Reguilón on for Bergwijn: how José Mourinho blew Spurs’ title charge

[mawspurs]

Nine days before Christmas was not really so very long ago, yet it feels like a different world. Manchester City had just been held to a draw at home by West Brom that left them eighth in the Premier League table. Southampton were third. And Tottenham went to the league leaders, Liverpool, knowing that a win would put them top. In the confusing period between the second and third lockdowns, it seemed possible that this slog of a season might just provide an environment in which José Mourinho’s attritional style could thrive.

Source: Guardian

 

[Nerine]

I mean if we had lost that game and then gone on to win all the others it’s a bit of a moot article... If we had lost and then gone on to win our next five (a blip if you like) again, it’s moot.

Things are as they are. It’s ok being revisionist about it, but doesn’t really prove anything. It’s literally using the now known facts to try to conjure a cohesive argument.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

I mean if we had lost that game and then gone on to win all the others it’s a bit of a moot article... If we had lost and then gone on to win our next five (a blip if you like) again, it’s moot.

Things are as they are. It’s ok being revisionist about it, but doesn’t really prove anything. It’s literally using the now known facts to try to conjure a cohesive argument.

Well is it though? The article is using known facts whereas you are using hypotheticals for your argumentation.

 

[olliec]

Soon as pundits and the press started tipping us as genuine title contenders that’s when everything collapsed and we bottled it which we are known for.

 

[spursfan77]

Seems an arbitrary thing to pick. Not sure there’s much sense in it.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

A couple of people aren't really reading the article. It isn't about whether one substitution or another in one match would have changed our season. That's an emblem, a symbol, an indication of an underlying attitude.

The article is about fear and how it is contagious.

If I were writing the article, it would also be about trying to drill a defensive shape without enough suitably adamant players, while permitting your world-class attacking players to fend for themselves and improvise. It would be about imposing an approach that didn't suit the balance of strengths and weaknesses in the inherited squad.

But insofar as that is an excuse, it is undermined by the successful transfer window last summer. We stocked up on defenders: Rodon, Reguilon and Doherty. But they haven't yet gelled into a solid, reliable defence. Whose job is that?

The difference between this season being a smashing success and a disappointment is 100% about not being able to hold or extend a lead. Everything that has gone wrong has been about conceding goals from an advantageous position. It's been eight or nine times, in three competitions. That's not coincidence.

 

[carmeldevil]

... <snip>...

But insofar as that is an excuse, it is undermined by the successful transfer window last summer. We stocked up on defenders: Rodon, Reguilon and Doherty. But they haven't yet gelled into a solid, reliable defence. Whose job is that?

The difference between this season being a smashing success and a disappointment is 100% about not being able to hold or extend a lead. Everything that has gone wrong has been about conceding goals from an advantageous position. It's been eight or nine times, in three competitions. That's not coincidence.

Clearly it's SC's job. We have failed.

Seriously - this is what gets me. I posted an article earlier in Mourinho's thread how he seems to design the play to ensure that if the team loses, it's the players fault. It's an eye opening article for me.

 

[IamSpurtacus]

The difference between this season being a smashing success and a disappointment is 100% about not being able to hold or extend a lead. Everything that has gone wrong has been about conceding goals from an advantageous position. It's been eight or nine times, in three competitions. That's not coincidence.

Agree with a lot of what you've written

I would also say lack of proper pre-season (What was the point of those internationals!), an endless carousel of games and lack of time to really instill a philosophy is also - somewhat, though not entirely - a contributor.

The season started 13th Sept - there were two internationals Sept 7th and 10th, three days before our first game of the season.

Reguillon and Bale didn't even join until Sept 19th, and GLC was injured until Sept 16th and is yet to have a proper pre-season since signing. Vinicius joined October 2nd, nearly three weeks into the season! We didn't sign the CB Jose clearly identified as a problem area - instead bringing in a raw inexperienced prospect rather than a ready made, transformative VVD style player.

We had a couple of "Christmas schedule" style periods. Between the start of the season and Jan 5th we played 28 games - one every three days on average - makes it tough to bed in new signings, instill a philosophy to a new group or drill tactics when you're also trying to get players fit.

Conte noted in his second season - when he had to contend with European football and didn't have a week to prep for each game - how much more difficult it was to drill his players. it was reflected in Chelsea's performance in the league

It's not the only reason we've failed, but it's one you can't ignore given the challenging schedule - that's not been an issue for other teams, who haven't faced the EL qualifiers pre-mini-league, leading to such a truncated calendar

It doesn't mitigate Jose's recent toxicity, but I would say the season has been a slog for lots of clubs - and ours has been especially challenging given the intensity of schedule, lack of depth in key areas and continued sluggishness when it comes to getting signings done

 

[stormfly]

I would say it was the Newcastle game and especially the West Ham game that ended it. Jose changed tactics after that 3-3 as he must have felt we were too open.

 

[garyhopkins]

The related article, from the week he lost his Chelsea job a second time, is quite prescient about Jose and his future...."On Sunday, Guardiola announced his departure from Bayern at the end of the season, with Manchester City his likely destination. This sets up the possibility of a rematch between Mourinho and his greatest rival – at two clubs that are already fierce local rivals. Yet there must be caution. In the eight seasons after taking the Porto job, Mourinho won six league titles and two Champions Leagues. Since going to Madrid in 2010 he has won just two league titles. Very few managers thrive at the very top for more than a decade: it is an emotionally and psychologically gruelling profession and football is always changing; the process of perpetual evolution is draining. It may be that Mourinho’s best is past."

Roll on a few years and post-United I remember seeing Jose at our games taking notes before Poch's departure and talking of making changes and learning from his time away. Unfortunately, the article highlights how he doesn't seem to have changed in his approach to tactics or the players....

The devil and José Mourinho | Jonathan Wilson

The long read: José Mourinho’s whole career seems to be one long revenge plot. Despite his great success, his various reigns have all ended in spectacular discord. So where does he go from here?

www.theguardian.com

 

[Real_madyidd]

A couple of people aren't really reading the article. It isn't about whether one substitution or another in one match would have changed our season. That's a emblem, a symbol, an indication of an underlying attitude.

The article is about fear and how it is contagious.

If I were writing the article, it would also be about trying to drill a defensive shape without enough suitably adamant players, while permitting your world-class attacking players to fend for themselves and improvise. It would be about imposing an approach that didn't suit the balance of strengths and weaknesses in the inherited squad.

But insofar as that is an excuse, it is undermined by the successful transfer window last summer. We stocked up on defenders: Rodon, Reguilon and Doherty. But they haven't yet gelled into a solid, reliable defence. Whose job is that?

The difference between this season being a smashing success and a disappointment is 100% about not being able to hold or extend a lead. Everything that has gone wrong has been about conceding goals from an advantageous position. It's been eight or nine times, in three competitions. That's not coincidence.

Great post. I just want to add, and this comes across in everything including the documentary- Jose always says he "hates losing". He doesn't seem to "enjoy winning" so much.

It's just not what we are about as a club. We win well and we lose trying to win by more. That is us.

 

[Cinemattis]

Great post. I just want to add, and this comes across in everything including the documentary- Jose always says he "hates losing". He doesn't seem to "enjoy winning" so much.

It's just not what we are about as a club. We win well and we lose trying to win by more. That is us.

I’ve been so fortunate to work with several international footballers, world champions, Olympic gold medalists, etc. Individual and team sport’s athletes. They all have one single thing in common:

They hate to lose.

Of course, they enjoy to win. But that is overshadowed by their hate of being number two (first losing position). The ones with long, successful careers also all havea very special drive to constantly evolve, develop and strive to better themselves. With extreme focus on details.

The joy of winning and being part of something fun is a very romantic look at the world of elite sports. And not one the athletes themselves are very concerned about.

Look up the Michael Jordan documentary series on Netflix: this shows perfectly and honestly how world class athletes “tick”.