with the likes of Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal.

 

[Hoddle&Waddle]

So he's a fraud. Mourinho?! Christ

In the sense that he needs shit loads of cash to do anything.

And before anyone mentions Inter Milan they were loaded at the time.

 

[Japhet]

For me the issues we have currently are mental and physical (we seem so unfit this season) more than ability. We lost that game as soon as that penalty went in last night. Sucked the life out of the team just when you thought we had gained a foothold after a now trademark slow start.

I'm sure Jose is delighted to be able to call upon Son, Dele and Kane for example, as would most coaches in world football. We just need him to start putting some faith in the new blood and come up with a solution to the CM area (unfortunately said new players look just as - if not more - unfit than the burnt out ones). Plus I highly doubt he came into the job thinking CM and the defence were fine.

A fired up Man Utd side at home under the lights (with a solid top 6 record of late) beating us does not mean we are back to where we were before he came in. That happens if we put in another limp display against Burnley. The squad needs a fair bit of work but there is enough quality there to keep pace with the likes of Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal.

I think Jose needs a more pragmatic approach to his selections. CM is a big issue for us and lack of strong defensive midfielder is causing us so many problems. A fit and firing Eric Dier (or Wanyama) would bring a stability in there that we're sorely lacking, but in their absence, we surely can't expect Winks, Sissoko or Ndombele to bring that sort of backbone. We should be taking a bit of individual pressure off of them by using 3 in CM and even out the load. Winks was hung out to dry last night because Sissoko was being dragged across to help Aurier with Rashford. Neither of them is particularly good defensively and yet they were chucked in there with no support. Lingard was dropping back to add numbers in there for them as well which made it worse.

It was pretty clear that they were fired up for this one, but IMO we should have set up more conservatively with a midfield that had some chance of getting on the ball and creating a platform. Instead, it was constant hoof ball from back to front which yielded very little.

 

[Shadydan]

He hasn't been 'one of the best' for 10 years.

Might wanna check your maths there

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

In the sense that he needs shit loads of cash to do anything.

And before anyone mentions Inter Milan they were loaded at the time.

We'll win a trophy this season.

 

[dimiSpur]

Not sure who everyone slating the selection of Winks and Sissoko would have played? It's not as if he dropped Kante and Xavi for them. Dier has been dire, Ndombele obviously isn't up to speed yet and he opted for an energetic midfield. I don't want to see Sissoko and Winks as our long term midfield pairing, obviously, but I agreed pre-match with their selection given our abysmal current options.

As for the long balls, that's to be expected when Winks and Sissoko are hiding and not looking to receive the ball. Yes, I just defended their selection, but that doesn't mean I liked their performances. They were atrocious. Winks especially is clearly very limited and I'm not quite sure what his role is in the team apart from "looking busy".

 

[Thewobbler]

Still baffled why he went to old Trafford with a sissoko and winks midfield. It's a crap partnership. Ndombele needs to be the main guy and then a DM. I don't know why the club can't get ndombele fit and playing regularly.

 

[Japhet]

Not sure who everyone slating the selection of Winks and Sissoko would have played? It's not as if he dropped Kante and Xavi for them. Dier has been dire, Ndombele obviously isn't up to speed yet and he opted for an energetic midfield. I don't want to see Sissoko and Winks as our long term midfield pairing, obviously, but I agreed pre-match with their selection given our abysmal current options.

As for the long balls, that's to be expected when Winks and Sissoko are hiding and not looking to receive the ball. Yes, I just defended their selection, but that doesn't mean I liked their performances. They were atrocious. Winks especially is clearly very limited and I'm not quite sure what his role is in the team apart from "looking busy".

It wasn't the selection of Winks and Sissoko. It was selecting them in a double pivot that I didn't like. Put Skipp or Foyth or Dier (if he's deemed fit) in there in the middle and we have a platform. Instead MS and HW ended up chasing their tails and getting dragged out of position the whole time.

 

[dimiSpur]

It wasn't the selection of Winks and Sissoko. It was selecting them in a double pivot that I didn't like. Put Skipp or Foyth or Dier (if he's deemed fit) in there in the middle and we have a platform. Instead MS and HW ended up chasing their tails and getting dragged out of position the whole time.

If you go 4-3-3, that automatically means playing without a number 10, which means either not playing Dele or playing him in a different position to that in which he's thriving. So that can't happen right now.

We didn't play well last night, but let's not be silly here, neither did United. They had spells of momentum, but the difference between two poor sides was a rampant Rashford.

 

[dontcallme]

If you go 4-3-3, that automatically means playing without a number 10, which means either not playing Dele or playing him in a different position to that in which he's thriving. So that can't happen right now.

We didn't play well last night, but let's not be silly here, neither did United. They had spells of momentum, but the difference between two poor sides was a rampant Rashford.

If we play the lop-sided full backs then we can have one winger/inside forward in Son then Alli centrally behind Kane.

 

[Japhet]

If you go 4-3-3, that automatically means playing without a number 10, which means either not playing Dele or playing him in a different position to that in which he's thriving. So that can't happen right now.

We didn't play well last night, but let's not be silly here, neither did United. They had spells of momentum, but the difference between two poor sides was a rampant Rashford.

I'd sooner we got a foothold in games and had the option of going to a more offensive setup, than surrender the midfield from the start and end up trying to play catch up.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Not sure who everyone slating the selection of Winks and Sissoko would have played? It's not as if he dropped Kante and Xavi for them. Dier has been dire, Ndombele obviously isn't up to speed yet and he opted for an energetic midfield. I don't want to see Sissoko and Winks as our long term midfield pairing, obviously, but I agreed pre-match with their selection given our abysmal current options.

As for the long balls, that's to be expected when Winks and Sissoko are hiding and not looking to receive the ball. Yes, I just defended their selection, but that doesn't mean I liked their performances. They were atrocious. Winks especially is clearly very limited and I'm not quite sure what his role is in the team apart from "looking busy".

I agree in general that options are limited and some seem to forget that, but in hindsight maybe I would have started Ndombele even if I knew he wasn't fit for a full match, to get the game going and then make a change later to preserve him. Anything but the weakest CM pairing in a decade.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

If you go 4-3-3, that automatically means playing without a number 10, which means either not playing Dele or playing him in a different position to that in which he's thriving. So that can't happen right now.

We didn't play well last night, but let's not be silly here, neither did United. They had spells of momentum, but the difference between two poor sides was a rampant Rashford.

Dele is playing so far forward at the moment he's not really playing as a no10 linking the midfield and attack but more as a striker. Considering Son and Lucas also playing far forward its like a 442 or even 424. We need an extra body in midfield and push Dele in the front 3 so 433 is necessary for us imo.

 

[rossdapep]

If you go 4-3-3, that automatically means playing without a number 10, which means either not playing Dele or playing him in a different position to that in which he's thriving. So that can't happen right now.

We didn't play well last night, but let's not be silly here, neither did United. They had spells of momentum, but the difference between two poor sides was a rampant Rashford.

You're right. We simply don't have the blend available at the moment.

When Jose first went back to Chelsea his mf options were Mikel, Lampard, Oscar and Ramires. I'd say Oscar is like Dele and you want to make him the 10. But between an ageing Lampard, a decent but faltering Mikel and Ramires who was good at supporting attacks but not great defensively, I think he had a similar blend to what he has with us. Midfield options that don't quite fit what he needs and options that don't provide a solid base.

He addressed that by bringing in Matic to act as the shield, then he added Fabregas to be the player who fixed it all together.

I think between Ndombele and Lo Celso, we have players who can tie it together but we don't have that base.

I also imagine Jose thought Dier could be that option but is perhaps finding out first hand that he's not the player he thought he was getting.

Fixing the midfield is the key to fixing our defensive issues and being able to control games.

Not since Dembele have we been able to control the midfield. We need to find what we had with Wanyama and Dembele at the base.

 

[daryl hannah]

This is the best I've seen Dele EVER play.

Although poor, this is not the worst I've ever seen Tottenham play. Utd's plan seemed to be to press us relentlessly for the first 35 mins. The penalty was soft and unfortunate - All set up for a rematch in the FA Cup final when, we will beat them.

Watching the game again. Something seemed amiss even before kick off though - the team not quite themselves and low on enthusiasm and energy. Maybe Eriksen pissed in the orange juice jug yesterday morning. Who knows?

 

[rossdapep]

Still baffled why he went to old Trafford with a sissoko and winks midfield. It's a crap partnership. Ndombele needs to be the main guy and then a DM. I don't know why the club can't get ndombele fit and playing regularly.

Who's our DM?

Dier? The player he played in his first three games but was all over the place?

Wanyama? The crocked player.

Foyth? Untried and untested in this role.

I don't see what he can do. We've all wondered before how Ndombele and Sissoko would work and it didn't. Winks and Ndombele, it doesn't.

We simply don't have the options.

 

[muppetman]

I thought the real issue last night was Aurier and his positioning (presumably on Mourinho's instruction). Him being so far forward meant Sissoko spending more time at RB than CM which then left Winks trying to be Kante - I like Winks, but he's not Kante and cannot do that.

I'd love to know what's going on with Ndombele and Lo Celso - the first should have started the game and then been subbed if/when his fitness became an issue and Lo Celso should start ahead of Moura who is a super sub for me and definitely should be the sub rather than Eriksen..

It's interesting that everyone was wanking into a sock over the early sub of Dier the other day and yet I thought the changes were way too late last night - if United had anyone decent up front to play with Rashford they could have run riot we were so poor defensively.

Clearly the players weren't great but I think Mourinho takes the flack - just as he takes the praise when he gets it right.

Either way - please can we see our new players on the pitch from the start and then swap them for the wantaways if/when they need to be subbed?

 

[SpartanSpur]

I think Jose needs a more pragmatic approach to his selections. CM is a big issue for us and lack of strong defensive midfielder is causing us so many problems. A fit and firing Eric Dier (or Wanyama) would bring a stability in there that we're sorely lacking, but in their absence, we surely can't expect Winks, Sissoko or Ndombele to bring that sort of backbone. We should be taking a bit of individual pressure off of them by using 3 in CM and even out the load. Winks was hung out to dry last night because Sissoko was being dragged across to help Aurier with Rashford. Neither of them is particularly good defensively and yet they were chucked in there with no support. Lingard was dropping back to add numbers in there for them as well which made it worse.

It was pretty clear that they were fired up for this one, but IMO we should have set up more conservatively with a midfield that had some chance of getting on the ball and creating a platform. Instead, it was constant hoof ball from back to front which yielded very little.

Yeah I was very disappointed in how we set up, was expecting Jose to change things up for top 6 away. Just writing it off to him trying to keep changes to a minimum until he gets more time on the training ground.

 

[Timberwolf]

Weird that we went with a more offensive lineup at Old Trafford than at home to Bournemouth (in which we still looked open AF). Dier was awful against Bournemouth, but if we're dropping him I woulda thought a Winks and Ndombele CM partnership with Sissoko on the right would be a lot more stable and balanced than the complete shitshow we saw last night.

Hopefully big lessons were learned. Never want to see a Sissoko/Winks CM combo ever again.