Jose Mourinho

[Gb160]

Big test for José coming up - he needs to rest Kane, but Kane won’t like it. Who wins that one?

Rested him in the CL against Bayern away...didn't cause any friction.

 

[Gb160]

Will be interested to see if someone comes in during the transfer window to play the Llorente role from last season.

We have many more positions that require attention before that one, we have Parrott, and Sonny isn't bad up top on his own.

 

[Gb160]

Do you get a prize for being 5th half way through the season?
Are you going to be happy playing long ball football and finishing 5th at the end of the season?

If we finish 5th it'll be because of our pathetic start to the season.

 

[rossdapep]

How did Klopp do when he first went in at Liverpool?

He joined midseason so it's a fair comparison with Jose, I feel. A squad that had simply stopped responding to their previous manager's methods.

Klopp got Liverpool pressing pretty quickly and some players adapted quicker than others. However, they had massive weaknesses mentally and defensively which had been instilled from the previous failings. They were capitulating and losing 2 or 3 nil leads, they were getting sucker punched by the likes of Burnley, all traits of Rodgers' previous reign. But Klopp gave them more energy at least, he worked on one aspect at a time.

Mourinho can only do the same. He knows that under Poch we had just descended into this team who aimlessly pass the ball around, with no verve or urgency to get it into the front line. Then, because we put the opposition under no intense pressure and because our midfield has regressed to non-progressive players, we are susceptible to a sucker punch or a loss of concentration.

He's rightly focused on the strengths of Kane, Son, Alli and Lucas. These players have delivered in the past and with good early service can work something. It was pivotal he did this.

Now, imagine if he'd have decided to focus on the midfield primarily and make us use the ball better. Ndombele would have been in, then out again. Lo Celso would likely have struggled with his demands and settling into the team, this could have had very negative returns. You have to focus on the ever presents and your main players first.

No intelligent coach comes in half way through a season and throws in the new signings and ditches the 'familiarity' approach. No, you build confidence and get the established players on side.

Once you do this, you start to see who can and can't do it. Then you start to understand where you need to change and improve, you also start to think about how you will implement your ideas and prepare for this once you get a break/moment to work with the squad.

It took Klopp a good 18 months plus plenty or persistence and transfers to really get his name imprinted on the team. This had them back in the top 4 again and in the last two years he's been able to go even further.

The positive here is that I believe this squad is better than the one Klopp inherited. Therefore, I believe that once Mourinho sorts the midfield out, brings in some full backs and implements his system, we'll at the very least be able to start making in roads towards challenging Liverpool. I think next season we'll be able to assess things and understand what he's doing much more.

I still remember in 2017 Sky had a debate surrounded on the topic of whether Klopp should be fired or not as his record was no better than Rodgers. Seems like a long time ago now.

 

[VancouverSpur]

We have many more positions that require attention before that one, we have Parrott, and Sonny isn't bad up top on his own.

I agree...just not sure based on Jose's track record that Parrott would play. Proper DCM for me is the most pressing issue closely followed by defence in general.

 

[Montalbano]

Can't believe people are hammering Mourinho after we came away with 3 points today. He's been here for a month and he's turned us into top 4 contenders. Give him a chance. Don't forget we lost 3-0 to Brighton earlier this season.

 

[adamsky]

Is insanity to keep trying the same thing over and over again and expect different results. How many times does he need to see that a Dier/Winks/Sissoko CM does not work, not when you have players like Dele, Aurier, Moura around them. None of these are what you would call particularly technical players. I know everyone says he hasn’t got many options but if he is prepared to keep turning to Eriksen to change game from bench then he may as well start him. Let him rot in reserves if that is your stance, otherwise play him as we need his creativity, especially whilst Lo Celso & Ndombele are not up to speed.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Thats all because we had 2 midfielders who create on the pitch who weren't afraid of the ball..

Completely agree. But people are acting like Mourinho is telling the players not to play any football at all.

Lo Celso was right not to start, until yesterday he’s done nothing to suggest he’s a viable option, and Eriksen? Well with him the manager is rammed either way as starting him will get ‘why are you wasting minutes on the coward who wants to leave’ and not starting him gets your play anti football you hoofing ****’.

All I really care about right now is that over the past 7 matches we’ve gone from 14th to 3 points off 4th, we’ve won 5/7 league matches and we’ve scored 16 goals, some of which have been of the highest quality. We had scored 18 goals in the previous 12 matches... that’s what I call boring.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Rested him in the CL against Bayern away...didn't cause any friction.

How do you know it didn't cause friction?

That was a dead rubber. And against a strong team, so not a great chance for extending his scoring record.

Norwich, though? That's hat trick territory for Harry.

 

[knowlespurs]

Starting glc and eriksen in our cm we would have been massively over ran
They made a massive impact from the bench as we were chasing the game and the game was a lot more open
Don't like our cm options at all but to say we should have started glc and eriksen just because they did well when they came on doesn't make sense, it's a totally different game and eriksen when starting has been shit

 

[Gb160]

How do you know it didn't cause friction?

That was a dead rubber. And against a strong team, so not a great chance for extending his scoring record.

Norwich, though? That's hat trick territory for Harry.

Why do u think it did?
And there's a chance he'll play every PL game and have the FA Cup weekend off.

 

[riggi]

I’ll judge him after a couple of transfer windows under his belt.

70% of this team are past their sell-by date.

 

[jolsnogross]

The line about being 14th and now we're 5th isn't saying much. The initial wins against west ham and bournemouth got us that far. Had Poch's side won instead of drawing his last two vs everton and Sheffield utd he'd probably still be here.

But Mourinho is off to a decent start by picking up wins against the bottom half. Quite some time ago, when he was at chelsea, they identified those as must win games for 60 points a season. We'll be doing alright if we can keep that up. If he can achieve what Poch was achieving with us, most fans will be satisfied. But that isn't easy.

 

[tiger666]

How do you know it didn't cause friction?

That was a dead rubber. And against a strong team, so not a great chance for extending his scoring record.

Norwich, though? That's hat trick territory for Harry.

I doubt he'll even be rested. If he is, i'm sure he'll understand. Seems an odd thing to try and make some drama from.

 

[Gassin's finest]

Fixing Spurs' midfield becoming one of Mourinho's biggest tests - Football365

Football365 - Jose Mourinho will need all the patience he can find if he must mend and make do with his current midfield...

www.football365.com

 

[jay2040]

The line about being 14th and now we're 5th isn't saying much. The initial wins against west ham and bournemouth got us that far. Had Poch's side won instead of drawing his last two vs everton and Sheffield utd he'd probably still be here.

But Mourinho is off to a decent start by picking up wins against the bottom half. Quite some time ago, when he was at chelsea, they identified those as must win games for 60 points a season. We'll be doing alright if we can keep that up. If he can achieve what Poch was achieving with us, most fans will be satisfied. But that isn't easy.

Poch was not really achieving much, that's why he is gone!

Bit shit saying had Poch got wins against Bournemouth and WestHam - as that's not a given especially i dont believe he had got Dele back to his best.

 

[jay2040]

Starting glc and eriksen in our cm we would have been massively over ran
They made a massive impact from the bench as we were chasing the game and the game was a lot more open
Don't like our cm options at all but to say we should have started glc and eriksen just because they did well when they came on doesn't make sense, it's a totally different game and eriksen when starting has been shit

Agree. Jose also said that there is trust between him and eriksen and he can trust him to come on and help when needed. Clever use of words .
He has to be phased out and appears Jose has got more out of him than Poch has all season!

 

[muppetman]

That first half was as bad a half as anything Poch turned out - really lackluster, disappointing stuff. We are currently winning not due to tactics or well thought out phases of play but by the fact that we have better forward players than the teams we are playing - hence our struggles with the better teams. Kane's a fabulous finisher and Dele took his goal really well - the likes of Palace, Everton, Brighton don't have that quality.

I know it's really early days but not playing Lo Celso, Ndombele, Eriksen or Lamela needs to stop - I want to see us string a few passes together and dominate the likes of Brighton.

 

[Mark_147]

That first half was as bad a half as anything Poch turned out - really lackluster, disappointing stuff. We are currently winning not due to tactics or well thought out phases of play but by the fact that we have better forward players than the teams we are playing - hence our struggles with the better teams. Kane's a fabulous finisher and Dele took his goal really well - the likes of Palace, Everton, Brighton don't have that quality.

I know it's really early days but not playing Lo Celso, Ndombele, Eriksen or Lamela needs to stop - I want to see us string a few passes together and dominate the likes of Brighton.

Then why didn't we beat Brighton, Watford, Everton, Newcastle, Sheffield United under poch if it's just simply because we have better forward players.

 

[Seafordian Spurs]

How did Klopp do when he first went in at Liverpool?

He joined midseason so it's a fair comparison with Jose, I feel. A squad that had simply stopped responding to their previous manager's methods.

Klopp got Liverpool pressing pretty quickly and some players adapted quicker than others. However, they had massive weaknesses mentally and defensively which had been instilled from the previous failings. They were capitulating and losing 2 or 3 nil leads, they were getting sucker punched by the likes of Burnley, all traits of Rodgers' previous reign. But Klopp gave them more energy at least, he worked on one aspect at a time.

Mourinho can only do the same. He knows that under Poch we had just descended into this team who aimlessly pass the ball around, with no verve or urgency to get it into the front line. Then, because we put the opposition under no intense pressure and because our midfield has regressed to non-progressive players, we are susceptible to a sucker punch or a loss of concentration.

He's rightly focused on the strengths of Kane, Son, Alli and Lucas. These players have delivered in the past and with good early service can work something. It was pivotal he did this.

Now, imagine if he'd have decided to focus on the midfield primarily and make us use the ball better. Ndombele would have been in, then out again. Lo Celso would likely have struggled with his demands and settling into the team, this could have had very negative returns. You have to focus on the ever presents and your main players first.

No intelligent coach comes in half way through a season and throws in the new signings and ditches the 'familiarity' approach. No, you build confidence and get the established players on side.

Once you do this, you start to see who can and can't do it. Then you start to understand where you need to change and improve, you also start to think about how you will implement your ideas and prepare for this once you get a break/moment to work with the squad.

It took Klopp a good 18 months plus plenty or persistence and transfers to really get his name imprinted on the team. This had them back in the top 4 again and in the last two years he's been able to go even further.

The positive here is that I believe this squad is better than the one Klopp inherited. Therefore, I believe that once Mourinho sorts the midfield out, brings in some full backs and implements his system, we'll at the very least be able to start making in roads towards challenging Liverpool. I think next season we'll be able to assess things and understand what he's doing much more.

I still remember in 2017 Sky had a debate surrounded on the topic of whether Klopp should be fired or not as his record was no better than Rodgers. Seems like a long time ago now.

Good post. Klopp really has had a long time (in football time) to get Liverpool where they are.

We can hope Jose is as dedicated but we need to hope that our owner shares Jose's plans the way Fenway and Klopp's ambitions aligned.