The irony is even more delicious than that: he invented that phrase after a game against, yes, Tottenham.
Jose Mourinho Sack Watch | Sacked per 19-04
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I wouldn't even say him being defensive has been his downfall. Lots of very good modern managers are defensive. Simeone, Nuno, Conte etc. What has been his downfall is the lack of aggression and pressing his teams display. He engages in almost no pressing. His entire ethos is all about positional discipline in the defensive shape. That is no longer a working formula. Have a look at the sides managed by the three coaches I mentioned earlier. Their sides are defensive but press relentlessly. They don't give teams space or time on the ball but they are still very compact.
I have read that his training is very relaxed. It shows in his teams.
I have read that his training is very relaxed. It shows in his teams.
This is quite a good point actually. I remember us looking really disjointed when attempting to press with him. Some would and some wouldn't, but that is something where you need the whole team to buy into it.
I noticed something similar with Spurs in extra time last night. Kane and Son were leading it and Vinicius just wasn't on the same wavelength - definitely too simplistic to put it solely down to that but it's certainly a contributing factor.
The Toxic One
They didn't bring him in to win the league cup. They were Champions League runner-ups and were a perennial top 3-4 side. They got him to win them trophies that mean something. Unfortunately, he isn't good enough to win those trophies anymore.
Mourinho’s teams don’t really use the collective press, rather individuals press according to their zones. It’s a really bizarre take on what is now an essential part of the game.
You are correct about us looking disjointed under him whenever we did deploy the tactic. I recall a dejected and exasperated Herrera hounding centre-backs and full-backs in a one-man press at times and looking around to see his teammates all back inside our half. It was ridiculous and so easy for teams to play out against us.
For what it’s worth, I believe his Spurs team press better than we ever did under him, but I’d hazard a guess that that’s to do with the personnel (and previous coaching under Pochettino) rather than Mourinho improving his pressing system.
Spurs seriously need proper investment in defence. Bar a couple exceptions where the team was completely spineless (Leicester?) their defeats come firstly from a stupid mistake leading to goal. Dier, Rodon, Aurier, etc. It's been like that from the very beginning. Remember the injury time silly handball against Newcastle? it was newcastle's first shot on target. You can't just not win those games. Against Liverpool they were playing evenly until a mistake happens.
Sure Jose has made several mistakes. And the playstyle isn't actualy easy for the defenders. I also don't understand some of his options. Why not play Sissoko in the middle? Why doesn't Lucas Moura play more? etc, etc.
It's also obvious that Jose's trying different things. He's already on 3 different systems this season at least and actually i've seen improvements in the last few games especially when their best players are available. But lastly, it's the results that matter and in the end of season no one will remember how they happened.
Comparing Spurs to United for instance. How many games did you go without your best players? Bruno, Pogba, your 2-3 best CB's? your best RB? your front 3: Martial, Rashford and whoever? Spurs for one reason or another always have a couple players out. So for me it's hard to really judge his work when all the top 6 greatly improved their squads and they also did but not to the same extent.
Sure Jose has made several mistakes. And the playstyle isn't actualy easy for the defenders. I also don't understand some of his options. Why not play Sissoko in the middle? Why doesn't Lucas Moura play more? etc, etc.
It's also obvious that Jose's trying different things. He's already on 3 different systems this season at least and actually i've seen improvements in the last few games especially when their best players are available. But lastly, it's the results that matter and in the end of season no one will remember how they happened.
Comparing Spurs to United for instance. How many games did you go without your best players? Bruno, Pogba, your 2-3 best CB's? your best RB? your front 3: Martial, Rashford and whoever? Spurs for one reason or another always have a couple players out. So for me it's hard to really judge his work when all the top 6 greatly improved their squads and they also did but not to the same extent.
I suspect this is an extension of his poor people management. His approach towards his players and squad creates disharmony, unlike the Chelsea players, they aren't willing to die for him out there. So he is unable to have all the players doing the right things, together. Pep and Klopp are masters at it and I think it might be Ole's best attribute too.
Everon were pretty bad yesterday, aside from individual moments of brilliance
Spurs were good, aside from individual moments of incompetence
That's football. Fact of the matter is everton's strikers went off having the shooting night of their lives. Spurs win this game 9 times out of 10. This just happened to be that 10th game
And they didn't play different than usual, tactically, but they did play with more desperation, so to speak. Went at it with less caution then usual after going down 3-1
Spurs were good, aside from individual moments of incompetence
That's football. Fact of the matter is everton's strikers went off having the shooting night of their lives. Spurs win this game 9 times out of 10. This just happened to be that 10th game
And they didn't play different than usual, tactically, but they did play with more desperation, so to speak. Went at it with less caution then usual after going down 3-1
As much as I despise him, yesterday was not on Mourinho. Everton were very lucky, can't believe how they win so many games by individual errors from the opposing goalkeepers.
Come on now, that’s just unfair on poor Jose, how is he meant to overcome Spurs’ football heritage?
Tbf that's countered by how many times their one's cock up.
He no chance of beating city now. At this stage more about how many they don't concede.
Europa league or bust surely for a lot of spurs fans and maybe even for the likes of kane and son.
I think so. Kane is 28 in the summer. Big decision to make, stay loyal to Spurs and be a club legend with feck all medals or go to City and win something.
He's the best English striker of his generation (I wouldn't really count him and Rooney overlapping) and the best honour he has is a World Cup golden boot.
Everon were pretty bad yesterday, aside from individual moments of brilliance
Spurs were good, aside from individual moments of incompetence
That's football. Fact of the matter is everton's strikers went off having the shooting night of their lives. Spurs win this game 9 times out of 10. This just happened to be that 10th game
And they didn't play different than usual, tactically, but they did play with more desperation, so to speak. Went at it with less caution then usual after going down 3-1
I would agree apart from that seems to be the story every game these days for Spurs. IF Son or Kane had taken the one or two chances they'd got and IF Spurs hadn't made so many mistakes - you cannot live in a world of ifs, buts and maybes.
This is Mou 101 - keep pushing the 'mistakes' card because it gets fans thinking the players individually are not good enough and it takes responsibility away from Mourinho & ultimately gives credence to giving him more money. The bitter irony is that it is his job to coach and improve these players and it seems they are more error prone despite being more defensive under him. Same exact thing happened at United only he got way more money and we ground out more boring wins, even then we only finished a few points ahead of Poch's Spurs & scored ~40 less goals and ~20 points behind City. Mou as a manager simply isn't worth it by any metric (unless you are a rival fan).
I genuinely thought he had learnt his lessons from the mistakes he made at OT. Namely handling people better and the way he used to at Chelsea.
And early on at Tottenham, that looked to be the case.
But more recently, he has reverted to type.
If he decides he likes you then fine.
But if he takes a dislike to you then you are frozen out.
And none of this has a good outcome. Because team spirit is lost and a team is nothing without team spirit.
Frankly if he doesn't change quickly, he will fail again.
Tottenham are not Jose Mourinho. They are Tottenham and his decline is accelerating.
And early on at Tottenham, that looked to be the case.
But more recently, he has reverted to type.
If he decides he likes you then fine.
But if he takes a dislike to you then you are frozen out.
And none of this has a good outcome. Because team spirit is lost and a team is nothing without team spirit.
Frankly if he doesn't change quickly, he will fail again.
Tottenham are not Jose Mourinho. They are Tottenham and his decline is accelerating.
He's probably going to have a few more bad results in the upcoming fixtures but I expect him and Spurs to finish the season strongly and maybe win a trophy. Don't think they will get top 4 now but they could win the Europa League if Kane and Son remain fit.
It's hard to see where he goes next with this Spurs team though in terms of adding players. I thought he'd have that Spurs defence nailed down this season but it doesn't look like it. Not a great defence, probably need another creative attacking player to compliment Kane and Son, new right back?
It's hard to see where he goes next with this Spurs team though in terms of adding players. I thought he'd have that Spurs defence nailed down this season but it doesn't look like it. Not a great defence, probably need another creative attacking player to compliment Kane and Son, new right back?
He has already decided he is staying loyal when he signed a 5 year contract at 27.
No way would Levy let his main asset go for less than £150m, which means no one can afford him.
Kane, however good he is will not fetch that fee. He will be 28, has dodgie ankles and doesn't have the blistering pace
No PL club would go near him now!
I would say that but Mendes is his agent and runs the show at Wolves.
I thought that after United but someone will get seduced by his record and he'll give a very convincing pitch about how he will be different this time, partly because he actually believes it himself.
Why don't he just go manage a national team? His style is literally built for that. When you people talk about his short term success, it doesn't come to as close as managing international football. He should go manage the Portugal or England national team. Imagine if he wins England the World Cup, he would be seen as the second coming of Christ in England.
Kane + Son are keeping this team half decent. If Kane gets injured, Son is lost and they're West Brom level. Some of those forwards who come in for Kane are abysmal. Goalkeeper's past it! Höjbjerg is the only one putting a shift in. A shambles of a team and a manager half of the players don't want to play for. This can only go one way!
What makes you think that though?
Nothing is pointing towards that happening. They look an unorganised mess.
Managing England? No thanks. Portugal are welcome to him.
As a Mancunian, no, thank you. His two and a half years here at United were bad enough.
I can see managing a national team his only option if he were to be sacked by Spurs, nobody else would take him at the min, especially in England. Maybe one of the Italian teams perhaps. His way of the game in his head is just so outdated, Kane privately must be thinking of leaving
God forbid!
Ah the modern fan... base analysis on stats rather than actually watching the game, uses fancy descriptions such as double pivot. They were 1-3 down, of course they’re throwing everything at it in a cup competition. Would be pretty dull to keep low blocks being two goals down....
I don't think the players have turned on him apart from Dele and Bale and they finished reasonably strongly last year at the end of the season. If Kane and Son stay fit and they tighten the defence then I still don't think a trophy is beyond them. Whether or not that lives up to Levy's expectations is another matter. Would be surprised if they sacked him unless things got REALLY bad between now and May.
Yup the modern fan that I'm who only watches highlights and checks stats.. that's me.. hello..
But yeah... Of course he would attack as you said he was down in the scoreline most of the time.
Pick 4 other alternatives to Mourinho when he first joined. Id say 3/4 would of reached a similiar level. How they got there and the fireworks would have been different.
I think Poch proved this squad had run aground.
I think Poch proved this squad had run aground.
Agreed. He lacks a lot as a man manager, but has an uncanny ability to grind out results in individual games
No, for the most of the season it was the other way around. Spurs haven't been particularly good this season and their position is largely down to Kane and Son pulling wins out of their arses
This game wasn't the case. Spurs actually outplayed Everton
At least he's sorted out the Bale situ today...
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Shots fired.
Over to you Top Knot.
Over to you Top Knot.
He finally found his "pogba" at spurs.. tried with Dele and it didn't work.
They're straight into 3rd season syndrome without a trophy.
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