Don’t think you can do a Mourinho XI without Terry.
He even came back to Chelsea for his second spell and brought Terry out of the cold to play almost every minute of their league win in 14/15.
Managers Best XI
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
He even came back to Chelsea for his second spell and brought Terry out of the cold to play almost every minute of their league win in 14/15.
Yeah Terry's a shoe in. Only other potential debate is maybe Carvalho or Lucio. Both were huge for Mourinho.
OK changed now.
Ramos?
Marcelo Lippi's XI is a bit boring and Camoranesi is odd in an All-Time context, but a lot of these players reached their career peak under him...
Ferrara was his trusted lieutenant and on the ESM XI
Zambrotta on the World Cup XI as well as the UEFA XI
Davids was a force to be reckoned with Juventus
Del Piero on the ESM XI for 3 consecutive seasons
Trezeguet Serie A Footballer of the Year and Capocannoniere
And Pirlo showed his class in a flat midfield with Italy in 2006, though a bit underrated because of how good Cannavaro and Buffon were in that tournament...
Using Totti or Nesta would be a bit disingenuous, but you could make a case for the likes of Montero, Di Livio, Deschamps etc. Or even Zidane on the left with Nedvěd on the right considering how versatile the latter was, though I dunno if that will suit Pirlo, in which case maybe you could with this shoehorned setup...
Ferrara was his trusted lieutenant and on the ESM XI
Zambrotta on the World Cup XI as well as the UEFA XI
Davids was a force to be reckoned with Juventus
Del Piero on the ESM XI for 3 consecutive seasons
Trezeguet Serie A Footballer of the Year and Capocannoniere
And Pirlo showed his class in a flat midfield with Italy in 2006, though a bit underrated because of how good Cannavaro and Buffon were in that tournament...
Using Totti or Nesta would be a bit disingenuous, but you could make a case for the likes of Montero, Di Livio, Deschamps etc. Or even Zidane on the left with Nedvěd on the right considering how versatile the latter was, though I dunno if that will suit Pirlo, in which case maybe you could with this shoehorned setup...
Del Piero Trezeguet
Zidane---------------------Nedvěd
Davids---Deschamps
Zambrotta--Cannavaro--Ferrara--Thuram
Buffon
Zidane---------------------Nedvěd
Davids---Deschamps
Zambrotta--Cannavaro--Ferrara--Thuram
Buffon
yeah, could put him as well, didn't want to break the Cafu/Carlos pairing.
Fantastic team.Not all of these players peaked under him, but purely in terms of appearances (and name value), Udo Lattek's hypothetical XI is quite something (by virtue of him managing Bayern and Mönchengladbach and Barcelona and Dortmund)!
Boateng over puyol. Wow. Hes not even close to being as good as puyol was.
Does anyone else think that Drogba for Mourinho isn't the absolute best wrt. peak form? Definitely synonymous with the manager — no doubt about it, but Milito was incredibly decisive in 2010 — sealed the Serie A title on the last day, scored in the Coppa final, spectacular vs. Barcelona at San Siro, then scored 2 goals in the final vs. Bayern to deliver the first Treble for an Italian club.
Though you could definitely argue that Drogba would be a better fit with some of the other attackers given his remarkable ability to hold a high line and engage the centerbacks in individual duels. Dunno, sometimes his Porto and Inter squads don't get an appropriate amount of credit (especially wrt. players like Deco and Milito who were sumptuous under him), even though they were arguably the best teams wrt. function and organisation through his coaching.
Though you could definitely argue that Drogba would be a better fit with some of the other attackers given his remarkable ability to hold a high line and engage the centerbacks in individual duels. Dunno, sometimes his Porto and Inter squads don't get an appropriate amount of credit (especially wrt. players like Deco and Milito who were sumptuous under him), even though they were arguably the best teams wrt. function and organisation through his coaching.
Yeah. Even though it breaks up the partnership, I'd be tempted to go Lucio given how imperious he was for the treble-winning side.
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You could add Ronaldo or Seedorf if you want since he infiltraded Inter for a while.
I'd say:
-------Del Piero Ronaldo Baggio
--------Nedved Davids Zidane
Zambrotta Cannavaro Montero Thuram
---------------Buffon
Ps. I didn't consider the players he coached as Italy's Ct, otherwise a case could be made for Nesta, Pirlo and Totti.
Boateng should be above Pique though.
No he shouldn't. Pique was superb since he joined Barca and better than Boateng.
Agree with all these. For some reason people always say Sneijder should have won Balon d'or in 2010 but he wasn't even the best player at Inter. It was Milito show that year.
If we take 1 year at their best then Milito probably had the best season as a CF under Jose than Drogba ever had under Jose.
Difficult this - are we talkin best players that played under the manager or players who put in the performances under said manager?
For a Benitez side I’d go with:
Reina
Arbeloa-Ayala-Hyypia-Aurelio
Alonso-Mascherano
Gerrard-Aimar-Vicente
Torres
Defence doesn’t necessarily have huge names but it’s basically the late 2010s defence (a very solid unit) with Ayala who is a huge upgrade on Carragher.
For a brief time Aimar and Vicente were world class, and to slot Aimar in I have to move Gerrard out wide. Since there’s no one else who was that good out wide (Kuyt etc) will use Gerrard there instead.
Had a good few players at Chelsea but one to topple those performances, but also a short span. Inter and Real never really took off so can’t consider them. Had a good team at Napoli but it was a solid team, no one to overtake those guys there.
Iniesta played a grand total of 6 games under van Gaal, Alaba — 9. They hardly qualify.
If you go by performance then Mata should be there too, he was just superb under Benitez.
Agree with shifting the emphasis to those who shined the most under the manager. Would probably go heavier on that Valencia defence as, under Cuper and Benitez, it was pretty much the best in Europe.
Canizares
Angloma-Ayala-Hyypia-Carboni
Alonso-Mascherano
Gerrard-Aimar-Hamsik
Torres
Angloma-Ayala-Hyypia-Carboni
Alonso-Mascherano
Gerrard-Aimar-Hamsik
Torres
Albelda/Baraja could come in for Alonso/Mascherano with little performance difference, but you can't argue against the quality of that Alonso/Mascherano/Gerrard trio. Both Angloma and Carboni were getting on but were still shining against the best wingers in the game.
Ok. Fair point. I was basing it on played under him not the amount of games.
Edit: In that case swap Alaba for Sergi Barjuan and Iniesta for Schweinsteiger
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I think Jose would have Czech (pre injury)in instead of DDG.
Dalglish
Grobbelaar
Neal Lawrenson Hansen Nicol
Whelean Gerrard Alonso Barnes
Rush Shearer
Grobbelaar
Neal Lawrenson Hansen Nicol
Whelean Gerrard Alonso Barnes
Rush Shearer
Cech is more familiar with the center backs but De Gea of the last few years is better.
I’ve picked van der Sar over him for LVG but LVG needs a ball-playing keeper, Jose just needs a great one.
Alfio Basile
------------Goycochea-----------
J. Zanetti--Ayala--Ruggieri--Heinze
------Simeone---Riquelme-------
---Messi--------------Maradona----
---------Crespo--Batistuta----------
------------Goycochea-----------
J. Zanetti--Ayala--Ruggieri--Heinze
------Simeone---Riquelme-------
---Messi--------------Maradona----
---------Crespo--Batistuta----------
Big Sam
Mancini also managed many great players. Not everyone at their best though.
Lazio:
Stam
Simeone
Stankovic
Sorin
Albertini
Adriano
Inter:
Toldo
Zanetti
Edgar Davids
Cambiasso
Vieri
Julio Cesar
Samuel
Bonucci
Figo
Veron
Maicon
Vieira
Ibrahimovic
Crespo
City:
Tevez
Kompany
Yaya Toure
David Silva
Aguero
Galatasaray:
Drogba
Sneijder
Italy:
Chiellini
Lazio:
Stam
Simeone
Stankovic
Sorin
Albertini
Adriano
Inter:
Toldo
Zanetti
Edgar Davids
Cambiasso
Vieri
Julio Cesar
Samuel
Bonucci
Figo
Veron
Maicon
Vieira
Ibrahimovic
Crespo
City:
Tevez
Kompany
Yaya Toure
David Silva
Aguero
Galatasaray:
Drogba
Sneijder
Italy:
Chiellini
You're missing Pires!
This is incredible, arguably the best front 5. Not sure about the balance but on paper it is arguably the best.
Wenger:
See if anyone can give Sven ago. Just looked at his record and he's managed some incredible teams and players
Hoddle over fabregas?Wenger:
Yeah, not a lot in it to be fair. But Hoddle was superb at Monaco. Five times in the PFA team of the year as well at Spurs.
Jean Luc Ettori said:
Have you seen Carvalho at Porto? They won back to back UEFA CUP and Champions League in 2003 and 2004. Not dismissing Lucio of course, but there is a reason the first player he signed from Porto to Chelsea was Carvalho. Anyway this are always freaking discussions to have when you are discussing players at this level. Lucio also was impressive.
Yeah, cracking centre-half and arguably a bit under-appreciated given how venerated Terry and others like Vidic and Kompany are in the popular choices of the Premier League's greatest defenders.
Clearly him and Deco were the 2 top players from Porto then players like Costinha, Maniche or Paulo Ferreira, even Nuno Valente or Derlei were his soldiers that at the time he had the ability to improve them as individual players. Yes it might be incredible for some here but before Chelsea Mourinho built a top level side in 2 and a half years on a relative low buget compared to the top leagues in Europe. Fair to say it was between 2002 and 2004. Things change.
Mourinho always used Alenichev very well in that Porto team too. With his lack of physicality and defensive strength he wasn't at all the kind of player Mourinho has made his name favouring much, but he always seemed to use him as a 12th man at exactly the right time in the European games i saw, bringing him on whenever the team needed more possession and an extra playmaker to link up with Deco, or starting him in the games where more attacking was suitable.
Mourinho:
………………………..…………………………………. Julio Cesar………………………………
Maicon…………..............Lucio...................................Samuel..........Zanetti
...............................Lampard...........................Cambiasso....................
......Cristiano Ronaldo...................Sneijder.......................Eto'o............
................................................Milito..........................................
Bench: Cech,Ramos,Terry,Carvalho,Marcelo,Xabi Alonso,Makelele,Hazard,Deco,Di Maria,Drogba
………………………..…………………………………. Julio Cesar………………………………
Maicon…………..............Lucio...................................Samuel..........Zanetti
...............................Lampard...........................Cambiasso....................
......Cristiano Ronaldo...................Sneijder.......................Eto'o............
................................................Milito..........................................
Bench: Cech,Ramos,Terry,Carvalho,Marcelo,Xabi Alonso,Makelele,Hazard,Deco,Di Maria,Drogba
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Mou is interesting
Cech, Maicon, Milito and Cristiano make the team for sure. Then you've got the choice of CBs between Terry, Carvalho, Lucio and Samuel. LB between Cole, Zanetti and Marcelo. CM, Makelele, Maniche, Cambiasso, Essien, Xabi Alonso, Lampard. AM, Deco, Sneijder, Ozil, Lampard again. Then you got Hazard. Plus Drogba, who was never as good for him as Milito, but still good enough that you'd have to consider including him anyways...
I'd probably go Cech, Maicon, Terry, Carvalho, Zanetti, Essien, Lampard, Deco, Cristiano, Milito, Hazard
Uhm. Not sure honestly. I mean, the best he ever managed was 11/12 real madrid, by far. Maybe should include more players from that team..but he won the treble at Porto and Inter, and Chelsea had 1 more great season over the others...
Cech, Maicon, Milito and Cristiano make the team for sure. Then you've got the choice of CBs between Terry, Carvalho, Lucio and Samuel. LB between Cole, Zanetti and Marcelo. CM, Makelele, Maniche, Cambiasso, Essien, Xabi Alonso, Lampard. AM, Deco, Sneijder, Ozil, Lampard again. Then you got Hazard. Plus Drogba, who was never as good for him as Milito, but still good enough that you'd have to consider including him anyways...
I'd probably go Cech, Maicon, Terry, Carvalho, Zanetti, Essien, Lampard, Deco, Cristiano, Milito, Hazard
Uhm. Not sure honestly. I mean, the best he ever managed was 11/12 real madrid, by far. Maybe should include more players from that team..but he won the treble at Porto and Inter, and Chelsea had 1 more great season over the others...
You're right about Drogba. I think it's often forgotten that he was viewed as the weak link in that Chelsea side. This is why when they bought Shevchenko, the narrative was that he was the final piece of the jigsaw as that was the one position where they did not have an absolute top player. Of course that all changed and Drogba went on to produce his best football mostly under Hiddink, Ancelotti and of course their CL winning campaign.
Glad you mentioned him because its unfair. Mourinho always mentioned him with respect when he left Porto saying if there was no Deco in the team it would be Alenichev + 10. The other day watched a Maniche interview saying Alenichev was one of the most inteligent players in the squad and would always score decisive goals in important games. Another disciple from Romantsev and Spartak if I can say this.
Rafa Benitez
-------------------Canizares-------------------
-----Arbeloa----Ayala----Ramos----Marcelo----
------------------Alonso----Modric---------------
-------------------------Aimar--------------------
------------Ronaldo----Torres----Gonzalez-------
-------------------Canizares-------------------
-----Arbeloa----Ayala----Ramos----Marcelo----
------------------Alonso----Modric---------------
-------------------------Aimar--------------------
------------Ronaldo----Torres----Gonzalez-------
Gary Neville
Domenech
Barragan Jesus Santos Garay Orban
Santos Parejo Andre Gomes
Cancelo Alcacer de Paul
Domenech
Barragan Jesus Santos Garay Orban
Santos Parejo Andre Gomes
Cancelo Alcacer de Paul