Chelsea didn't dominate for three years. Just two. That was during Djemba Djemba's reign of terror. Keane being kicked out, Scholes with long term injury leaving us relying on Giggs and O'Shea in midfield. If that's not transition then what is?
Mourinho | New old Chelsea manager
- Thread starter Suedesi
- Start date
It hasn't really started the way people imagined has it?
They say it never works out the second time. I still think they're a great bet for the league, but I don't think they're going to walk it as a few had told me in the last couple of weeks, and I think they'll need some big flukes to win the CL again.
They say it never works out the second time. I still think they're a great bet for the league, but I don't think they're going to walk it as a few had told me in the last couple of weeks, and I think they'll need some big flukes to win the CL again.
Why?
Most places had them joint favourite ahead of United, they had done nothing to justify that
Early days - very early. I'd say anything can happen at this stage. Three favourites, three new managers, nothing has properly settled yet for any of them.
Ayee indeed, but the best bet by far is United IMO - we walked the league last season with our best player having his worst season at the club and he's now back on form, Van Persie/Kagawa settled and the youngsters having another years experience.. Yet we're down at third favourites. Great odds.
He had one good game... it wasn't even exceptional, I don't think we will see that Rooney EVERY game... for me he had a much better game, but form speaks of the last X amount of games, rather than his last appearance surely.
Rooney's been our best player in 3 of the 4 games he has played. All indications are he's going to have a much better season this time around
Apologies then, admittedly I have missed the first few games so only went by peoples ratings of him and I'm aware people tend to blow it up.... but still 4 games, the boy could be out for the rest of the season... but yea point taken, thanks for updating me 
It's obviously too early to start dancing on Jose's grave - the loss last night was very unexpected, particularly in light of the Everton result but clearly isn't a sign of the apocalypse at Stamford Bridge. They should still breeze through the group, making last night look somewhat irrelevant in terms of the result. An even slightly tougher group might've made things interesting though.
I still think that Jose is more secure than any manager has been in that job for ages. The club is all about Roman, we know that, but with Jose it's really the first time that Roman has had to basically admit a mistake by bringing him back. I think that gives Jose tremendous power, which I think will become more obvious when he next gets to play with Roman's chequebook.
This Mata situation is interesting though. I thought things were being overstated about Jose not fancying him, particularly given that Mata had actually been injured and thus not available. It'll be interesting if Mata continues to be somewhat relegated in the team selections going forward, particularly as Mata doesn't seem the type to rock the boat. In the past Mata has seemed obviously happy at Chelsea, or at least happy with the wage Roman pays him - I can't see him suddenly causing trouble given that at times he's seems the only sane one during some of the circus times there in recent years.
As for their title credentials, I still think it's too early to judge both City and Chelsea entirely until after the January window. With their respective owners things could be very different after that window. Only after that can we say for sure who is or isn't a title contender (assuming those two and United will be relatively close to each other in the title race). Until then I think the first El Plastico meeting will be very interesting - Chelsea have been dominated by City in terms of results in those games recently, but I think Jose could excel in those type of games.
Regardless, nobody can write Jose off this early, however enjoyable it is to see him stumble.
I still think that Jose is more secure than any manager has been in that job for ages. The club is all about Roman, we know that, but with Jose it's really the first time that Roman has had to basically admit a mistake by bringing him back. I think that gives Jose tremendous power, which I think will become more obvious when he next gets to play with Roman's chequebook.
This Mata situation is interesting though. I thought things were being overstated about Jose not fancying him, particularly given that Mata had actually been injured and thus not available. It'll be interesting if Mata continues to be somewhat relegated in the team selections going forward, particularly as Mata doesn't seem the type to rock the boat. In the past Mata has seemed obviously happy at Chelsea, or at least happy with the wage Roman pays him - I can't see him suddenly causing trouble given that at times he's seems the only sane one during some of the circus times there in recent years.
As for their title credentials, I still think it's too early to judge both City and Chelsea entirely until after the January window. With their respective owners things could be very different after that window. Only after that can we say for sure who is or isn't a title contender (assuming those two and United will be relatively close to each other in the title race). Until then I think the first El Plastico meeting will be very interesting - Chelsea have been dominated by City in terms of results in those games recently, but I think Jose could excel in those type of games.
Regardless, nobody can write Jose off this early, however enjoyable it is to see him stumble.
He been sacked yet?
Mourinho's decisions since going back to Chelsea I find a bit odd. He's not made them as formidable as I would have imagined.
Decent start in the league followed by these two defeats but the following are odd:
Firstly, benching Mata. One of the best players in the EPL last season and Chelsea's best attacking player. There is no indication they have had any following out from what I can see so it seems Mourinho just does not rate him.
Secondly, their transfer activity in the summer was odd. They were obviously after a top striker and could not get one but signing a couple of attacking midfielders and another central midfielder and not strengthening the centre backs was a surprise. Personally I don't think Cahill and Terry are strong enough as a combination for a team managed by Mourinho who had two of the strongest defences going with Chelsea and Inter in the past. I'm really surprised he did not sign a big name defender or try Ivanovic there. Nothing against Cahill or this incarnation of Big Man but I'd have expected Mourinho to seek out better.
Thirdly, signing Eto'o was all well and good but loaning out Lukaku after he scored 17 EPL goals and is obviously full of potential is another odd move. If that was Fergie he would have kept Lukaku and made sure he got games in the first team after such a good loan, particularly in an area they are weak in. If that meant offloading someone like Demba Ba, he would have done it.
I'd expect him to at the least have a team capable of making a title challenge but the squad he has does not look as strong as the previous Chelsea side or have the hallmarks I would have expected even after one summer of him in charge.
Decent start in the league followed by these two defeats but the following are odd:
Firstly, benching Mata. One of the best players in the EPL last season and Chelsea's best attacking player. There is no indication they have had any following out from what I can see so it seems Mourinho just does not rate him.
Secondly, their transfer activity in the summer was odd. They were obviously after a top striker and could not get one but signing a couple of attacking midfielders and another central midfielder and not strengthening the centre backs was a surprise. Personally I don't think Cahill and Terry are strong enough as a combination for a team managed by Mourinho who had two of the strongest defences going with Chelsea and Inter in the past. I'm really surprised he did not sign a big name defender or try Ivanovic there. Nothing against Cahill or this incarnation of Big Man but I'd have expected Mourinho to seek out better.
Thirdly, signing Eto'o was all well and good but loaning out Lukaku after he scored 17 EPL goals and is obviously full of potential is another odd move. If that was Fergie he would have kept Lukaku and made sure he got games in the first team after such a good loan, particularly in an area they are weak in. If that meant offloading someone like Demba Ba, he would have done it.
I'd expect him to at the least have a team capable of making a title challenge but the squad he has does not look as strong as the previous Chelsea side or have the hallmarks I would have expected even after one summer of him in charge.
I don't think mourinho is a lucky manager, it's safe to say he's a flawed genius, when he gets his way he's brilliant, when he doesn't he's unbearable, i don't think he can adapt to playing a type of football he doesn't believe in, i don't think he can work with a squad below his level of expectations, it won't be long before starts complaining about not getting the striker he wanted in the summer, but you know that regardless to how bad it might get for moyes he'll always tell you he's happy with what he has.
His subs were weird against Basel. Lampard looked most likely out of any of them to create something yet he got taken off which made their midfield even more unbalanced.
I heard he's not one of their top earners, not in the slightest. I think he's at around 50k a week, which is just ridiculous for a player of his quality. Especially when you know Torres is one of their best paid players.
If his situation doesn't get any better I'll be very surprised if he doesn't put in a transfer request in the summer.
That does surprise me if he's not on more than that, particularly at a club like Chelsea. Not that there's ever been much to suggest he was a mercenary necessarily, but obviously many players are content just collecting a wage, particularly if they don't think they can get such a big wage elsewhere.
I'd expect Mata could command a far bigger wage than that at a number of clubs.
United werent the only team in 2004-2006 though, Arsenal had just come off of the back of an invincible season, and were only marginally poorer.
Yeah, I guess being a nice guy doesn't help you much in life.
Yes but the year he was talking about was the one where Porto beat United, meaning the one Arsenal won the league.
Would be hilarious if he was. Never go back. Let's be honest, he wouldn't be anywhere near that shower if it wasn't for his failure at Madrid and not being offered the United gig. He was only an after thought when Pep decided he'd much rather manage a great club like Bayern.
Can understand why he's not feeling so special.
This takes nothing away from that Chelsea side.
I'm saving this for end of the year awards
Do you know what wages Mata is on, Rob?
feck you my dropped every other android phone. feck you!
So let me get this straight. Mata is not being played because he is Jewish?
So far.....
Has ostracized Mata, POTY for the last 2 years
Has shown no confidence in Ba/Torres
Has let Lukaku, who showed he could become the next Drogba, go on loan again
Team selections are plain strange - Mikel starting ahead of others?
Has been providing the most boring football in years at Chelsea after spending another small fortune
4 goals in 4 league games so far..
Keep it up Jose - Rafa was doing a better job
Has ostracized Mata, POTY for the last 2 years
Has shown no confidence in Ba/Torres
Has let Lukaku, who showed he could become the next Drogba, go on loan again
Team selections are plain strange - Mikel starting ahead of others?
Has been providing the most boring football in years at Chelsea after spending another small fortune
4 goals in 4 league games so far..
Keep it up Jose - Rafa was doing a better job
I think this business with Mata is probably affecting the situation more than he believes, because regardless of what system he wants to play it looks slightly retarded to anyone, and is hard to defend. I mean you guys find it mad that Moyes seems to find Young more in his plans than Nani and Kagawa, yet those two aren't your best players.
Also if we we're grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, he would be totally excused, but given we are drawing 0-0 or losing 1-0, its not.
Also if we we're grinding out 1-0 or 2-0 wins, he would be totally excused, but given we are drawing 0-0 or losing 1-0, its not.
It's not THAT bad! We have the same number of points as United and can go top of the league today.It's a marathon, not a sprint.
This is all abit Kneejerk tbh. He said he had come back to stamp his mark on the club and build something long term, it was always going to take some time, this will likely be a bumpy season but abit of patience and he will be a success.
It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Early days yet and I am only jesting
Don't understand why Mourinho seems to go out of his way to display poor man management - when things don't go his way he seems happy to blame the players
That as well as destroying referees careers
Have a feeling Chelsea will batter Fulham today, and all will be rosy again.
Going back to your ex will (almost) never work out.
Yeah. Especially when your ex is waiting for a date with Inter Milan!
I got that wrong then.
I got that wrong then.
Everything and I mean everything he has done since he came back to Chelsea has served as a reminder of why it was a masterstroke not to hire him to replace SAF.
I've been happy with Moyes so far (transfer market aside) and hiring Jose would have been to rip up all of the fantastic work done during SAF reign. I never want to see that text-book narcissist managing any club I support.
I've been happy with Moyes so far (transfer market aside) and hiring Jose would have been to rip up all of the fantastic work done during SAF reign. I never want to see that text-book narcissist managing any club I support.
It'd be interesting to see the reaction if Chelsea struggled in that game as well, since Fulham should have no chance in that fixture at all.
Certainly make for a bit of fun, anyway!
The last time we beat Fulham at home though was in 2010, its not been a dead cert for us in recent seasons.
What Duffer says is right though its entirely possible, in fact likely that we will be above one or two of the Manchester clubs this weekend somehow.