Jose's tactics at United | Acrophobia discussion

[prtk0811]

This is the one thing I just don't like of mourinho.

He can adapt and change but why does he not change the ball circulation and line up strategy against games like these.

I'll give his tactics a C- today. We have enough quality to go an win there but Jose always want to punt the ball to lukaku and the winners don't follow up with winning the second balls and create something under high pressure because we keep selecting players without creativity in attack to link up and provide more service to the striker who auto matically won't get many chances against a possession based team.

 

[redNATION]

I'm still at a loss as to how we can spend £500m+ and still need to play Young at right wing, and not have a proper left back in the team.

 

[AshRK]

Is Jose mourinho going to bench Mata in every big game where we need to control the ball and circulate it better.?

And keep trusting mkh who's absolutely dross ?

He will eventually realise this. He has to start Mata from now on in big games.

 

[Son Of Sam]

It was absolutely pathetic.

At least we now know how he’ll set up against City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs away.

Today would have been the perfect opportunity to really have a go at Liverpool. They were missing a key player and they’ve looked as fragile as feck at the back in every game leading up to this.

Today wasn’t any perfect opportunity.
We were missing 4-6 first team players ourselves which doesn’t really make Mané’s absence any advantage to us.

Missing Fellaini & Pogba weakened our midfield. There’s no Bailly as well. All these guys would have played if fit. We have not been fluid since Pogba’s injury. I can assure the reverse fixture will be different.

Jose won’t set up like this at Old Trafford.

 

[Treble]

Why have people bumped this thread? We had a significantly shorter side today thanks to Pogba and Fellaini being injured so if anything our performance makes the OPs argument look even stranger.

Liverpool had several absentees as well in Mane (arguably their most dangerous attacker), Lallana, Clyne. Their squad is supposed to be much inferior to United's anyway.

 

[parkthebuslads]

Everyone's forgotten what we were like at Anfield under SAF.

Will there ever come a day when we are able to judge where we are at without making a direct comparison to SAF?

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

Liverpool had several absentees as well in Mane (arguably their most dangerous attacker), Lallana, Clyne. Their squad is supposed to be much inferior to United's anyway.

do you think it's relevant to bump this thread today? (I know it wasn't you that bumped it...)

 

[Dobbs]

Today wasn’t any perfect opportunity.
We were missing 4-6 first team players ourselves which doesn’t really make Mané’s absence any advantage to us.

Missing Fellaini & Pogba weakened our midfield. There’s no Bailly as well. All these guys would have played if fit. We have not been fluid since Pogba’s injury. I can assure the reverse fixture will be different.

Jose won’t set up like this at Old Trafford.

Who? We were missing two, Pogba and Bailly. We've got a massive squad full of talent. It's no excuse.

 

[pseudo_canadian]

Liverpool had several absentees as well in Mane (arguably their most dangerous attacker), Lallana, Clyne. Their squad is supposed to be much inferior to United's anyway.

We were missing our best outfield player and the midfield suffered and looked disjointed because of it.

If Pogba had played it would have been a completely different game, he's that important to our cohesion in the middle and circulating the ball. Matic and Herrera aren't capable of that.

 

[Randall Flagg]

Everyone's forgotten what we were like at Anfield under SAF.

Yeah over his 25 or so years we did have a couple similar to that. But more often than not we were never that defensive at anfield. I’d also say this Liverpool side is significantly worse than most we played under Ferguson too

 

[Treble]

do you think it's relevant to bump this thread today? (I know it wasn't you that bumped it...)

I don't care, it wasn't me who bumped it.

Jose's tactics was coward though and didn't suit a big club at all.

 

[kps88]

Will there ever come a day when we are able to judge where we are at without making a direct comparison to SAF?

That is the golden standard, so it's an apt comparison for some perspective. The most successful United teams in my lifetime have put in some spineless performances at Anfield.

 

[Stacks]

Yeah over his 25 or so years we did have a couple similar to that. But more often than not we were never that defensive at anfield. I’d also say this Liverpool side is significantly worse than most we played under Ferguson too

In the Fergie games we felt that maybe we could at least score but there was no desire to even try and do something today

 

[Treble]

We were missing our best outfield player and the midfield suffered and looked disjointed because of it.

If Pogba had played it would have been a completely different game, he's that important to our cohesion in the middle and circulating the ball. Matic and Herrera aren't capable of that.

Hoepfully Pogba will be available against Spurs and Chelsea, especialy City.

Can't remember Pogba's performance at Anfield last season, thought he was anonymous.

 

[Randall Flagg]

Hoepfully Pogba will be available against Spurs and Chelsea, especialy City.

Can't remember Pogba's performance at Anfield last season, thought he was anonymous.

He was pretty awful at anfield last season

 

[pocco]

If we say Liverpool, Chelsea, City, Spurs and Arsenal are the "big teams" we have to face this season, that's 10 fixtures. Or over quarter of our games.

If we intend to play like this in thoae fixtures then i think we'll struggle and will drop far too many points. Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs are teams we should be going toe to toe with. One win and one loss against any of them is better than 2 draws...which is the most we will get playing like this. I've seen shit teams give these a game this season and yet for some reason we can't risk it.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

I don't care, it wasn't me who bumped it.

Jose's tactics was coward though and didn't suit a big club at all.

But you replied to my point that our side was significantly shorter than normal today, by pointing out that Liverpool were missing players too. They are two different issues. This whole thread is based on the notion that our tall players are going to cost us because of their lack of mobility and speed...

 

[kps88]

Yeah over his 25 or so years we did have a couple similar to that. But more often than not we were never that defensive at anfield. I’d also say this Liverpool side is significantly worse than most we played under Ferguson too

Can't speak for 25 years, but the last 10 or so were usually terrible games to watch. Even if we set up with attacking intent, they would pin us back. The pattern was us sitting back and trying to knick a goal. The gap between both teams was more in our favour back then as well.

 

[Treble]

But you replied to my point that our side was significantly shorter than normal today, by pointing out that Liverpool were missing players too. They are two different issues. This whole thread is based on the notion that our tall players are going to cost us because of their lack of mobility and speed...

Well, we didn't look mobile and quick today, did we?

The notion that we'd have been more mobile and quick with Fellaini doesn't make any sense. Let's hope that Pogba will be back for Spurs. We shall talk again.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

Well, we didn't look mobile and quick today, did we?

The notion that we'd have been more mobile and quick with Fellaini doesn't make any sense. Let's hope that Pogba will be back for Spurs. We shall talk again.

Aaargh, my point exactly! Maybe the height of our players makes feck all difference in that case and your point is moot?!

 

[Randall Flagg]

At the end of the day, wish people would stop comparing now to Ferguson years. Think fergie had two 0-0’s at anfield in his entire career. We have now had two in a row under Jose.

I’m disappointed as we had shown so much more positive play this season and was expecting a lot more than was given today

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

He had a mare today.

Martial was the only player technical and skillfull enough to keep the ball. I would have liked to see martial play closer to the centre at least for part of a half. He only shifted far left to far right.

Missed Fellaini big time though. He turns a low percentage out ball to beat the press into a higher one. Fellaini can also keep play moving by a one touch pass. He doesn't get enough credit for this.

 

[Son Of Sam]

Who? We were missing two, Pogba and Bailly. We've got a massive squad full of talent. It's no excuse.

Fellaini? Ibra? Rojo?

Listen to Jose in the post-match interview....We only had 2 CMs, he said he couldn’t change the dynamics of the game and there was no way our 2 CMs would have dominated their 3 CMS.

 

[Son Of Sam]

Hoepfully Pogba will be available against Spurs and Chelsea, especialy City.

Can't remember Pogba's performance at Anfield last season, thought he was anonymous.

He supplied a delightful lob to Ibra after destroying Henderson with quick foot-work. Ibra should have scored the header as it was the best chance in the game.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

He had a mare today.

Martial was the only player technical and skillfull enough to keep the ball. I would have liked to see martial play closer to the centre at least for part of a half. He only shifted far left to far right.

Missed Fellaini big time though. He turns a low percentage out ball to beat the press into a higher one. Fellaini can also keep play moving by a one touch pass. He doesn't get enough credit for this.

Despite Martial's talent, we had zero movement going forward, it was just too easy to defend against.

 

[gaucho_10]

Mourinho's tactics are the same since forever when it comes to playing teams that are on the same level to his team. Defend deep, wait for a counter to open after a mistake from opponents midfield or after a second ball and play long balls to the striker.

It's pragmatic and it can win you a title if everything else falls in place and the team keeps walking over minnows, but after a while you will all get sick of it.

 

[Infordin]

Mourinho will never change his small team mentality. He tried to do the same thing against Bayern in 2012 when Real was leading 2-0. His tactics ended up costing Real the champions league and it ultimately cost him his job. Real have won 3 out of 4 CLs since he left them, playing attacking football.

Right now United fans aren't used to much success post-Fergie so you're happy with Mou. But inevitably you'll want more than just defensive stability, you'll want your team to attack in big games. That's when you'll grow tired of Jose and want a more attacking coach.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

Mourinho will never change his small team mentality. He tried to do the same thing against Bayern in 2012 when Real was leading 2-0. His tactics ended up costing Real the champions league and it ultimately cost him his job. Real have won 3 out of 4 CLs since he left them, playing attacking football.

Right now United fans aren't used to much success post-Fergie so you're happy with Mou. But inevitably you'll want more than just defensive stability, you'll want your team to attack in big games. That's when you'll grow tired of Jose and want a more attacking coach.

Ah good, a completely neutral Barca fan's opinion. Thanks!

 

[Brophs]

You make a deal with this particular devil, there's no point complaining too much about the style of football he will inevitably play. Mourinho has never and, I suspect, will never change. Once things get tight, he always reverts to type. Once it's only in the big games I'd be willing to accept it, albeit it's not what I personally enjoy watching.

 

[El Zoido]

Attacking football only works in terms of trophies if you have world class players in every position. We’re a long way off that level. Otherwise you’ll end up like Liverpool, where you look like world beaters when you smash a mid table team, then end up getting spanked 5-0 by Man City. Guaranteed if we played “attacking” football today we would have lost.

 

[Skills]

The big games were his speciality at his best. His recent record is pretty poor in them.

Does he have a winning record against any of klopp, guardiola, poch or klopp?

 

[R'hllor]

Already said in post match thread. I dont have issue with parking bus, never had even when he wasnt manager of United, compared with people laughing and mocking him here because of it. I dont have issue with defensive setup either, problem for me is what happens after we win a ball and there lies coward set up part, our LB playing right wing and some other examples are just bonus on top of it.

 

[Infordin]

Ah good, a completely neutral Barca fan's opinion. Thanks!

We never park the bus, it's against the very DNA of our club. Thank god Pep got the job instead of Mou in 2008. Jose would have probably sold Xavi and Iniesta for not being tall enough.

 

[Emrethis]

I think Jose got his tactics spot on. The team set up to play conservatively because we cannot afford any more injuries to our key players. In a derby, injuries are more likely to happen. If we went all guns blazing and Matic, Jones or Lukaku got injured, our title challenge might be over. Considering that we already have Bailly, Pogba, Fellaini and Carrick out injured, well done by Jose getting out of that injury free.

 

[donkeyfish]

He was pretty awful at anfield last season

Yet created a huge chance (our only real one) almost by himself. Something none of our other midfielders can do.

 

[Witchking]

Ah good, a completely neutral Barca fan's opinion. Thanks!

So? Ridiculous to brush of an opposition fan's opinion. He hasn't said anything more than what a lot of United fans have said. Our standards have dropped. A point at Anfield is no laughing matter. But how we get it is important. End of the season, this performance can be called a decent one. Start of the season when we have been scoring goals while they have been struggling defensively, you do not play a more attacking game? Sucks.

 

[Rusholme Ruffian]

We never park the bus, it's against the very DNA of our club. Thank god Pep got the job instead of Mou in 2008. Jose would have probably sold Xavi and Iniesta for not being tall enough.

Aw, that's cos you're more than club - well done you guys!

So? Ridiculous to brush of an opposition fan's opinion. He hasn't said anything more than what a lot of United fans have said. Our standards have dropped. A point at Anfield is no laughing matter. But how we get it is important. End of the season, this performance can be called a decent one. Start of the season when we have been scoring goals while they have been struggling defensively, you do not play a more attacking game? Sucks.

Why does a Barca fan feel compelled to comment on our performance against Liverpool? Literally the only reason is because of their enmity towards Jose Mourinho...therefore, whether their opinion is correct or not it is being shared with us purely as means of having a dig. I can't get on board with that personally but you're free to.

 

[RORY65]

You make a deal with this particular devil, there's no point complaining too much about the style of football he will inevitably play. Mourinho has never and, I suspect, will never change. Once things get tight, he always reverts to type. Once it's only in the big games I'd be willing to accept it, albeit it's not what I personally enjoy watching.

Agreed, it's part of the reason that I didn't want him in the first place but I can't really criticise him too much for it because United appointed him knowing that he would be this reactive and negative against decent sides. The notion some on here had that the United job would change him were kidding themselves, he's a man in his mid-50s who has been hugely successful, he won't change his approach.

The club appointed him because they didn't mind his tactics and his conduct not because they thought he was some kind of project manager that could be moulded. As long as it's only in the big games then I guess I too can accept it, even if I don't like it, but it's frustrating when you see how City approach big games or even Liverpool, with a much smaller budget and significantly weaker squad, to know that we have a manager who will never have the confidence to really go for it against our rivals.

 

[Garethw]

Fellaini? Ibra? Rojo?

Listen to Jose in the post-match interview....We only had 2 CMs, he said he couldn’t change the dynamics of the game and there was no way our 2 CMs would have dominated their 3 CMS.

He could have played Blind with Herrera and Matic or even used Tuanzebe there. He’s just making excuses for a mare of a performance that was mostly his own doing.

 

[Bobski]

Mourinho's tactics are the same since forever when it comes to playing teams that are on the same level to his team. Defend deep, wait for a counter to open after a mistake from opponents midfield or after a second ball and play long balls to the striker.

It's pragmatic and it can win you a title if everything else falls in place and the team keeps walking over minnows, but after a while you will all get sick of it.

Yes, anyone surprised has really not been paying attention.

Mou is ultra pragmatic and ultra successful but his teams are never going to be particularly memorable or inspiring.