Jose Mourinho

[Japhet]

So who is to blame....many teams don't play with a target man.

Mourinho I guess. Son isn't the right player for hoofball either and Kane has been out significantly longer and yet we're still regularly launching it from CB. He's had some time to address the problem and then seemed to stumble on a solution (of kinds) last night when he brought on Lamela. We certainly have the players to be able to pass it around and exercise a bit of control, and Poch managed to do that reasonably well with Sissoko starting most games where we now have Lo Celso.

 

[Metalhead]

With the tactics Mourinho employs there is one game I'm dreading to see, that's when Arsenal comes for the very first time to our stadium.

Football wise it might be humiliation

F**k 'em - I can't even bring myself to loathe them anymore. The bigger picture is how we progress over the next few months than one result.

 

[midoshairband]

So who is to blame....many teams don't play with a target man.

yes many do. but it’s a huge part of Jose’s game plan.

 

[THOWIG]

The same excuses about not having the players etc etc. Doesn’t cover over the complete lack of playing style.

 

[Ionman34]

not sure what Mourinho could do different with the players available. if we’re still playing like this next season, then yes, cause for concern.

although highly unlikely, Mourinho needs money in the summer in order to implement whatever his style and system may be. he is clearly attempting to make the best of what we’ve got. defend and counter with pace.

and what’s funny is the majority wanting us to play better are the same ones criticising the players in match and player threads.

He's hamstrung to an extent, and I'm not even referring to the loss of Kane and Son.

I'd love to see him play 433 with Dele as a false 9, Bergwijn and Moura wide forwards, Winks, Lo Celso and Ndombele across the middle and the back 4 pretty much the same. But JM said it himself last night, Ndombele has had injury issues which have majorly impacted his fitness (you can't keep your fitness levels anywhere near match level with a groin injury, it's impossible), Lamela came straight off the physios table, Davies had just his 2nd game after months off, Gedson had his 1st start, the list goes on.

He's trying to utilise the squad to the best of his ability with little to no time available to work with them, games still coming thick and fast, meaning he has to chop and change to an extent in an attempt to keep as many as he can fresh and injury free. Considering every hurdle that keeps getting thrust in his path, he's doing remarkably well, as are the players who really are leaving it all out on the pitch.

It may not be the flowing, dominant Football we all desire, but I couldn't be prouder of the team at this point. They're running themselves into the ground for the shirt, not giving up and sending a resounding "Fuck you" to the Football gods for the shite they've thrown at us.

As far as I'm concerned the entire fanbase should be recognising this and acknowledging it by raising the roof to back the team regardless of how we view the Football.

 

[carpediem991]

I watched the first games under Mourinho with some sort of exitement, looking forward to at least seeing a well organized team without the ball. At least i expected beeing overrun in midfield like we had all autmun would stop. I really didn't expect a fine tuned attacking machine, and I don't think we'll ever be that under Mourinho.

Unfortunately, that exitement turned quite fast. The Man.Utd game away is one of the worst coached games I have ever seen (how he didn't get fired after that midfield set up beats me). But still, that was early on, so no reason to panic. Then came the Chelsea game which was even worse. Watching that game hurt so bad I decided to take a little brake from watching this team (yes I know). There are so many entertaining teams to watch and life's to short to be miserable every weekend. And, I got to watch a lot of good football (Bundesliga i.e.).

Still, I have been paying attention, and I've seen the results improve. The reports haven't always been positive (lot of talk about luck and undeserved victories), but seemingly things were improving. So, yesterday I sat down again, for the first time since Chelsea. And ffs. We looked even worse than we did against Chelsea and Man Utd before christmas.

I know that Mourinho has only been here for three months, and that there are no strikers available. And both of those excuses are somewhat valid. But, there are no excuses for the defensive setup yesterday. We should have been down two goals inside the first minute, and no one could have complained if Red Bull were up by five at half time. We looked like a team that has never practiced together before, and seemed extremely unprepared. A Mourinho team, at least, used to be hard to break down, this team looked like Southend (or how I am imagining them looking). The midfield got completely overrun, and all the defence could do was throw bodies around. I really expected more from Mourinho in this area.

Offensively I'm willing to cut him some more slack, although there really are huge areas for concern. It's not Mourinhos fault that Lucas Moura really isn't good (enough), or that Dele Alli seemingly only plays well in very specific circumstances (close to a striker, and with a creator high on the pitch). But it is most certainly on Mourinho that we seemingly do not have a plan, or something looking like the start of an identity, at all. It is on Mourinho that we end up attacking with two flat lines of five. It is on Mourinho that we do not look like a team that trains together at all. It's on Mourinho that our midfield is organized in a way which makes them so easy to take out that we have no other options than hoofing, and hoping for some pure luck. And, whats even more striking to me, is that when you are without players like Kane and Son, you'd be even more looking for some sort of organization offensively. It doesn't really have to be all that advanced either, but something, just something.

We look like a team completely without an identity both offensively (somewhat understandable given the time available), and defensively (not understandable). And yesterday we were an extremely boring side to watch. I do believe that a lot of the problems are down to what Poch did or didn't do over the last year, and if Poch had left at the summer (as he should have) it would have been way easier and better. But still, I'm extremely worried. And I fear that this is what we will see for the next year and a half.

Now, this could obviously improve. And most likely it will, at least some. But, if you look at the United team he managed, and how that unfolded, there really are huge rooms for concern. That team didn't really become all that great. It turned out quite shit actually. The lack of improvement is really worrying I think.

Kind of pathetic statement without watching 12 games in between Chelsea and yesterday.
So for you to catch up: We integrated a youth player Japhet Tanganga who helped our defensive displays, we found our best CM pairing is Lo Celso and Winks, with waiting for Tanguy to get up to speed. We have two new boys with Steve and Gedson who look very useful and we are just one point behind Chelsea while beating Man City.
Surely there is a lot of work to do and you may have a point here and there but I am pretty sick of reading big analysis by "fans" who decided to watch not even half the matches under Mou's reign.

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

When we had a great playing style (that took a while and a few transfer windows to build, by the way) people ended up saying we need to be more pragmatic if we want to actually win trophies.

Now, after a few months of improved results under our new arch-pragmatist manager who hasn’t yet had time to develop a squad to his design, people are saying we need to play a more entertaining style of football.

Supporters eh?

 

[daryl hannah]

Where's Sessegnon?

If not injured, why not on the bench? I think he could be very good on the LW with Bergwijn moved temporarily over to the right. Dele up top and Lo Celso or Tanguy in the hole. Rest Moura for a game or two or use as an impact sub. It's now about legs.

I'm not sure why Sess, who should be up to speed by now, right? isn't featuring - Jose saying we don't have enough attacking options, well Sess would provide another other option, right?

 

[spursfan77]

Completely agree with this, it's possible to play good football through the 3rds without having a good striker. Yes you might not have the man to finish the chances but you can at least play some good stuff up until that point. All it takes is a shift in mentality. We have some absolutely quality midfielders, let's utilise them and get the best out of them. Not bypass them and hope for flick ons and winning second balls.

We have been outplayed in almost every game, even with Kane and Son in the team. It's not like when they come back we will suddenly start having good build up play. The style will be the same. We need to change our approach.

I agree to an extent but we need to get Ndombele in the team to make it work. Mourinho has said as much a month ago. We are waiting on him to sort himself out. Once he’s capable of playing more than 20 effective minutes we will be a better team. That much was evident last night. If he’s available, we will play more like we did towards the end of the game for longer periods and especially at home.

 

[JCRD]

When we had a great playing style (that took a while and a few transfer windows to build, by the way) people ended up saying we need to be more pragmatic if we want to actually win trophies.

Now, after a few months of improved results under our new arch-pragmatist manager who hasn’t yet had time to develop a squad to his design, people are saying we need to play a more entertaining style of football.

Supporters eh?

Good football and playing with flourish is important but im not even concerned about that at the moment. Im more concerned with the fact we are coming out giving three opportunities in the space of the first 90 seconds then giving away several more during the first half. All the while we are hoofing it long to an isolated Dele and a chasing Lucas and Bergwijn.

We have some huge injuries but we can certainly do better with the current fit players out there

 

[CarrickSpurgus]

Jose needs to be given at least a season, you could tell very quickly last night what his tactics where and yes it's not easy on the eye but in the circumstances it's for the most part effective and it keeps us in games.I think he's realistic enough to see we've no chance of winning the CL this season and he's prioritizing the league position.
Get to the summer and reset , this season looks like a write off

 

[Betha]

Kind of pathetic statement without watching 12 games in between Chelsea and yesterday.

I'm not sure if it's pathetic comparing games, or looking at the level of improvement, withouth having seen everything inbtween. I know that the sample size is quite low though, and that using the Red Bull game as evidence for the improvement might not be enough. But there are certainly things tha one could expect to be somewhat stable (like the definsive organization).

So for you to catch up: We integrated a youth player Japhet Tanganga who helped our defensive displays, we found our best CM pairing is Lo Celso and Winks, with waiting for Tanguy to get up to speed. We have two new boys with Steve and Gedson who look very useful and we are just one point behind Chelsea while beating Man City.

Gedson didn't look all that to be honest. And he wasn't really regarded at all that in Portugal. But, I haven't watched enogh of him to cast a judgement.

We might have found the best midfield two, still, yesterday they looked disorganized defensively (and with way to much ground to cover). And, they weren't given a chance to influence the game offensively.

Surely there is a lot of work to do and you may have a point here and there but I am pretty sick of reading big analysis by "fans" who decided to watch not even half the matches under Mou's reign.

"fans" actually. I like how you decide to make yourself the judge of who is a real fan and who's not. But that's your prerogative.

 

[teok]

Nobody expects perfection, but Spurs are better than that - Football365

Football365 - Spurs are suffering through their own inferiority compex...

www.football365.com

A key question for me:

"Why is their defending so full of mistakes, in the individual and tactical sense? How, when those players sit so deep, do they still give up so much space and so many overloads?"

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

This was what I was scared of. Mourinho's style of football when you're winning it's quickly forgotten however when you lose being weak and passive it truly highlights the awful outdated style we've adopted.

This is it. Fans like to analyse results rather performances but the truth is we haven’t played well for the majority of Mourinho’s reign. Some positive results recently have glossed over major deficiencies in our approach. We’re so passive for the first 60-65 minutes of matches and just give up chance after chance. Against weaker teams, even if they take the lead, they end up letting us back in so we’ve managed to nick a win. Most of the time better teams don’t give you those chances. So as you saw last night we just let them dominate us for the whole match.

I don’t buy the no striker crap either. With the players we have it’s more than possible to dominate midfield and provide a platform for whoever is nominally upfront. Instead we just want to conceded possession which is inexcusable at home.

 

[stevenurse]

12 points off top 4 when he arrived. Now just 1 and its in our hands. Injuries galore, not to mention it not being his team and people are still complaining.

It's also little things like the fixture schedule. This last week has been an absolute farce. Why is wolves v Leicester on a Friday night when wolves don't have another game for 6 days?

Why are we playing on a Sunday afternoon? That game could easily have been on the Saturday at least.

Why are we playing early on Saturday?

Why do Liverpool not play again until Monday?

It's a joke. Add that to an injury list containing 2 world class attackers and you start to see just what Jose is up against.

 

[wrd]

Jose was fantastic in his press conference, he's building that us against the world mentality thats for sure.

 

[knowlespurs]

Where's Sessegnon?

If not injured, why not on the bench? I think he could be very good on the LW with Bergwijn moved temporarily over to the right. Dele up top and Lo Celso or Tanguy in the hole. Rest Moura for a game or two or use as an impact sub. It's now about legs.

I'm not sure why Sess, who should be up to speed by now, right? isn't featuring - Jose saying we don't have enough attacking options, well Sess would provide another other option, right?

agree with that, cant see why last night we needed verts, dier and tatanga on the bench and not Sess
Think Joses tactics while negative were the best to keep us in the tie, a stupid pen away from a decent result, if we had tried to play from the back with their press the liklihood is we could have got hammered, it wasnt pretty but probably most effective
Think he is just trying to make do until the summer and thats fair enough imo

 

[Danny1]

Just some things for people who are all angry and bitter:

1 - Mourinho has been in charge for just under 3 months.......that's it.
2 - He has had one Winter Transfer window.....that's it.
3 - He has lost his two best players in Kane & Son - imagine Liverpool without Mane & Salah......
4 - Apart from Liverpool & Man City (who both have insanely expensive squads), he has won more points than any other manager since taking over.
5 - Our defence has improved since before he joined. Under Poch we conceded 27 goals in 18 games at a rate of 1.5g/g. Under Mourinho we have conceded 28 goals in 21 games at a rate of 1.3g/g.
6 - Our points tally has drastically improved from Poch at 1.2p/g to Mourinho at 1.8p/g (doing this without Kane for the most part).

Final point, for those stating that Mourinho only wins with money, that can be labelled at every manager who has had sustained victories. Look at Klopp, widely regarded as the greatest coach in the world, who has the worlds most expensive GK & CB, Wijnaldum at £25m, Ox at £35m Fabinho at £40m, Keita at £50m, Mane at £37m, Salah at £45m & Firmino at £36m. Just adding these players alone (there are 9 other signings he has made that add up to £100m), it totals £405m, which is an insane amount. With all players, over half a billion pounds spent....!

I think he deserves time and the band wagon people jump on as soon as we struggle in a game is getting seriously boring. It may almost be worth someone starting the "Lets moan about Mourinho" thread so that the rest of us don't have to scroll through pages and pages of "this is what I was worried about...." or "typical anti football Mourinho...." or "this/that manager would be better.....".

 

[cliff jones]

of course Leipzig were every bit as good on the ball as their league position/points tally suggested they would be.

But with second stringers in their defence, Jose had an opportunity to play to our strengths, even without Kane and Son, and not priotise trying to stop theirs. He conceded the initiative when we didn't need to show them that much respect. Like City, and Liverpool, we deserved to be dead and buried long before the plan to burst into life at 70 mins.

We were very slow out of the blocks at Villa as well, and were lucky to get away with that.

We need to do away with playing a midfielder out of position to compensate for Aurier's shortcomings. Gedson is the new Sissoko I see. Bring in Tanganga, let him sit, and rely on the mids and forwards to create.

Please fkin start Tanguy v Chelski.

 

[dagraham]

I like the way people are forgetting that the last Spurs team managed by Poch who played a top German team ( with both Kane and Son in it btw) got dicked 7-2.