Jose Mourinho | 2017/18 Assessments | Poll Added

[SwSw]

Fact that it isn't improving shows the coach isn't working on it.

I think Mourinho isn't coaching much. He probably leaves those task to his assistants. Something like what SAF did.

 

[Varun]

And their tendency to gets in each others way too.

I thought is basic common sense to not get so close to your team mate to prevent congestion.

Remember a video where Henry talks about Pep and mentions how anal he is about players maintaining their areas during the build up. Funnily, something LVG believed in too but made us shite to watch.

 

[Kostov]

He isn't winning over fans, that is for sure. Jose must do better than this, no excuses.

 

[Redman24]

Our next 3 games are

Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Liverpool

I think at best we will get 2 points, but i doubt that also. I think top 4 will be gone by this time next month. Mourinho as a manager is finished. We play with no plan and we don't play as a team. Mourinho still picks the wrong lineup and does not know his best 11 after 18 month's.

Our football is soo horrible to watch, we are a tony pulis team.

 

[Canagel]

I think Mourinho isn't coaching much. He probably leaves those task to his assistants. Something like what SAF did.

What exactly is Mourinho doing then? The assistants may have some jobs to do but at the end of the day he is responsible for what happens on the pitch. It's very strange really.

 

[ti vu]

I wasn't talking about playmaking from back, it's ability on the ball and ability to not lose and regain even when pressed. Yeah lets agree to disagree.

Re Smalling, when Smalling didn't play or when we played back 3, did you see our CBs passing the ball and trying to build from back? It has nothing to do with Smalling, everything to do with coach.

For example, Chelsea had Terry Cahil both are good on the ball, Matic Fabgreas in the midfield.

ManUtd had Smalling, McNair as CBs, Rooney, Herrera, Fellaini as midfielders.

Our wingers were Young and Mata, Chelsea had Hazard and Oscar.

Chelsea players are better on the ball but ManUtd played high line and dominated possession at Stamford bridge. We have 72% possession. We lost because of ref mistake who ignored foul on our player but we played the game completely in Chelsea half and they played on counter (and did very well).

It's to do with coach and how he sets up. Smalling is limited on the ball but that won't stop aggressive coaches to play high line and coach the team to make players available for passes.

Then you're not really talking about ball playing CB. Vidic was very good with his use of the ball. I rate his long ball over Rio's. He is not regarded as ball playing CB.

Yes. RoJones was a thing. Bailly and Rojo ain't so stifled in possession either. And any of these guy ain't exactly that good compare to top ball playing defender. And not long ago when they played together, we looked comfortable playing out from the back despite not really set up very different.

I already touched on playing into opposition hand. Terry was very fragile in high line as his leg was gone. Even SAF playing deeper in later year when age caught up with Rio. Chelsea had Matic and Zouma on an in form Fellaini this game which nullify LVG's plan B. Zouma ain't exactly very good with his passing. Oscar at this time in question was not any better than Mikhi bar defensive workrate. Cesc had second half season syndrome and in cruise mode. He was no better than Herrera at this point who was in form (remember Herrerawas untouchable against Vity just week prior?) They had Drogba to lead the line. Not exactly the better passing team.

Edit: You mentioned about the foil on Falcao for the goal. The question remained till this day, why Smalling try to pass to Falcao (remember me mentioned we need to have our forwards come back to help the build play under LVG) with a Chelsea player breath down his neck! Exactly played into Mourinho's hand guided the ball to Smalling and let me pass the ball out and marked his option waiting for the wrong kind of pass.

 

[LeftyBlaster]

Would happily get rid of for Poch.

 

[Jeffthered]

Big couple of weeks for Mourinho. We need to hold on (yep, hold on...) to that top four. That's our ambition now, a top four finish...

 

[roonster09]

Then you're not really talking about ball playing CB. Vidic was very good with his use of the ball. I rate his long ball over Rio's. He is not regarded as ball playing CB.

Yes. RoJones was a thing. Bailly and Rojo ain't so stifled in possession either. And any of these guy ain't exactly that good compare to top ball playing defender. And not long ago when they played together, we looked comfortable playing out from the back despite not really set up very different.

I already touched on playing into opposition hand. Terry was very fragile in high line as his leg was gone. Even SAF playing deeper in later year when age caught up with Rio. Chelsea had Matic and Zouma on an in form Fellaini this game which nullify LVG's plan B. Zouma ain't exactly very good with his passing. Oscar at this time in question was not any better than Mikhi bar defensive workrate. Cesc had second half season syndrome and in cruise mode. He was no better than Herrera at this point who was in form (remember Herrerawas untouchable against Vity just week prior?) They had Drogba to lead the line. Not exactly the better passing team

Sorry mate, you are just making up excuses now with inform Fellaini and all that.

Lets agree to disagree then, we are going nowhere with this.

 

[SwSw]

What exactly is Mourinho doing then? The assistants may have some jobs to do but at the end of the day he is responsible for what happens on the pitch. It's very strange really.

SAF did the same. Probably the ones around SAF were of better quality. Rui Faria doesn't seem to be Rene Muelensteen. Hence, the atrocious attacking play?

Then you're not really talking about ball playing CB. Vidic was very good with his use of the ball. I rate his long ball over Rio's. He is not regarded as ball playing CB.

Yes. RoJones was a thing. Bailly and Rojo ain't so stifled in possession either. And any of these guy ain't exactly that good compare to top ball playing defender. And not long ago when they played together, we looked comfortable playing out from the back despite not really set up very different.

I already touched on playing into opposition hand. Terry was very fragile in high line as his leg was gone. Even SAF playing deeper in later year when age caught up with Rio. Chelsea had Matic and Zouma on an in form Fellaini this game which nullify LVG's plan B. Zouma ain't exactly very good with his passing. Oscar at this time in question was not any better than Mikhi bar defensive workrate. Cesc had second half season syndrome and in cruise mode. He was no better than Herrera at this point who was in form (remember Herrerawas untouchable against Vity just week prior?) They had Drogba to lead the line. Not exactly the better passing team

All this talk about the need for a ball playing CB is just rubbish. We aren't playing 4D chess here or doing theoretical physics. We just need a CB who is comfortable with the ball and is capable of playing a simple forward pass to the feet of the attacker. With that said, Smalling has no room in the team.

 

[roonster09]

See, you're just falling in the trap thinking that we have a divine right to win everything because we're Manchester United and we're spending money.

Can't you see the surgery Mourinho has done on this squad in just 18 months? I invite you to go have a look at LVG's squad just before he left United and compare it to that of now. There's dramatic improvements all over the park. So therefore your ignorance to how far we've come as a team and club since Mourinho has taken over in the form of moaning because we're not yet as big as Madrid/Barca/Bayern is quite laughable.

Please stop presuming that he can just wave a magic wand and make us world class again, it's a building process and we have too many impatient fans here shouting for Mourinho's head because he hasn't won a Premier League title in 18 months. Fergie at times took 4 years to rebuild his squad to compete in an easier league. We now have 6 super teams in the PL, whereas Fergie only ever had to deal with 1-2 at a time. So give the man some time for christs sake.

6 super teams when there wasn't a title race since City won beating Liverpool?

SAF competed against the teams where many players had legit claim to be in all time PL 11 or squad.

Arsenal team had players like Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Vieira, Cole, Campbell,

Then he competed against Chelsea with players like Cech, Terry, Carvalho, Cole, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Drogba.

PL peak was in last 2000s when 3 teams made Semi finals of CL more than once. ManUtd won 3 league titles.

Also that Liverpool team had Torres, Gerrard, Alonso, Mascha.

This SAF had to deal with 1-2 teams is just laughable, he didn't have to deal as he was way ahead of anyone. Just like Pep and how he is not dealing with 5 teams.

 

[ti vu]

Sorry mate, you are just making up excuses now with inform Fellaini and all that.

Lets agree to disagree then, we are going nowhere with this.

Sure. Agree to disagree.

I mention Fellaini again, so people who paid attention, would easily remember how Fellaini played a huge role in that run of form under LVG. Either it's an excuse or not let's people judge on what happened.

 

[plex]

Mourinho won many trophies and only City has more points in the league, but watching the games is a pain in the ass.

 

[ti vu]

SAF did the same. Probably the ones around SAF were of better quality. Rui Faria doesn't seem to be Rene Muelensteen. Hence, the atrocious attacking play?


All this talk about the need for a ball playing CB is just rubbish. We aren't playing 4D chess here or doing theoretical physics. We just need a CB who is comfortable with the ball and is capable of playing a simple forward pass to the feet of the attacker. With that said, Smalling has no room in the team.

We don't need super ball playing CB, I can agree. However, for a CB to pass to the feet of our forward, when our midfielder, wide players who closer to the forwards can't do that, do you think a CB with average ability on ball can execute?

 

[roonster09]

Sure. Agree to disagree.

I mention Fellaini again, so people who paid attention, would easily remember how Fellaini played a huge role in that run of form under LVG. Either it's an excuse or not let's people judge on what happened.

Oh I remember how well Fellaini played in that stretch of games, was he good in possession? No. But he was very good in making impact.

Even with 10 men, we had nearly 50% possession against City away from home and 60% at home when we beat them 4-2. We are talking about teams that finished 1st and City were 2nd or 3rd.

All this playing high line with Smalling btw. Ability on the ball isn't the reason not to play high line. It's just a coaching issue where coach isn't comfortable with high line or CBs bringing the ball out of defense when pressed.

 

[roonster09]

We don't need super ball playing CB, I can agree. However, for a CB to pass to the feet of our forward, when our midfielder, wide players who closer to the forwards can't do that, do you think a CB with average ability on ball can execute?

Surely if Jose wants, he can play Blind as CB to do that?

 

[SwSw]

We don't need super ball playing CB, I can agree. However, for a CB to pass to the feet of our forward, when our midfielder, wide players who closer to the forwards can't do that, do you think a CB with average ability on ball can execute?

Rojo's passes are sharp and he can do it.

What have you been watching?

 

[buckooo1978]

Funny that isn't it, that Klopp has won feck all with Liverpool. Yet Mourinho has won two major cups already in half the time at United.

you can win as many Europa Leagues as you want against third tier opposition but it is undeniable that we aren't getting the best out of players and that Mourinho has no valid plan.

we've again given up numerous chances to lesser opposition.....Huddersfield and Sevilla didn't have the quality in attack to punish us on those occasions - if Luis Muriel was a half decent striker we'd be in trouble. Because of our limp display if Sevilla get a goal we are in trouble - if they get 2 we are out

can't understand how you can compare that performance to Fergie in his later years. We were solid and had a plan under Fergie....last night in contrast we didn't control the game. We created chances and won regularly away from home while breaking clean sheet records.

 

[kr0nix]

Not sure if it has been posted yet

 

[Yagami]

Oh I remember how well Fellaini played in that stretch of games, was he good in possession? No. But he was very good in making impact.

Even with 10 men, we had nearly 50% possession against City away from home and 60% at home when we beat them 4-2. We are talking about teams that finished 1st and City were 2nd or 3rd.

All this playing high line with Smalling btw. Ability on the ball isn't the reason not to play high line. It's just a coaching issue where coach isn't comfortable with high line or CBs bringing the ball out of defense when pressed.

I'll always remember - the only time in my life - how we went Juanfield and played them off the park with a CB due of Smalling and Jones. We played it out from the back with ease. With the right coaching, we should be able to play like that with this squad, too.

I still don't know why van Gaal completely abandoned that formation and strategy in his 2nd season.

Surely if Jose wants, he can play Blind as CB to do that?

I think Blind should've been given a shot as our LCB. At least when we went with 3 at the back. He was great alongside Smalling in the 15/16 season.

 

[Hellboy]

you can win as many Europa Leagues as you want against third tier opposition but it is undeniable that we aren't getting the best out of players and that Mourinho has no valid plan.

we've again given up numerous chances to lesser opposition.....Huddersfield and Sevilla didn't have the quality in attack to punish us on those occasions - if Luis Muriel was a half decent striker we'd be in trouble. Because of our limp display if Sevilla get a goal we are in trouble - if they get 2 we are out

can't understand how you can compare that performance to Fergie in his later years. We were solid and had a plan. We created chances and won regularly away from home while breaking clean sheet records.

This type of comment was the same BS we were served by the Van Gaal brigade. Not saying we should sack him, but should definitely go at the end of the season, Jose is finished.

 

[roonster09]

I'll always remember - the only time in my life - how we went Juanfield and played them off the park with a CB due of Smalling and Jones. We played it out from the back with ease. With the right coaching, we should be able to play like that with this squad, too.

I still don't know why van Gaal completely abandoned that formation and strategy in his 2nd season.

I think Blind should've been given a shot as our LCB. At least when we went with 3 at the back. He was great alongside Smalling in the 15/16 season.

Yeah tbf to Van Gaal his teams played really well in big games but in the second season we were just awful. Nearly half a season we didn't score a goal before half time or something like that.

Also 4-1-4-1 was working very well with Fellaini and Herrea playing really well. For some reason he stopped with that.

 

[kr0nix]

This type of comment was the same BS we were served by the Van Gaal brigade. Not saying we should sack him, but should definitely go at the end of the season, Jose is finished.

Wonder what the board were thinking when they decided to renew his contract before the end of the season.

 

[Canagel]

Surely if Jose wants, he can play Blind as CB to do that?

We can do worse than bringing Blind back. I quite liked the Bailly and Blind partnership from the start of 2016/17 season.

 

[kthanksbye]

Every passing game I'm able to figure out what the players are doing wrong individually and what Jose is making them do.
Pains me to say that Jose is at fault for a lot of our recent form and lack of cohesion in attack.

The players have no idea what they have to do when they have the ball, no one knows where to move when we win possession, we're not even counter attacking properly.

Too much of our attacking football is being played on reactions. Player A in possession runs out of options, player B makes a run, if player A has not passed it back to DeGea/hasn't lost possession/manages to spot that run, he then decides to play the ball to player B. By that time the opposition just cover spaces and that we make no progress with that pass.

 

[ti vu]

Surely if Jose wants, he can play Blind as CB to do that?

Blind is super ball playing. Is he very good defensively? No.

Oh I remember how well Fellaini played in that stretch of games, was he good in possession? No. But he was very good in making impact.

Even with 10 men, we had nearly 50% possession against City away from home and 60% at home when we beat them 4-2. We are talking about teams that finished 1st and City were 2nd or 3rd.

All this playing high line with Smalling btw. Ability on the ball isn't the reason not to play high line. It's just a coaching issue where coach isn't comfortable with high line or CBs bringing the ball out of defense when pressed.

Fellaini played huge part in that in keeping possession. We can't run through wave of pressing. Fellaini offer an option for a diagnal high ball to bypass the pressing. From that point we recycling possession while moved up the pitch! Fellaini ran havoc vs Tottenham City L'pool until Mourinho double teamed him and which guided our recycling possession back to our defenders. Did you read the edit part of one of my post asking question about the conceding goal where Smalling chose the wrong pass?

You keep talk about possession percentage, but if you recalled the actual game, the defeat against City was not all heroic or brave, but pure stupidity. Smalling got sent off didn't he? RVP got isolated and had very few touches. We're lucky not go get thrashed when City piles up chance after chance where we hardly trouble them than some individual brilliance. It's same old useless ball retention with not purpose.

 

[Williams1960]

How exactly are we defensively solid when DDG has to make multiple breath taking saves in most big matches to keep us in the game?

I agree. we actually had about 33% more shots at our goal than Liverpool! the problem they had was mignolet was letting 50 percent of them in and de gea was only letting in 20percent!

so yes we are 'defensively solid' but it is not down to the team or defence as much as it is down to david de gea. swap him for a simon mignolet and we would be 5th in the table and a couple of goals down yesterday.

de gea is so good he is keeping mourinho in a job. best keeper in the world. by far.

 

[Yagami]

Yeah tbf to Van Gaal his teams played really well in big games but in the second season we were just awful. Nearly half a season we didn't score a goal before half time or something like that.

Also 4-1-4-1 was working very well with Fellaini and Herrea playing really well. For some reason he stopped with that.

It was! I remember at the end of his 1st season many posters - including myself - thinking we just need to upgrade on Rooney as the CF, Young as the LW, and Fellaini as the LCM to go on to have a great 2nd season. Instead, he just never tried it again.

 

[Skills]

you can win as many Europa Leagues as you want against third tier opposition but it is undeniable that we aren't getting the best out of players and that Mourinho has no valid plan.

we've again given up numerous chances to lesser opposition.....Huddersfield and Sevilla didn't have the quality in attack to punish us on those occasions - if Luis Muriel was a half decent striker we'd be in trouble. Because of our limp display if Sevilla get a goal we are in trouble - if they get 2 we are out

can't understand how you can compare that performance to Fergie in his later years. We were solid and had a plan under Fergie....last night in contrast we didn't control the game. We created chances and won regularly away from home while breaking clean sheet records.

Funny thing is Wenger might end up doing the Europa League and League Cup double this season, like we did last season. Yet everyone on here would say Wenger well past his sell by date.

 

[KM]

At this stage, he can feck off. No coherence in midfield and attack. Our defense is pretty rubbish as well.

 

[ti vu]

Rojo's passes are sharp and he can do it.

What have you been watching?

The same Rojo who got ton of complained here for hoof ball? I am not one of those slating Rojo, mind. Just saying to meet CAF expectation of playing out from the back, which use Rio as measure stick, it takes much more.

 

[KM]

Funny thing is Wenger might end up doing the Europa League and League Cup double this season, like we did last season. Yet everyone on here would say Wenger well past his sell by date.

Dortmund, At. Madrid and Napoli are all in the Europa League this season. All of them are better teams than Arsenal. Not gonna happen.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

Funny thing is Wenger might end up doing the Europa League and League Cup double this season, like we did last season. Yet everyone on here would say Wenger well past his sell by date.

To many here trophies are the only thing that matters until you bring up that Wenger has won 3 FA Cups recently.

 

[ti vu]

It was! I remember at the end of his 1st season many posters - including myself - thinking we just need to upgrade on Rooney as the CF, Young as the LW, and Fellaini as the LCM to go on to have a great 2nd season. Instead, he just never tried it again.

The funny thing is we did ( Bastian, Schneiderlin, Memphis, Martial) with all those purchase, just to end up with worse and reuse the old stock.

 

[roonster09]

Blind is super ball playing. Is he very good defensively? No.


Fellaini played huge part in that in keeping possession. We can't run through wave of pressing. Fellaini offer an option for a diagnal high ball to bypass the pressing. From that point we recycling possession while moved up the pitch! Fellaini ran havoc vs Tottenham City L'pool until Mourinho double teamed him and which guided our recycling possession back to our defenders. Did you read the edit part of one of my post asking question about the conceding goal where Smalling chose the wrong pass?

You keep talk about possession percentage, but if you recalled the actual game, the defeat against City was not all heroic or brave, but pure stupidity. Smalling got sent off didn't he? RVP got isolated and had very few touches. We're lucky not go get thrashed when City piles up chance after chance where we hardly trouble them than some individual brilliance. It's same old useless ball retention with not purpose.

I agree with your point that Fellaini offered good option to bypass press and became passing option.

No I didn't see your edit btw, too hard to track back.

 

[Yagami]

The funny thing is we did ( Bastian, Schneiderlin, Memphis, Martial) with all those purchase, just to end up with worse and reuse the old stock.

I don't think we ever tried them in said formation, though? We were more of a 4-2-3-1 if I recall. A midfield two of Carrick/Schweinsteiger/Schneiderlin, Memphis on the left, Mata right, Januzaj centre,and Rooney up top. Then I forget how we lined up after Januzaj leaving for Dortmund.

 

[Adisa]

I don't even look forward to big games again.
We even let DMs teams press and press.
Just mentally drained as a fan.

 

[SwSw]

The same Rojo who got ton of complained here for hoof ball? I am not one of those slating Rojo, mind. Just saying to meet CAF expectation of playing out from the back, which use Rio as measure stick, it takes much more.

Rojo playing long is probably down to coaching instructions or lack of passing options to the midfield considering we were playing with the pivot. This doesn't mean Rojo cant play a pass to the feet of our attackers.

 

[roonster09]

I don't think we ever tried them in said formation, though? We were more of a 4-2-3-1 if I recall. A midfield two of Carrick/Schweinsteiger/Schneiderlin, Memphis on the left, Mata right, Januzaj centre,and Rooney up top. Then I forget how we lined up after Januzaj leaving for Dortmund.

We had Martial who played almost all the games. Then Rashford played as CF with Rooney in midfield or AM.

 

[dannyrhinos89]

It’s got to the point where I don’t even want to watch our games, similar thing happened with Moyes and LVG. I completely lost interest in United and I’m going that way again.