Jose Mourinho

[rez9000]

Haha, hey if you can't beat them................

Kick them?

 

[dudu]

I cry into my soup... but that's because I hate soup.

Also, soup needs salt sometimes.

Cereal, not so much!

 

[Danny1]

Do we need a hold up player? Aguero is smaller than Bergwign and Dele and they seem to build up just fine...

I think every top striker holds the ball well. Aguero, for me, is one of the best at getting the ball & bringing others into the game. A real striker understands how to play with their back to goal and to make the right runs. Bergwijn and Dele aren't strikers so there is no complaining from me that they struggle to do it, however it is undeniable that we are struggling due to this factor.

Also, on top of losing our player who holds up play, drags defenders out of position etc, we have lost our most potent attacking threat in Son. As we have seen before without Kane, Son has stepped up & can create & score goals from nothing, so it ends up being that opposition sides double mark him, which in turn opens up space for other players. Then if you take away Eriksen (yes he struggled the last year but he still had a great eye for a pass), then you start to see why we as an attacking force are struggling. Is Mourinho to blame for 2 injuries, a player wanting to leave, and no back up striker. Of course not. If we also take ITK then it appears that one of the main positions we are looking at is to recruit another forward player who has the ability to play both striker & attacking forward.

Mourinho deserves time, and as someone else stated, 4 months into the Poch era he lost 4 out of 5 games and he was given time and rightfully so. I just don't want to read in every single thread that Mourinho isn't the right man etc etc as it's getting boring & everyone is missing vitally important points.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Do we need a hold up player? Aguero is smaller than Bergwign and Dele and they seem to build up just fine...

You are suggesting that hold up is determined by height? Or are you suggesting that Bergwijn and Dele are hold up players? Or are you suggesting that Aguero can't do hold up. I mean, come on.

 

[idontgetit]

And do you not believe that the loss to injury of the targets of those balls being got 'up there' has played a part? And if you don't have those targets, how can it be an effective approach?

It'd be like if I were the best darts player in the world, but I didn't have hands. I'm not going to win many darts matches, am I?

(I could throw with my feet, I suppose...)

Obviously Kane being out injured is a dire situation and wrecks any long ball game but you've missed my point entirely.

 

[Nebby]

Do we need a hold up player? Aguero is smaller than Bergwign and Dele and they seem to build up just fine...

Depends on how you play the game. City keep the ball, build by retaining possession, but can just as easily slice through a defence with a killer pass. We don't retain the ball nearly as well in midfield, and will quite happily go long from the back and use Kane's physicality and Son's pace to our advantage. I reckon Aguero would struggle in a team with our midfield.

Another big problem for us is the lack of midfielders able to shoot from distance. Eriksen could do it and used to draw defenders out, which created space. Now that he's gone teams can drop off and compress the space. Son and Kane will both shoot from outside the box, so we're doubly cursed right now.

 

[rez9000]

Obviously Kane being out injured is a dire situation and wrecks any long ball game but you've missed my point entirely.

If you're talking about developing the tactic further, that too has been covered - the fact that a manager can't make wholesale changes to tactical training partway through a season.

But if a manager was so cavalier as to try it, there's another problem: he then has rip up the new tactic when the personnel he's lost come back and he has to reincorporate them into his tactical systems.

This is the issue - it's very easy for us to say what we would or wouldn't do in a given scenario or to criticise in the absence of all the information, because we're not the ones doing it, we're not the ones whose job is at stake. So we happily analyse the surface of things and think we've provided real insight. But we're so far removed from what is actually happening day in, day out that it's actually pointless to even attempt it.

But you can draw conclusions based on the information you do have. That includes Kane and Son being injured, Mourinho being in the early stages of his tenure, a misfiring squad. We cannot say what Mourinho is doing when it comes to tactics, because we aren't privy to his thinking. So to argue that we know what he's doing and that what he's doing is wrong is a false premise. But we can say that losing his strikers, being new to the job, and a squad that has not lived up to previous levels of performance will all have an effect on the outcomes he's able to currently deliver.

 

[PLTuck]

I disagree that current football is worse than under the aforementioned four. Whilst we struggled at times, there was at least one or two stand out world class players in those teams that entertained you. - Ginola, Bale, and Modric come to mind.

To be fair I was asleep during most of the AVB possession-athon.

We still have individual players that can get you off your seat. Kane, Son, Lo Celso, Dele when he's at it. Fingers crossed much more to come from Dame Belly (as youtube auto subs call him ? ) and Sessegnon.

 

[seppo]

Oh dear Seppo, this is a bit of a egg on face moment. Under Mourinho, we beat Man City, playing the same type of football.............

Hello Dannyone. It really isn't, I'm afraid. City had 7 shots total yesterday, 4 of them on goal. No big clear cut chances. xG of 0.59. Same general theme & outcome for their three previous games. They successfully nullified City to a great extent.

We, on the other hand, were clinging on for dear life in our win against City. Just from the top of my head, I remember Sterling missing two (normally) certain goals, pretty much 2 yards from goal. Aguero and Mahrez blew a few sitters as well. The game ended with City having an xG of 3.23.

We completely and utterly failed in doing what Man Utd did - nullify the opponent. We were just extremely lucky to come away with the win.

Where do you want the egg delivered? I'll send it express

 

[idontgetit]

If you're talking about developing the tactic further, that too has been covered - the fact that a manager can't make wholesale changes to tactical training partway through a season.

But if a manager was so cavalier as to try it, there's another problem: he then has rip up the new tactic when the personnel he's lost come back and he has to reincorporate them into his tactical systems.

This is the issue - it's very easy for us to say what we would or wouldn't do in a given scenario or to criticise in the absence of all the information, because we're not the ones doing it, we're not the ones whose job is at stake. So we happily analyse the surface of things and think we've provided real insight. But we're so far removed from what is actually happening day in, day out that it's actually pointless to even attempt it.

But you can draw conclusions based on the information you do have. That includes Kane and Son being injured, Mourinho being in the early stages of his tenure, a misfiring squad. We cannot say what Mourinho is doing when it comes to tactics, because we aren't privy to his thinking. So to argue that we know what he's doing and that what he's doing is wrong is a false premise. But we can say that losing his strikers, being new to the job, and a squad that has not lived up to previous levels of performance will all have an effect on the outcomes he's able to currently deliver.

Again, still missing the point. Our defence is not top 4 quality, hasn't been for a while and won't be until we sign new defensive players and get a pre-season in. The squad spent five years set up to play on the foundation of a rock solid defence. We should have accepted that defence no longer exists and changed to playing to our squads strengths. Instead Poch kept things the same and Mourinho has doubled down on the defensive side of things. It's a tactical error from both managers.

The deeper problem, the strategic problem, is based on our transfer policy of the last three windows which isn't the fault of the managers. Still you play the cards you're dealt.

 

[rez9000]

Again, still missing the point. Our defence is not top 4 quality, hasn't been for a while and won't be until we sign new defensive players and get a pre-season in. The squad spent five years set up to play on the foundation of a rock solid defence. We should have accepted that defence no longer exists and changed to playing to our squads strengths. Instead Poch kept things the same and Mourinho has doubled down on the defensive side of things. It's a tactical error from both managers.

The deeper problem, the strategic problem, is based on our transfer policy of the last three windows which isn't the fault of the managers. Still you play the cards you're dealt.

I'm obviously failing to see what your criticism actually is.

If it's the defence, what was all the stuff about how Mourinho played when he first arrived about?

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Hello Dannyone. It really isn't, I'm afraid. City had 7 shots total yesterday, 4 of them on goal. No big clear cut chances. xG of 0.59. Same general theme & outcome for their three previous games. They successfully nullified City to a great extent.

We, on the other hand, were clinging on for dear life in our win against City. Just from the top of my head, I remember Sterling missing two (normally) certain goals, pretty much 2 yards from goal. Aguero and Mahrez blew a few sitters as well. The game ended with City having an xG of 3.23.

We completely and utterly failed in doing what Man Utd did - nullify the opponent. We were just extremely lucky to come away with the win.

Where do you want the egg delivered? I'll send it express

At 2 zip up?

Fucking hell what a load of old bollocks.

Seriously, take the afternoon off.

Just think if we'd taken all those chances at Liverpool ... We'd have fucking smashed them ... They were clinging on for the last 15 .... No one is going to remember this though as we got beat.

The modern football fan it seems is fast becoming a fucking meme.

 

[rez9000]

At 2 zip up?

Fucking hell what a load of old bollocks.

Seriously, take the afternoon off.

Just think if we'd taken all those chances at Liverpool ... We'd have fucking smashed them ... They were clinging on for the last 15 .... No one is going to remember this though as we got beat.

The modern football fan it seems is fast becoming a fucking meme.

Is it us? Is it that we fundamentally have to moan about something? Do all football fans do the same?

I mean, like with you @idontgetit - your handle is what I'm feeling - I don't get what it is you're grizzling about; I can't identify your beef (now there's an interesting statement!).

Do we just have to bitch and moan about something?

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Is it us? Is it that we fundamentally have to moan about something? Do all football fans do the same?

I mean, like with you @idontgetit - your handle is what I'm feeling - I don't get what it is you're grizzling about; I can't identify your beef (now there's an interesting statement!).

Do we just have to bitch and moan about something?

I dunno, maybe it is.

Thing is, if I flipped this all on it's head and I took the negative, bleak, cold rain, snow, no money, eeyore, hole in a bucket and a shoe, flat football, soggy pie, sour beer proper take on all things Spurs after the last 8 months people will wish I go back to being jut plain annoying rather than what comes.

I get it, things aren't great but it's a phase, most of it can be explained away while at the same time accepting doubts exist.

I expected us to get beaten against City, I enjoyed the result, I enjoyed the two goals we scored and I am glad we did it.

Maybe people just enjoy losing, I literally no longer know, anymore.

 

[idontgetit]

Is it us? Is it that we fundamentally have to moan about something? Do all football fans do the same?

I mean, like with you @idontgetit - your handle is what I'm feeling - I don't get what it is you're grizzling about; I can't identify your beef (now there's an interesting statement!).

Do we just have to bitch and moan about something?

How do you see a discussion forum being used if discussion is now universally deemed to be 'bitching and moaning'? Maybe have a word with the mods and see if they'll shut the site down and we'll just share memes on Reddit instead.

Also...

 

[rez9000]

How do you see a discussion forum being used if discussion is now universally deemed to be 'bitching and moaning'? Maybe have a word with the mods and see if they'll shut the site down and we'll just share memes on Reddit instead.

Also...

View attachment 64387

LOL! That's not what I meant - I just don't understand the levels of negativity (and that's not directed at you specifically) - I just don't understand why people are so dour, so negative.

The reason I cited you specifically is that we were in the middle of a conversation. Which is good. As you say, it's what we're here for. But I twice thought I'd responded to what you were saying and you said I hadn't, so I was left thinking if it was just that you wanted to have a good old moan, which we all like to do from time to time, just not quite so much as we're seeing.

I do genuinely wish to know what your observations are - just having a tough time putting my finger on it.

 

[shelfboy68]

Why would you appoint Mourinho if you had no ambition it makes no sense. It’s like tricking some high maintenance gf into marrying you when you’re earning 20k a year. If Levy policy is to spend what we earn that will see an increase in spending from old WHL days but is it enough for Mourinho. If the policy was to carry on working within a relatively tight budget then why not just appoint another project manager. Instead they’ve gone out and appointed someone on £15m. Unless you’re gonna seriously back him it makes no sense at all from both sides.

I think levy might have misjudged it and thought all the squad needed was repointing in the right direction and away we go top four here we come.
But he has now found out that half the squad are past it or just not good enough and so the frightening scenario he faces is one of heavy investment the last thing he wanted to do.

 

[Danny1]

Yet another injury to our already depleted squad. I honestly hope we hear no more moans, but that is quite possibly the most optimistic comment on here! We have no options!

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Yet another injury to our already depleted squad. I honestly hope we hear no more moans, but that is quite possibly the most optimistic comment on here! We have no options!

I think we're at that stage of the season where gallows humour is all that there is for it.

'Piss on the fire and call in the dogs'

 

[shelfboy68]

I think we're at that stage of the season where gallows humour is all that there is for it.

'Piss on the fire and call in the dogs'

Two of the dogs have an injury and the other one is cup tied.