Jose Mourinho

[rez9000]

I might be in the minority, but this week (from Newcastle) I have seen us generally defend much better. We barely conceded any efforts against them, nor Chelsea after they scored, Maccabi had (very good) pot shots from long range, United were restricted.

The clean sheet isn't far off. Penalties have cost us in that regard (or just really bloody good shots). I can see improvement game on game. Today especially. When we took the game from them there we NO silly passes at the back. Very, very few errors. We've been smashing it up top, but we're getting better at the back, too. Jose's tactics and work in training are coming into play.

I agree. Martial's penalty was 35 seconds in. Maybe they were just caught a little cold. That shouldn't be the case - they shouldn't gear up to play in the first few seconds of the match, but the last few seconds before the match. After that, with one or two exceptions, which'll happen in every game, we stifled them almost completely.

 

[easley91]

I agree. Martial's penalty was 35 seconds in. Maybe they were just caught a little cold. That shouldn't be the case - they shouldn't gear up to play in the first few seconds of the match, but the last few seconds before the match. After that, with one or two exceptions, which'll happen in every game, we stifled them almost completely.

Might be making excuses but having 4 games in a week may have had something to do with it, or United just faster out of the blocks. Either way, years gone by we would have crumbled well and truly after that start. There weren't really any mistakes after that and that shows me we're getting better mentally now. Most of these players had similar in the UCL final and didn't necessarily recover. We have character and grit, as well as quality. There's now a hunger and what seems to be a seige, us against the world type mentality.

 

[rez9000]

Might be making excuses but having 4 games in a week may have had something to do with it, or United just faster out of the blocks. Either way, years gone by we would have crumbled well and truly after that start. There weren't really any mistakes after that and that shows me we're getting better mentally now. Most of these players had similar in the UCL final and didn't necessarily recover. We have character and grit, as well as quality. There's now a hunger and what seems to be a seige, us against the world type mentality.

Absolutely. I barely recognise the Tottenham I've watched this past week. There's steel in there. Who here, hand-on-heart, would have believed that we would get four wins including against Man U at OT and against Chelsea over the course of eight days (I'm counting the Newcastle game as a win, because the new handball rule can go fornicate a horse as far as I'm concerned)?

I will admit, I didn't think we'd do it in a million years. I can't help feeling that something fundamental has changed. Call it winning mentality, call it steel, call it whatever, but the Tottenham of old would never have recovered from that penalty. Not at OT, and certainly not to then go on and score six.

 

[easley91]

Absolutely. I barely recognise the Tottenham I've watched this past week. There's steel in there. Who here, hand-on-heart, would have believed that we would get four wins including against Man U at OT and against Chelsea over the course of eight days (I'm counting the Newcastle game as a win, because the new handball rule can go fornicate a horse as far as I'm concerned)?

I will admit, I didn't think we'd do it in a million years. I can't help feeling that something fundamental has changed. Call it winning mentality, call it steel, call it whatever, but the Tottenham of old would never have recovered from that penalty. Not at OT, and certainly not to then go on and score six.

I legit would have been happy to still be in both cups and get a point today, because for the life of me I didn't know how we'd go about the 4 games to stay as fresh and as sharp as we ended up being. Genuinely thought we'd bin off Carabao due to the scheduling, and even thought Chelsea would run away with it when Werner did score. But there's a grit and determination about this squad now. I love it.

 

[spurs]

It feels like for the last decade (or more), we always had incredibly disjointed performances when we had to make a load of changes for Europe or the players were knackered after Europe. It’s very impressive that he could rotate and we put in 4 good / very good performances in 8 days. Presumably there was almost zero time to train for the next game.

Was gutted after Newcastle. At HT vs Chelsea, it felt like it would be a long season. That bit of luck / character in the penalty in the shoot out feels like it has turned the whole club around.

 

[SandroRedknapp]

This feels like one of those weeks where if there were some players not 100% invested in Jose yet, there won't be any now.
A bit like the effect of the Kane free kick against Villa in 2014, the narrative of the project is forming.

 

[Nerine]

I was excited when Jose was announced. It felt like a huge coup for us.

I think he commands respect and I believe that everyone at the club is (rightly) giving him it.

We already had some good players. I don’t think that was really in any doubt. But, whilst we had the ingredients, we seemed a little unsure of what to do with them. Jose and his experience make all the component parts click. It’s like the players and the club are receiving a huge dose of knowledge and I think there are possibly quite a few “Eureka!” moments happening.

The players ran through walls for Poch, but that could only last for so long before the inevitable burnout, staleness and capitulation set in.

I get the impression that Jose’s style is perhaps simpler for the players to understand because he knows exactly what he needs from each player on the pitch and he can task them accordingly. The system as a whole may be more complex and tactical than we have seen before, but due to the very clever way the players are given clear instructions, I think we are seeing the fruition of a very well-oiled machine.

I think he has somehow unraveled and simplified the game for some of our players. It helps that he knows exactly what is needed but that only can come with experience.
He’ll know exactly which players are playing in which positions against which opponents.

By simplifying the players roles, which I believe he has done, he’ll effectively have a team of chess pieces that he’ll know how to coordinate because the results of his actions will be more predictable.

This actually makes things much more adaptable.

The only analogy I can think of is a car.
Crucially a car is a car, but depending on what modifications you make to that car by which parts you decide to change, you will make it better or worse at tackling different terrains or environments.
Crucially, you’ll know exactly what each of the components does, but if you know you’re going off road you’ll raise the ride height and soften the dampers and springs slightly. If you’re going on a track, you’ll fit stiffer springs and dampers, and lower it.
It’s a predictable outcome in other words.

I think Jose sees his players as components or tools that have a set way of working. I.e. he knows what will happen if he swaps one player for another and there won’t be any deviation from that because he will have coached them to perform in a very specific way.

I’m sure he has a preferred setup, and a “track type” that he likes the running on, so he will attempt to always use that route if possible, but I think he is adaptable in that he knows exactly when to take off the slicks and put the knobblies on.

So against one opposition he’ll know he needs this, this and this component to best tackle the obstacle ahead.

I think every player in our team has a very concrete purpose and a defined operating range. So there’s no surprises.

I’m sure the players are also given secondary roles and objectives as well, so he can run a tweaked version of his preferred setup as well if we need to defend higher or absorb pressure etc, and this will negate the need for him to ever set up the team in an unstable manner. All of the parts will still be working harmoniously.

Either way, I think he is an absolute genius. Whatever his method, his influence is undeniable. His record is undeniable. And the growing shoots of an improved Tottenham are undeniable.

The excitement continues to grow.

Long may it continue.

 

[Marauder]

Think this guy summed it up best!

 

[rossdapep]

Fuck it, I’m in.

You dont know how much this made me smile, mate.

Feel like it was the seal of approval

 

[Clark28]

Savage

 

[jay2040]

I was excited when Jose was announced. It felt like a huge coup for us.

I think he commands respect and I believe that everyone at the club is (rightly) giving him it.

We already had some good players. I don’t think that was really in any doubt. But, whilst we had the ingredients, we seemed a little unsure of what to do with them. Jose and his experience make all the component parts click. It’s like the players and the club are receiving a huge dose of knowledge and I think there are possibly quite a few “Eureka!” moments happening.

The players ran through walls for Poch, but that could only last for so long before the inevitable burnout, staleness and capitulation set in.

I get the impression that Jose’s style is perhaps simpler for the players to understand because he knows exactly what he needs from each player on the pitch and he can task them accordingly. The system as a whole may be more complex and tactical than we have seen before, but due to the very clever way the players are given clear instructions, I think we are seeing the fruition of a very well-oiled machine.

I think he has somehow unraveled and simplified the game for some of our players. It helps that he knows exactly what is needed but that only can come with experience.
He’ll know exactly which players are playing in which positions against which opponents.

By simplifying the players roles, which I believe he has done, he’ll effectively have a team of chess pieces that he’ll know how to coordinate because the results of his actions will be more predictable.

This actually makes things much more adaptable.

The only analogy I can think of is a car.
Crucially a car is a car, but depending on what modifications you make to that car by which parts you decide to change, you will make it better or worse at tackling different terrains or environments.
Crucially, you’ll know exactly what each of the components does, but if you know you’re going off road you’ll raise the ride height and soften the dampers and springs slightly. If you’re going on a track, you’ll fit stiffer springs and dampers, and lower it.
It’s a predictable outcome in other words.

I think Jose sees his players as components or tools that have a set way of working. I.e. he knows what will happen if he swaps one player for another and there won’t be any deviation from that because he will have coached them to perform in a very specific way.

I’m sure he has a preferred setup, and a “track type” that he likes the running on, so he will attempt to always use that route if possible, but I think he is adaptable in that he knows exactly when to take off the slicks and put the knobblies on.

So against one opposition he’ll know he needs this, this and this component to best tackle the obstacle ahead.

I think every player in our team has a very concrete purpose and a defined operating range. So there’s no surprises.

I’m sure the players are also given secondary roles and objectives as well, so he can run a tweaked version of his preferred setup as well if we need to defend higher or absorb pressure etc, and this will negate the need for him to ever set up the team in an unstable manner. All of the parts will still be working harmoniously.

Either way, I think he is an absolute genius. Whatever his method, his influence is undeniable. His record is undeniable. And the growing shoots of an improved Tottenham are undeniable.

The excitement continues to grow.

Long may it continue.

Great Post.

I think he is also able to get more out of the players and make them better as well in the process.
Even though Kane may not be the one knocking them in his is still integral,involved and has a new dimension.

 

[rez9000]

I was excited when Jose was announced. It felt like a huge coup for us.

I think he commands respect and I believe that everyone at the club is (rightly) giving him it.

We already had some good players. I don’t think that was really in any doubt. But, whilst we had the ingredients, we seemed a little unsure of what to do with them. Jose and his experience make all the component parts click. It’s like the players and the club are receiving a huge dose of knowledge and I think there are possibly quite a few “Eureka!” moments happening.

The players ran through walls for Poch, but that could only last for so long before the inevitable burnout, staleness and capitulation set in.

I get the impression that Jose’s style is perhaps simpler for the players to understand because he knows exactly what he needs from each player on the pitch and he can task them accordingly. The system as a whole may be more complex and tactical than we have seen before, but due to the very clever way the players are given clear instructions, I think we are seeing the fruition of a very well-oiled machine.

I think he has somehow unraveled and simplified the game for some of our players. It helps that he knows exactly what is needed but that only can come with experience.
He’ll know exactly which players are playing in which positions against which opponents.

By simplifying the players roles, which I believe he has done, he’ll effectively have a team of chess pieces that he’ll know how to coordinate because the results of his actions will be more predictable.

This actually makes things much more adaptable.

The only analogy I can think of is a car.
Crucially a car is a car, but depending on what modifications you make to that car by which parts you decide to change, you will make it better or worse at tackling different terrains or environments.
Crucially, you’ll know exactly what each of the components does, but if you know you’re going off road you’ll raise the ride height and soften the dampers and springs slightly. If you’re going on a track, you’ll fit stiffer springs and dampers, and lower it.
It’s a predictable outcome in other words.

I think Jose sees his players as components or tools that have a set way of working. I.e. he knows what will happen if he swaps one player for another and there won’t be any deviation from that because he will have coached them to perform in a very specific way.

I’m sure he has a preferred setup, and a “track type” that he likes the running on, so he will attempt to always use that route if possible, but I think he is adaptable in that he knows exactly when to take off the slicks and put the knobblies on.

So against one opposition he’ll know he needs this, this and this component to best tackle the obstacle ahead.

I think every player in our team has a very concrete purpose and a defined operating range. So there’s no surprises.

I’m sure the players are also given secondary roles and objectives as well, so he can run a tweaked version of his preferred setup as well if we need to defend higher or absorb pressure etc, and this will negate the need for him to ever set up the team in an unstable manner. All of the parts will still be working harmoniously.

Either way, I think he is an absolute genius. Whatever his method, his influence is undeniable. His record is undeniable. And the growing shoots of an improved Tottenham are undeniable.

The excitement continues to grow.

Long may it continue.

This I like very much: a) because it makes sense; and b) because now I know who to contact when I want to tinker with my (new) old car.

 

[rez9000]

Great Post.

I think he is also able to get more out of the players and make them better as well in the process.
Even though Kane may not be the one knocking them in his is still integral,involved and has a new dimension.

There was no doubt that Kane was already a world-class player, but under Jose he's got even better. I didn't even think that would be possible!

 

[midge]

One thing about Jose versus Poch and Harry is that we most likely would not have to worry about Jose jumping ship once the team plays well. Under Poch and Harry we played well, got accolades but before we won anything both of them had their heads turn hoping to jump to the next bigger job. Once that happen the team performance dropped .

Jose wants trophy thats how marks his achievement. Jose, he is judge on trophies. If he wins nothing he is considered a failure by his standards and job not done.

The 4 games in a week might have help Jose bond the team. Jose likes siege mentality in his team, the world against us. The feeling of injustice having to play so many games and no favours from any of the ruling body might have help him build one

 

[popstar7]

Can't not feel great after a result like that. By rights we should be on 9 points and right up with the leaders.

BUT United were atrocious against Palace and even worse against Brighton. I think we'd have won the game even without the red card but I think plenty of other PL teams would have too, Their defence is a shambles and Pogba is an absolute disgrace in front of them. We'll face much tougher games from supposedly weaker teams than we did today.

That said, there is so much to be optimistic about. Rather than have everything played through Eriksen, Jose seems to have found a way for Son and Harry to play off each other with Harry turning into an assist machine. Son and Reguilon could be something really special on the left once they get an understanding going. I can see a midfield three of Hojbjerg, Lo Celso and Ndombele maybe working now where I thought Ndombele would be too lightweight defensively for that to work up to now. Players who might easily not have played today like Lamela and Serge were outstanding, performances demanding that they start against West Ham.

The two best teams in the league over the last couple of years have had two different approaches. Klopp's first choice XI has been a given. When they're fit, as they usually are, you know who's going to play. That has huge benefits - everything becomes instinctive. It was the same for us in Poch's best seasons. City have a lot of rotation even without injuries. Every player has a replacement and every player understands the system. Both teams have been getting near 100 points for two of the last three seasons. Both approaches can work.

Surprisingly, for Mourinho, we seem to be moving towards the City model with maybe 6 or 7 regular starters but a revolving group of players around them who know they'll get to start games throughout the season and being on the bench doesn't mean they're not key players. He went out of his way to praise the squad after the game for getting us through the last two weeks, rather than the ones who played today.

So I'm pretty happy with what he's doing. Last season felt like constant crisis management. This one is starting to feel like it has real possibilities for top four and some cup success.

 

[piedpiper]

I have not liked Mourinho, never did, always saw him as a person who made it all about him, wanted to be the centre of attention, probably got convinced from the 2nd spell at Chelsea and especially at Manchester United, when I heard he had been appointed as our manager I was gutted, boring, defensive minded football, but this week has changed my view, high pressing, counter attacking and probably the best player management I have seen.

The players look hungry and up for the fight, so yeah don't like him but damn the impact he is having is definitely showing through, he can be the game changer if this continues.

Yes felt exactly the same from when we appointed him. However since watching the 2nd half against Chelsea and some post lock down games I saw some light at the end of the tunnel. That come back against Chelsea changed things in my view of him and the style of play.

His management of the squad and continuous tweaking of playing personal this last week has been the difference. The team are playing with such confidence.

 

[mattdefoe]

Hard not to like or even love this guy. The work ethic as a coach and the standards he sets are above and beyond .

Jose mourinho is back

 

[Gb160]

Looking forward to read what Oliver 'turd-boy' Holt has to say about that performance.

 

[ohtottenham!]

Love what I’m seeing with our game. Loved it last week against Newcastle despite the result, and through this week…a fuck of a lot of games, and we’ve been/looked great!

I was never a fan of Jose’s appointment with plenty of good reasons, and not just to do with him and his history. It was to do with all of that, but also related to the state of our own squad and the financial backing he would get from Levy et al. There were so many unknowns and still are actually.

I wish folks would stop talking about our own fans having “agendas” against Mourinho to make their own point. We’re Spurs fans first. If shit’s working for Spurs, and it is; then it’s all good…or 1 fucking six!

 

[allatsea]

Brilliant team selection particularly for the first half when the match was won. I am gobsmacked we performed so well even without Bale and Lo Celso. I am struggling to remember when we had such a good squad. With Mourinho’s match planning and clever team selections we can now give anyone a game.