Jose Mourinho | 2017/18 Assessments | Poll Added

[Son Of Sam]

We started the game with our most offensive lineup anyone can dream off. Thinking we went into the game thinking of parking the bus while having 4 attackers upfront is a ridiculous claim. I find it amazing everyone was pointing how the lineup is very offensive before the game and then now people saying we tended to defend. If we go on with 4 attackers and 2 midfielders and stuck as deep as this there must be another problem.

The problem was the same problem we had during Pogba's absence. He's our only player that can carry the ball forward from the midfield to attack. Matic isn't a deep playmaker and Herrera's terrible in passing and dribbling, hence both Herrera and Matic stuck deep with Lingard dropping back to get the ball or staying up front so that we had no chance to attack except by throwing a long ball. It's a clear problem in our midfield and Mourinho has to solve it badly, we just need another midfielder that can carry the ball forward and dribble.

Our formation against Arsenal was more defensive than today, when we tried to go on counters we were sublime, because Pogba was able to carry the ball forward leaving the other 3 forwards to make their runs. With Pogba we can defend and hit on counters, but without him we defend only and that's our major problem this season. We're really a one man team and all talking about our great depth proves to be not true at all, at least in attacking midfield role.

Instead of repeating things like parking the bus over and over and over again, people should think of some other problems in our team really. If you think getting rid of Mourinho and getting your darling whoever he's as our manager will solve our problems and make us go toe on toe with City you're up to a massive disappointment.

What I blame Mourinho for today was starting Martial on the right and Rashford on the left though. Rashford would have no chance against Walker as Rash depends on pace to pass through players and Walkers read this perfectly and kept him quite. Martial could have handled Walker better during the game, and Rashford scored his goal when he moved to the right away from Walker.

Excellent post.....
Succinctingly put together.

 

[Water Melon]

This season City will win it. Next season is Jose's last one at United I guess. Another half a billion spent under one manager, hopefully, with a major trophy as a return on such investment. Does anyone know when Pep's contract with City expires?

 

[FlawlessThaw]

This season City will win it. Next season is Jose's last one at United I guess. Another half a billion spent under one manager, hopefully, with a major trophy as a return on such investment. Does anyone know when Pep's contract with City expires?

Ends after next season, though extension talks are ongoing apparently.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

This is what will probably happen. I don't see either of Pep or Jose staying long. Both will win some trophies then feck off to their next challenge.

Jepp I think that will be the case. I think someone like Marcos Silva could maybe be a manager that stuit us. He is a bit more attacking than Mourinho and takes bigger risks, but still like to build his team around pace and organization in a similar way to Mourinho. I think he could use our defensive foundations and add something more to our attack. Might need a creative player in midfield and I think he would be ready to go with us.

It is not a complete change of style and I think players like Pogba, Martial, Rashford could shine under him as he likes similar players like Doucoure, Richarlison and so on that combine pace, strenght and skill well. Very typical how they play football in Portugal and I like that style if it is more attacking.
He has won titles in other clubs as well before so I think he could step up to fighting at the top fairly smoothly.

 

[2mufc0]

Great team cycles usually last 2 to 3 years and City are in their first. Mourinho needs to evolve and find a way of turning the tide , not sure he can though. But won't give up on him yet let's see what new signings we can get in.

 

[Brophs]

 

[Nytram Shakes]

I still watch the way we play and going forward our tactics seem to be so basic and direct and completely reliant on individual moments of magic to create excitement.

 

[dichinero]

They did not have the same starting point. Jose had a more difficult rebuilding to do. Pep inherited Silva, Aguero, KDB, Sterling, etc.

United don’t even have any player as creative as any of these lots before Jose arrived. How can you then compare what they have both spent on their respective teams?

Before he joined United, we knew that he was taking the the job 6 months before. He had all the time in the world for an experienced manager to assess, even from an outside pov. At the first window before any purchase, he made clear that he wanted 4 players only, he got the the 4 players he wanted. At the next window, he said he only wanted 4, he got 75% of his desires. He said he was happy to settle for that. Zlatan re-signed and Pereira was earmarked to be the alternate 4th player. All in all he got 7.5/8 of what he wanted. As it was his choice to blow his budget on Pogba and Lukaku

As far as what he met, no one forced his hands to keep them, that was his choice. If he shipped out players the way Pep did, do you not think the club would be forced to cough out more money. They have a responsibility to manage the books, and we still have the high player wage in the world iirc. Jose liked what he saw, very little complaints there.

I don't know why people are complaining that we don't have the creative maestros that City have like José would know what to do with the likes of KdB and Silva. So far, he has not pulled any trees with the ones at his disposal. I'll go as far as saying our creative and attacking department look the most impotent. At best the collective performances of the likes of Mata, Micky and Martial have been up and down, with no significant improvement over the last two years. If anything, they've learnt to be more defensive, which is José's prerogative. Jose would rather have another Pandev, like his pursuit of Perisic and gone for Renato Sanches if he had his way. We know that Welbeck would probably have stayed.

So whatever the starting point of City, we would not have had the type of players they had if José had his way. The Fellainis,Youngs, Valencias, Darmians and Herreras; workhorses are right up José's street. I just don't know how well Perisic would have closed the gap.

Maybe he didn't want to upset the balance by bringing in many players at one time, well, that is a risk that must decide on. It was the same stick that was used to beat Pep before a ball was kicked on how he would not be able to manage all these players. It seems to be working swimmingly well for them so far.

While there might be an argument that Pep had one or two players that suit his style, I had hoped that the 7 year PL experience that José has on Pep would count for something and bridge the gap a little.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Before he joined United, we knew that he was taking the the job 6 months before. He had all the time in the world for an experienced manager to assess, even from an outside pov. At the first window before any purchase, he made clear that he wanted 4 players only, he got the the 4 players he wanted. At the next window, he said he only wanted 4, he got 75% of his desires. He said he was happy to settle for that. Zlatan re-signed and Pereira was earmarked to be the alternate 4th player. All in all he got 7.5/8 of what he wanted. As it was his choice to blow his budget on Pogba and Lukaku

As far as what he met, no one forced his hands to keep them, that was his choice. If he shipped out players the way Pep did, do you not think the club would be forced to cough out more money. They have a responsibility to manage the books, and we still have the high player wage in the world iirc. Jose liked what he saw, very little complaints there.

I don't know why people are complaining that we don't have the creative maestros that City have like José would know what to do with the likes of KdB and Silva. So far, he has not pulled any trees with the ones at his disposal. I'll go as far as saying our creative and attacking department look the most impotent. At best the collective performances of the likes of Mata, Micky and Martial have been up and down, with no significant improvement over the last two years. If anything, they've learnt to be more defensive, which is José's prerogative. Jose would rather have another Pandev, like his pursuit of Perisic and gone for Renato Sanches if he had his way. We know that Welbeck would probably have stayed.

So whatever the starting point of City, we would not have had the type of players they had if José had his way. The Fellainis,Youngs, Valencias, Darmians and Herreras; workhorses are right up José's street. I just don't know how well Perisic would have closed the gap.

Maybe he didn't want to upset the balance by bringing in many players at one time, well, that is a risk that must decide on. It was the same stick that was used to beat Pep before a ball was kicked on how he would not be able to manage all these players. It seems to be working swimmingly well for them so far.

While there might be an argument that Pep had one or two players that suit his style, I had hoped that the 7 year PL experience that José has on Pep would count for something and bridge the gap a little.

I can't fully remember, now. Was van Gaal definitely getting the sack even if we finished 4th?

 

[dichinero]

I can't fully remember, now. Was van Gaal definitely getting the sack even if we finished 4th?

Have you forgotten how many times LvG was bombarded with the questions? Or the interview the Inter boss guy gave? It was the worst kept secret in football.

 

[Fracture90]

Shit their pants and lose the ability to reason under pressure?

But here's the problem, it's not only under Mourinho. The same players did it under LVG and Moyes before that too.

Funny enough all 3 managers are defensive managers and it's on the manager to sort it out.

Liverpool, City and also Spurs weren't the attack oriented, possession based football juggernauts under their previous managers until Guardiola, Klopp and Poch were appointed.

 

[Fracture90]

Mate you're just repeating the same bollocks which frankly is you contradicting yourself. I digress can't be arsed. Generally speaking though, the same way Pep's team isn't still considered toothless by last season's standards, using last season to measure us is also just as baffling.

Problem is your being selective, purposely leaving out parts that aren't fit for your narrative.

Mourinho has always parked the bus in the big games with or without Pogba in team, case closed.

 

[SCP]

I think someone like Marcos Silva could maybe be a manager that stuit us.

Wrong, he is nowhere near regarding Mou experience and background, he has a lot to improve at Watford before he can be even considered for a top 6 club, in terms of defensive organization he is way behind Mourinho, there are better options than him to replace Mou, and even that probably when his contract expires.

 

[reddevil702]

Jose's style is to defend the whole game and then on an counter score a goal and shut shop. Unless you are Messi, scoring with just a shot on goal against the big teams is not always possible especially if you do not even have the ball 80% of the time and then coming out and saying we had a chance and did not score is ridiculous.

You need you create chances, you will not be able to put away 1 chance per game all the time and if you sit back against the big teams you are only going to get chances to score based on the mistakes made by the opposition and not on your strength. Big teams will kill you like City have and it sucks to see City having the upper hand over United due to Jose's idiotic bus parking at home.

City attacked the entire game and failed to create a chance as clear as the one Lukaku had. I agree it's a lot of pressure to place on a player but it's the same strategy we used against spurs and arsenal, not many complains after those games. I don't disagree that it's frustrating to watch United sit back and soak up pressure at Old Trafford but Jose will never be a manager that cares about poession in a big game, it's just not his style. For me the most annoying part of today's game is that we lost by making silly mistakes and not by chances created City.

 

[Fracture90]

All that hatred for United's coach can't be good for you.

Both Atletico's fullbacks, together with Koke, Saul, Gameiro, Diego Costa, Angel Rodriguez, Griezman and probably one of the cbs would easily all start for United.

I understand real Man United fans here have some difficulties assessing the quality of their own players, just like I do with my team but if you try so hard to blame it on the manager at least take some time and try to consider what José has at his disposal.

Raise a valid point regarding our managers detrimental approach in big games and that means that I'm harboring hate towards Mourinho?

I stepped on my house rug on my way out, I reckon that's attempted murder or something?

 

[NinjaZombie]

Jepp I think that will be the case. I think someone like Marcos Silva could maybe be a manager that stuit us. He is a bit more attacking than Mourinho and takes bigger risks, but still like to build his team around pace and organization in a similar way to Mourinho. I think he could use our defensive foundations and add something more to our attack. Might need a creative player in midfield and I think he would be ready to go with us.

It is not a complete change of style and I think players like Pogba, Martial, Rashford could shine under him as he likes similar players like Doucoure, Richarlison and so on that combine pace, strenght and skill well. Very typical how they play football in Portugal and I like that style if it is more attacking.
He has won titles in other clubs as well before so I think he could step up to fighting at the top fairly smoothly.

That's madness. It's crazy to gamble on an unproven manager.

 

[Giggs86]

Funny enough all 3 managers are defensive managers and it's on the manager to sort it out.

Liverpool, City and also Spurs weren't the attack oriented, possession based football juggernauts under their previous managers until Guardiola, Klopp and Poch were appointed.

I wouldn't put Mourinho in the same defensive manager category as LVG or Moyes. In fact I wouldn't put Moyes in any category, he's just clueless. And LVG is a possession obsessed dinosaur. The point is Mourinho have built some ruthless attacking sides, in Chelsea, Real and even with us when Pogba plays.

The example of Liverpool or Spurs (who both sit comfortably below us in the table) doesn't make sense as I doubt any United fan would want Poch or Klopp instead of Mourinho. Their attacking oriented possession based style means feck all if they don't win anything.

 

[Fracture90]

£393M since their last title in 2014 is nothing to scoff at, especially if we consider that he retained some players of his liking that were with him in succesuful La Liga/Cup runs and that reached their first UCL final vs Real.

Mourinho has Spent 313 millions at United and already has more titles to show than Simeone in the last 3 seasons period, and obviously stakes come way higher with Mou's job, thinking that Simeone could perform better than Jose is wishful thinking, not something that can be easily backed by recent performance

Show me them links showing how much has Simeone spent and how much he has sold his players for.

Fair to point our Atletico is playing and being competitive in the league that has Barcelona and Real Madrid, you know teams that have won like last 4 CL.

They've won La Liga and played 2 CL finals, we've won Europa cup (2nd tier European Cup no one really cares for) League Cup and Community Shield…

 

[reddaz71]

We have improved under Mourinho and recent wins at Watford and Arsenal were very promising but then he reverts back to type and and we are now 11 points adrift,he deserves another year but the pragmatism is not really becoming that of a true Man Utd manager.

I would rather lose going down all guns blazing rather than just hoping the opposition makes a mistake!!

 

[Womp]

Problem is your being selective, purposely leaving out parts that aren't fit for your narrative.

Mourinho has always parked the bus in the big games with or without Pogba in team, case closed.

Except the original argument had nothing to do with parking the bus, but playing more proactively and 'hoofing the ball'. But okay pal.

 

[Fracture90]

I wouldn't put Mourinho in the same defensive manager category as LVG or Moyes. In fact I wouldn't put Moyes in any category, he's just clueless. And LVG is a possession obsessed dinosaur. The point is Mourinho have built some ruthless attacking sides, in Chelsea, Real and even with us when Pogba plays.

The example of Liverpool or Spurs (who both sit comfortably below us in the table) doesn't make sense as I doubt any United fan would want Poch or Klopp instead of Mourinho. Their attacking oriented possession based style means feck all if they don't win anything.

I honestly care not for categories or whenever you wanna put LVG and Moyes.

Fact is Mourinho is setting us up ultra defensively against top sides and that's with or without Pogba in team.

Also it's his fault for making us so reliant on Pogba in the first place.

 

[Fracture90]

Except the original argument had nothing to do with parking the bus, but playing more proactively and 'hoofing the ball'. But okay pal.

Original comment has anything to do with it but as I said don't let that ruin your narrative. Have a nice one.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

If we had gotten at least an average performance from Lukaku we would have won it. Coming into the game we thought we could win this one on counters and set pieces. We got one counter attacking goal off their defensive error but ended up letting those midgets dominate us on set pieces to concede twice. You can't blame anyone after that.

Martial put one on a plate for Lukaku only to face plant the ball into the keeper. Even if that went in you had a chance to salvage something out of this.

 

[Robindinho]

He started Martial, Rashford, Lukaku & Lingard. What else could he have done?

I don’t mean in the team selection, more the mindset and approach he took... we all got blinded when the team came through thinking he was going for it, or at least trying to take the game to them.

It was anything but that. Our back four pretty much camped on the edge of our box for the first 40 minutes with Herrera and Matic shielding in front. So effectively it was a back 6 with Rashford and Martial playing as wing backs just ahead. Not once did we look to come out and apply pressure or string a few passes together - we just lumped it straight back inviting another attack.

It’s the exact same in every big game. Setting up with the underdog defensive mindset instead of looking to win the game and make the opposition worry about what we can do.

 

[el3mel]

I don’t mean in the team selection, more the mindset and approach he took... we all got blinded when the team came through thinking he was going for it, or at least trying to take the game to them.

It was anything but that. Our back four pretty much camped on the edge of our box for the first 40 minutes with Herrera and Matic shielding in front. So effectively it was a back 6 with Rashford and Martial playing as wing backs just ahead. Not once did we look to come out and apply pressure or string a few passes together - we just lumped it straight back inviting another attack.

It’s the exact same in every big game. Setting up with the underdog defensive mindset instead of looking to win the game and make the opposition worry about what we can do.

That doesn't make any sense. If he doesn't want to hit City why start all his attacking players and give them instructions to defend ? Can you really believe this ? He could have just started Blind or Darmian instead of one of the 2 attackers and played 5-3-2 from the start if he wants a bus parked.

 

[Sylar]

We have improved under Mourinho and recent wins at Watford and Arsenal were very promising but then he reverts back to type and and we are now 11 points adrift,he deserves another year but the pragmatism is not really becoming that of a true Man Utd manager.

I would rather lose going down all guns blazing rather than just hoping the opposition makes a mistake!!

did he revert back to type? 4 attacking players. A midfield 2 where we didnt really have any other choice to play. The 2 Cbs he surely would have wanted to start out. And on top of that our key player (pogba) missing meaning the players who were out there didnt do any justice.
And on top of that, goals conceded from set pieces and both being mistakes by one player.

We lacked in possession because City have better players at keeping the ball vs us. Its a fact.

It seemed attack was the best way to defend today, but we just couldnt get the ball to stick up top. Lukuku needed a huge game today but he had probably the worst game ive seen in a long long time (probably worst since Mkhi and Lingard at OT against City last season)

 

[El Jefe]

Have people forgotten what our team is like? Our back up midfielders are Hererra and Fellaini. We have two old wingers that have been converted into full backs. We have no recognized right winger and two young prospects on the left wing.

Are people really expecting us to match city in the league with the squad we have?

I don't understand how people do not see this. Our team is clearly not good enough to win the PL but the year on year improvement is clear.

He inherited shite like Depay, Schneiderlin, Basti, Darmian, Rooney and a whole bunch of good but not great players.

Our 3 behind the striker today was Martial, Lingard and Rashford. Bright young players but compare them to Coutinho/Salah/Mane, Sane/KDB/Sterling, Hazard/Cesc/Willian and Sanchez/Ozil who support Lacazette and its clear we come up short in creative attacking players compared to our rivals.

 

[Home&Away]

You can't just stick 4 attacking players on the pitch & play them in a formation that benefits only one of our most out of form players.

Couldn't care who he puts on the pitch but ultimately there has to be cohesion.

451 has only showed cohesion very early in the season & never since.

 

[VorZakone]

Was it his idea to sign Lindelof? Lindelof is gaining good form now but in hindsight the Lindelof cash should have been splashed on either a LB or RW. Tuanzebe could then fill in at CB.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Was it his idea to sign Lindelof? Lindelof is gaining good form now but in hindsight the Lindelof cash should have been splashed on either a LB or RW. Tuanzebe could then fill in at CB.

Think that was Smallings signing.

 

[Nucks]

I don't understand how people do not see this. Our team is clearly not good enough to win the PL but the year on year improvement is clear.

He inherited shite like Depay, Schneiderlin, Basti, Darmian, Rooney and a whole bunch of good but not great players.

Our 3 behind the striker today was Martial, Lingard and Rashford. Bright young players but compare them to Coutinho/Salah/Mane, Sane/KDB/Sterling, Hazard/Cesc/Willian and Sanchez/Ozil who support Lacazette and its clear we come up short in creative attacking players compared to our rivals.

Yes. Pep has walked into the best team talent wise, by a long shot, in 3 successive teams. I think we're actually overachieving this year. I do not think we are number two in the PL on talent, I'd say we're 3 at best, but more likely 4.

 

[hn4manunited]

I just don’t understand what else people want our team to do. They are doing the best they can. We don’t have our key midfield player to link the play from the back to the front. We have 4 young players up front. One out of form. We are set up to play as offensive a football game as we can. We simply don’t have many options.

Did we set up with all defensive players? No. We were simply not able to play out of the back. The key today without pogba was to play a more direct out of the back with longer passes to bypass the middle of the pitch. Martial was quiet, rashford young and frustrated, lukaku out of form, Lingard tried but didn’t get necessary support from herrera and Matic.

Despite all that, I thought we played City very well today. It’s not that they didn’t have to get out of first gear like many here say...we were set up tactically to not allow them to get out of first gear. They were not allowed to play how they want to play. We frustrated them, even Pep was frustrated on the sidelines. They were cagey all game. Even had to resort to time wasting after taking the lead. They wouldn’t usually do that. They would usually go on and attack to get additional goals.

We lost because of the mistakes we made in those set pieces. Once you commit those errors, unless the other team commit as many errors, it is usually rather difficult to get even or on top. We’re not playing a team from several leagues below.

The arguments of us playing hoof ball is ridiculous. There is not one way to beat a team. Just because they play their type of football doesn’t mean that we have to play the same type of football to beat them. We play to their weaknesses. That’s how you beat your opponents. Not play to their strengths. People who want us to play their football, need to get a grip. We’re not being managed by Pep! We’re managed by Jose. People who argue we are too defensive is also ridiculous because our goals scored so far doesn’t show it and the way we’re set up doesn’t show it.

 

[Pep-City]

Apparently Mourinho’s been hit by a water bottle by the City dressing room after a spat with Ederson according to Daily Mail

 

[PepsiCola]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...urious-dressing-room-bust-up-man-city-keeper/

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Apparently Mourinho’s been hit by a water bottle by the City dressing room after a spat with Ederson according to Daily Mail

Not surprising. Most them City players have no class.

 

[United_We_Stand]

 

[PepsiCola]

Not surprising. Most them City players have no class.

Mourinho is far from the classiest individual.

 

[Tom Van Persie]

Walker might have the most punchable face in football. What a cnut he was lucky to still be on that pitch after that ridiculous dive.

 

[Pep-City]

Apparently 20 players involved in the fight, and there was also someone trying to throw a punch at Mourinho’s face.

 

[Womp]

Nothing will happen, City are immune to punishment.