Red Comet
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2011
- Messages
- 1,459
First of, I want to be clear that I'm one who was strongly against Mourinho's appointment. In fact, I had not been posting ever since he was made manager, not even when we won the "treble". To me, Mourinho is the
antithesis of what Man Utd is, and I'm relieved as anyone when he was finally sacked.
Our recent victories where we won with less possession and less shots has elicit a lot of comments on the irony of it, that Ole's team are more success at Mourinho's football than Mourinho is at Utd.
This struck me - how much of the current defensive organisation and solidity is down to Mourinho, which Ole inherited?
Case in point, when Roberto Martinez took over Everton from Moyes back in 2013, his first season was seen as a huge success. Everton while still being solid defensively, which is a hallmark of Moyes' reign, were now also good at moving the ball forward. Everton finished that season above us for the 1st time ever since EPL started. I remembered people also using this to deride Moyes for holding Everton back (given how shite Moyes were for us during that season).
However subsequently, Martinez's Everton began to fall apart in the following seasons. It soon became apparent that Martinez has inherited a team that was very well drilled in defensive play by Moyes. Once the Martinez has fully changed Everton to his style, it was very clear that his Everton were an exact mirror of Martinez's Wigan - exciting going forward but porous at the back.
So this comes back to my title - how much of our current defensive play is down to the remnants of Mourinho's training? Will Ole be truly tested (god damn I hate myself for typing this) once he has a full preseason with the team?
antithesis of what Man Utd is, and I'm relieved as anyone when he was finally sacked.
Our recent victories where we won with less possession and less shots has elicit a lot of comments on the irony of it, that Ole's team are more success at Mourinho's football than Mourinho is at Utd.
This struck me - how much of the current defensive organisation and solidity is down to Mourinho, which Ole inherited?
Case in point, when Roberto Martinez took over Everton from Moyes back in 2013, his first season was seen as a huge success. Everton while still being solid defensively, which is a hallmark of Moyes' reign, were now also good at moving the ball forward. Everton finished that season above us for the 1st time ever since EPL started. I remembered people also using this to deride Moyes for holding Everton back (given how shite Moyes were for us during that season).
However subsequently, Martinez's Everton began to fall apart in the following seasons. It soon became apparent that Martinez has inherited a team that was very well drilled in defensive play by Moyes. Once the Martinez has fully changed Everton to his style, it was very clear that his Everton were an exact mirror of Martinez's Wigan - exciting going forward but porous at the back.
So this comes back to my title - how much of our current defensive play is down to the remnants of Mourinho's training? Will Ole be truly tested (god damn I hate myself for typing this) once he has a full preseason with the team?