Jose Mourinho

[Mr Pink]

Again, I can see the point of view, but it's then down to the players to make the difference on the pitch. Not one player in the opening twenty of the second half stood up before or after them scoring. That can't all be down to the manager, because that exact sentiment was also being trotted out with the previous manager. It's becoming a recurring theme with these players.

Like I said, I can see your point of view and I agree with it, but we're almost back to that period under Sherwood where it seems the players are almost predetermining whether or not they have the chops for all that silverware they keep going on about.

Yes agree mate, the players are responsible for that yesterday, Mourinho as well.

Second half was a shambles. Let's hope we don't see anything like that again.

I think the reaction on the site is to do with the context...ie what we saw last season and this being the first game of a new season and its more of the same, second half even worse.

Let's just hope we can kick on quickly and forget that yesterday.

 

[SamR]

I really don't get the anti-Mourinho agenda.
The players yday were an embarrassment for most of the game.

The guy has managed to win things everywhere and ydays performance was due to the players not taking responsibility and putting in that extra effort.

I saw a 'lets go' call from Mourinho from about 78 mins and the players just trotted around hoping someone else will do something.

Who are people expecting to come in instead and suddenly make this team great? Puzzles me.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Quite frankly, not as good as those players. Ndombele has done nothing in this team yet, and Lo Celso has maybe 5% of Eriksen’s output. Dembele and Eriksen were integral to the team.

Not really fair to judge them after the turbulent season we had last season is it? Dembele and Eriksen never came in and performed at a heights they reached from the off.

 

[H-SF]

People talking about the recruitment have a point but we still have a great squad: Kane, Son, Ndombele, GLC, Bergwijn etc and Jose should be expected to get a lot out of them. One of my issues with the manager is the lack of attacking rigidity. Offensively we are so fluid, as in there are not enough set patterns, the players are left to create/score using their own initiative and automatisms. This is fine when you pack your team with technical players but we don’t, we play the likes of Dele, Winks, Hojbjerg and Lucas. What I’m saying is, if Jose is going to consistently select players which bring a lower technical level than the ones on the bench he needs to install set patterns of attacking play so it’s easier for us to create. If he warns to maintain these fluid offensive dynamics one of GLC/Ndombele need to play every game and Bergwijn should start too.

 

[spursfan77]

Im just watching the 7th all or nothing episode and at the start he’s looking at the goals conceded against Leipzig and Chelsea last season. He highlights a massive lack of communication in defence. We don’t seem to have that at centre back, maybe we need another one in there who is an organiser. Our players just aren’t switched on enough. See the moving forward of the free kick yesterday as an example.

If the players and they’ve been like it under Poch too, aren’t clever enough or don’t listen or don’t communicate with each other, is that the manager’s fault or the players. It’s the players. There’s so much work to do with this team it’s scary.

 

[Betha]

It is becoming quite obvious that the club and team aren’t going to be sorted out this season. I think it is a big ask for him to be expected to win something with this group.

And, most people, I believe, would be okay with that. If what you saw was a team building towards something.

Liverpool didn't have any problems with Klopps first season, as it was obvious from day one that he had a progressive plan for attacking football. We had no problems with Pochettinos first season, even with varying results, as we saw what he was trying to do, and that there was a clear plan.

Now, what is there to believe in?

 

[tototoner]

1st opening day loss for Mourinho in 10 Premier League seasons.

 

[Bobbins]

One thing the documentary has confirmed is that the players who stopped playing for Poch, haven’t started again for Jose.

Every game he’s calling for energy, high pressing and for the players to have a winning attitude, and almost every game this bunch of sadsacks and wasters proceeds to amble around the pitch doing the minimum possible.

We know Poch’s training was built around high energy and the press, and Jose’s obviously isn’t. We might expect it to be a bit more disjointed. But there’s no excuses for this attitude.

Jose looks absolutely shocked by what is fundamentally an ingrained loser attitude which seems to pervade the entire club.

It seems to me the only cure for this - and the documentary has only reinforced this for me - is complete change in the ownership of the club.

 

[rossdapep]

We don’t need players getting fired up (though it wouldn’t hurt) we need them to start using their fucking brains and playing football like a fucking team not like a bunch of *****

Well, I agree with that but I didn't see a lot of desire in that second half either.

 

[E17yid]

Well, I agree with that but I didn't see a lot of desire in that second half either.

No it was piss poor. I don’t see us even challenging top 10 at the moment. Only we could go from CL finalists to an out and out mid table team in a couple of years.

 

[Gilzeanking]

We saw him ask for pressing but we never have since he came in to the point that I'm.not convinced that wasn't for the camera as any manager getting ignored that much by a whole team would be dropping players or sacked.

Yep I wondered about that . In the Doc we saw him shouting about pressing . I forget which game it was , but we never saw any pressing in any game . Mebbe the players are used to ignoring managerial pleas to press after ignoring Poch's for his last year .
The players aren't working for him . The old problem ....motivating millionaires and JM looks to be having trouble with it.

 

[E17yid]

Start of the season I said he gets til Xmas. I’m changing that to 10 games. If there’s no clear direction or game plan and the players look disinterested then he has to go as it will get toxic very very quickly and we all know what Mourinho is like when he’s on a shit run. Blameless.

 

[rossdapep]

And, most people, I believe, would be okay with that. If what you saw was a team building towards something.

Liverpool didn't have any problems with Klopps first season, as it was obvious from day one that he had a progressive plan for attacking football. We had no problems with Pochettinos first season, even with varying results, as we saw what he was trying to do, and that there was a clear plan.

Now, what is there to believe in?

Disagree slightly.

Klopp did certainly bring a high intensity press but there was countless games in which they looked absolutely toothless as well.

I remember when they lost to Burnley 2-0 second game of the season after beating Arsenal 4-3. They were really bad that day.

Klopp's early Liverpool were capable of devastating high press football one minute, the next they were been ripped apart with 1-2 passes, they also struggled against very defensive teams.

Klopp gave up on some of those players after 2 years and that's probably what Jose will have to do to have any chance of success here.

 

[ILS]

People talking about the recruitment have a point but we still have a great squad: Kane, Son, Ndombele, GLC, Bergwijn etc and Jose should be expected to get a lot out of them. One of my issues with the manager is the lack of attacking rigidity. Offensively we are so fluid, as in there are not enough set patterns, the players are left to create/score using their own initiative and automatisms. This is fine when you pack your team with technical players but we don’t, we play the likes of Dele, Winks, Hojbjerg and Lucas. What I’m saying is, if Jose is going to consistently select players which bring a lower technical level than the ones on the bench he needs to install set patterns of attacking play so it’s easier for us to create. If he warns to maintain these fluid offensive dynamics one of GLC/Ndombele need to play every game and Bergwijn should start too.

We don't have a great squad though and people need to stop living off 4 years ago. We have about four or five very good players that other top four teams would want if they were available. We then either have players who are not up to the levels we hope they would be and players that are now on the decline.

Do I want Harry to go? of course not we should be giving him the players he needs to win things but come the end of the season if it ends the way a lot of us expect and he moves on then maybe it will give us the money to rebuild the squad. However do I trust the current set up to spend it wisely er...No!

 

[Kiedis]

Yep I wondered about that . In the Doc we saw him shouting about pressing . I forget which game it was , but we never saw any pressing in any game . Mebbe the players are used to ignoring managerial pleas to press after ignoring Poch's for his last year .
The players aren't working for him . The old problem ....motivating millionaires and JM looks to be having trouble with it.

But how do we train and prepare to be able to play a pressing game? There more to it than shouting about it. And a pressing game will generally always be linked to having a functioning possession game.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

I think we can all question the sub and change of formation/tactics yesterday - it's a WTF moment - because we had created enough chances in the first half to probably make Ancelotti think at half time.

I also think we should be questioning the players, whether it be mental fortitude or ability as a footballer.

Reckon as a fan base, even if you're can recognise the work Levy/ENIC have put in as owners that this squad and it's demise over the last two seasons (or so) is something that needs to be fixed, yet they seem to continue to place bandaids where surgery is needed.

I posted yesterday and I'll post again 8 players that took part in last seasons opener against Newcastle were also involved in yesterdays opener against Everton. This squad is stale. It's lacking talent in key areas, it's lacking quality in key areas and there doesn't seem to be a great deal being done to rectify it.

 

[Gilzeanking]

People talking about the recruitment have a point but we still have a great squad: Kane, Son, Ndombele, GLC, Bergwijn etc and Jose should be expected to get a lot out of them. One of my issues with the manager is the lack of attacking rigidity. Offensively we are so fluid, as in there are not enough set patterns, the players are left to create/score using their own initiative and automatisms. This is fine when you pack your team with technical players but we don’t, we play the likes of Dele, Winks, Hojbjerg and Lucas. What I’m saying is, if Jose is going to consistently select players which bring a lower technical level than the ones on the bench he needs to install set patterns of attacking play so it’s easier for us to create. If he warns to maintain these fluid offensive dynamics one of GLC/Ndombele need to play every game and Bergwijn should start too.

I always smile when people put Bergwijn in with our best 3-4 players . Its based on very little and is a dream that he's any more than a squad player imo.

However key point made here . JM is used to working with the best technical/creative players . His job (as he sees it) is to keep it tight and let them do it without interference . Fine , if they are world class creatives ...

This MO aint gonna bring us success unless we buy the best .

 

[emiley heskey]

Jose needs to call Dele Alli now .. Just like he called out Ndombele publicly, he needs to slag Dele Alli publicly ...

1. Kane
2. Son
3. Lloris
4. Lo celso
5. Bergwjin

I will keep these five players and sell rest of them in the next 2 or 3 seasons and build another team ... You don't win with these set of players who are constantly loosing game after game, and okay with it ... Loosing has become routine task for them and they now settle on it. They don't press, they don't take initiative, they don't take responsibility ...

Dele Alli can go to any lower level club and continue his party boy attitude ...

And for Daniel Levy yes we know transfers are so difficult but it is difficult for every other team as well ... Not just for you it is difficult. He also needs to take his share of blame and stop taking so much salary from the club ...

 

[Enfieldspurs1985]

I think we can all question the sub and change of formation/tactics yesterday - it's a WTF moment - because we had created enough chances in the first half to probably make Ancelotti think at half time.

I also think we should be questioning the players, whether it be mental fortitude or ability as a footballer.

Reckon as a fan base, even if you're can recognise the work Levy/ENIC have put in as owners that this squad and it's demise over the last two seasons (or so) is something that needs to be fixed, yet they seem to continue to place bandaids where surgery is needed.

I posted yesterday and I'll post again 8 players that took part in last seasons opener against Newcastle were also involved in yesterdays opener against Everton. This squad is stale. It's lacking talent in key areas, it's lacking quality in key areas and there doesn't seem to be a great deal being done to rectify it.

You know we played Villa first game of last season.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

You know we played Villa first game of last season.

Am I a season out?

Edit: Well, that's even worse then, isn't it.