Damn right. 4 out of our remaining 6 games are away to top 8 sides. I know which competition I'd prioritise.
Mourinho: Europa League now the priority. 4th place is no trophy.
- Thread starter Adisa
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As weird as its sounds Ive enjoyed watching Utd on thursday nights.
Im also not sure if well be ready next season to be playing the big boys in the CL.
Meh, Leicesters first ever season and they got to the quarters. We would be more than ready.
Sorry man, but that's really not the spirit. If we're not ready now we'll never be. Also, think of all of the potential additions in the summer with CL football, last summer was amazing without.
Mind games and a not so subtle dig at Wenger. Classic Mourinho 
As long as we avoid Real, Barca, Juve and Bayern, I don't see us being clear underdogs against anyone else.
Chelsea, AM maybe slightly better at the moment, but not by that much.
Both targets (Top 4 and EL) are in our hands now so it would be crazy to set one aside at this stage. Today has shown that anything can still happen in the league. Plus, it only takes one bad result and the EL campaign is fecked.
There's a difference between giving something your best shot and showing indifference towards it. I hope the latter is not the case with our Premier League campaign this season. I would have kinda agreed had we drawn at Burnley today...or lost, but now we just need to beat City then we have an easier game against Swansea before the 4 tough ones against Celta, Arsenal and Spurs.
I honestly believe we can still do it and it would be fecking amazing if we did. No way can we send a lite team to the Emptihad. The aim to win every game is what has got us this far. I know Jose's hand is being forced somewhat with the injuries but I hope that mentality has not changed.
There's a difference between giving something your best shot and showing indifference towards it. I hope the latter is not the case with our Premier League campaign this season. I would have kinda agreed had we drawn at Burnley today...or lost, but now we just need to beat City then we have an easier game against Swansea before the 4 tough ones against Celta, Arsenal and Spurs.
I honestly believe we can still do it and it would be fecking amazing if we did. No way can we send a lite team to the Emptihad. The aim to win every game is what has got us this far. I know Jose's hand is being forced somewhat with the injuries but I hope that mentality has not changed.
Especially with the inevitable changes in player personnel.
Exactly, with a nice draw we could easily go far (as Leicester has shown)
This team is still a work in progress and with new players they will need to gel also.
Don't get me wrong in order to improve we need to test ourselves against better teams,just feel we are not quite there yet in regards to a first 11.
I need top 4. More to the point, I need to finish above Liverpool. I have money riding on us finishing above them!!!
Think it's pretty obvious this has been said to mess with Pep and Klopp for the remainder of the season.
With Liverpool dropping points it has slightly opened the door on the top 4, to the stage where a draw with City is no longer a disaster, we have gone from needing to beat the 3 hard away teams to maybe being in a position to draw one of those games.
Top 4 is well and truly on, even if lets be honest, we do not deserve it, but it is 100% on! Just one last push from the lads and they can do it!
Top 4 is well and truly on, even if lets be honest, we do not deserve it, but it is 100% on! Just one last push from the lads and they can do it!
To be fair, bar obviously Spurs and Chelsea, I really do not see who "deserves" it... Pool, City and Arsenal all had atrocious spells during the season and did not gain any form of consistency at any moment, so why them instead of us?
It's quite obvious it has to be our priority. This is saving face because he knows with the results coming up it will become clear we won't make top 4.
It's obvious what he means by it, there no way he's giving up on the top 4. He's playing the mind games, even if they fail he'll look every bit the genius by saying I told you so.
Yea and he rested Ibra against chelsea because he was tired... Remmeber?
Do not believe the Jose moan.
He just playing a SAF. Make em think your weaker than you are. Bout time too. Unless anybody is suggesting he rested players for no reason. He wants to win every game. Jose is aiming for 9 wins be sure of it.
Do not believe the Jose moan.
He just playing a SAF. Make em think your weaker than you are. Bout time too. Unless anybody is suggesting he rested players for no reason. He wants to win every game. Jose is aiming for 9 wins be sure of it.
History remembers the winners not the qualifiers.
Mourinho will demand his players finish in the top 4 and win the Europa League, I hope the players are ready to give everything and luck is on our side.
Mourinho will demand his players finish in the top 4 and win the Europa League, I hope the players are ready to give everything and luck is on our side.
This is obviously mind games guys, Jose Mourinho isn't going to give up on anything.
Say what ya like about Mourinho, he's a world class wum.
I get where you're coming from, but in the sense that we haven't been in the top 4 since maybe September? I am not even sure last time we were in there. Every time we get a chance we seem to bottle it. But yeah I do understand what you mean.
Both please.
But yeah, he's right.
But yeah, it's just pre-match mind games anyway.
As you were.
But yeah, he's right.
But yeah, it's just pre-match mind games anyway.
As you were.
Perfect thing to say for mutiple reasons people have already identified
We really feel like Manchester United again under Jose
We really feel like Manchester United again under Jose
Absolute mind games. He will be putting his strongest side out to try and beat City. I loved the way he approached the Chelsea game, I know the same amount of effort and time will be put into the City preparation, I just hope we execute his plans on the pitch again like we have been doing recently.
Seeing his tactics being played out on the pitch in recent weeks exactly how he likes it has taken a long time to come. It's taken a while but I finally see that he has this squad well drilled like I've seen his Porto side and Chelsea sides play. It was plainly obvious to see how broken the squad was when he took over, the confusion with tactics and approach. The seasons to come are going to be very exciting for us, this exact squad could get us into a title race next season, but we all know that there will be improvements made, more Mourinho players who will strengthen our mentality and add more athleticism and pace and steal. Exciting time to be a United fan again. I just don't understand the fans that think he is wrong for us, they come out of the woodwork after a draw and vanish when we win
Seeing his tactics being played out on the pitch in recent weeks exactly how he likes it has taken a long time to come. It's taken a while but I finally see that he has this squad well drilled like I've seen his Porto side and Chelsea sides play. It was plainly obvious to see how broken the squad was when he took over, the confusion with tactics and approach. The seasons to come are going to be very exciting for us, this exact squad could get us into a title race next season, but we all know that there will be improvements made, more Mourinho players who will strengthen our mentality and add more athleticism and pace and steal. Exciting time to be a United fan again. I just don't understand the fans that think he is wrong for us, they come out of the woodwork after a draw and vanish when we win
Welp, Jose just burned Pep something hardcore with that quote. All the pressure is on City now, if they beat us we can just laugh it off and say "well we did say we weren't prioritizing the league!" but City have absolutely zero excuses with the league being their sole focus now.
If City don't get top four, coupled with the fact that they haven't won anything, you'd have to wonder just exactly how untouchable Pep really is. The likes of Pellegrini or Mancini would have been sacked for that in 2017.
If City don't get top four, coupled with the fact that they haven't won anything, you'd have to wonder just exactly how untouchable Pep really is. The likes of Pellegrini or Mancini would have been sacked for that in 2017.
Typing is easy, we don't have the players to focus on both.
We can still finish 3rd . Lets bring it on and raise the game against City. If we beat City, more likely they will finish outside 4th and judging from City owner past records, high chance of Pep getting the boot.
People seem to be forgetting that finishing fourth means playing against a side like Celta in the Champions league qualifiers anyway.
I'm astonished at the number of serious responses with the term "mind-games" in them.
Dream scenario:
Beat City, help put them out of top 4. Pep sacked.
Liverpool enter poor run of form, Arsenal win all their remaining games. No CL for LFC and Coutinho leaves.
Wenger also wins FA cup and keeps his job for another however long he wants it.
We get top 4, win the Europa, Mourinho finally cracks a fecking smile.
Beat City, help put them out of top 4. Pep sacked.
Liverpool enter poor run of form, Arsenal win all their remaining games. No CL for LFC and Coutinho leaves.
Wenger also wins FA cup and keeps his job for another however long he wants it.
We get top 4, win the Europa, Mourinho finally cracks a fecking smile.
If under normal circumstances ie without a litany of injuries, I would say EL and 3rd place as our targets. But with that list of crocks, EL and roll our luck with the league.
If we win the EL we will get seeded directly into the groupstage.
I'm astonished that you're astonished.
More or less everything Mourinho says to the press is essentially 'mind-games' aimed at someone or other.
His interviews are laced with brilliant transparent tangents aimed at everyone from the press themselves, to other managers, to UEFA, to even his own players.
He's probably the ultimate 'mind-games' manager...
I think they meant providing we don't win the EL.
Slightly worried about Mourinho's obsession with Wenger....
Took it more as a dig to Pep. But then again who cares I'm so glad we have have Jose in our corner.Mind games and a not so subtle dig at Wenger. Classic Mourinho
1. 3 games vs 6 games against similar oppo. Makes logical sense? Check.
2. Winds up Arsene, Klopp and Pep? Check.
3. Mind-games against the top sides remaining to be faced in this season? Check.
4. Looks like a genius if we actually make top 4 in the end? Check.
2. Winds up Arsene, Klopp and Pep? Check.
3. Mind-games against the top sides remaining to be faced in this season? Check.
4. Looks like a genius if we actually make top 4 in the end? Check.
Think he's just trying to take the pressure off his players ahead of Thursday
He's right with this.
Of course continuing our good form and becoming fourth would be great for the lads, however, winning the EL should definitely be our priority now. We've never won this competition, thus, would be nice to have it.
Of course continuing our good form and becoming fourth would be great for the lads, however, winning the EL should definitely be our priority now. We've never won this competition, thus, would be nice to have it.
I think he'll play to win on Thursday, a win for us and a defeat for City is worth having. But we might have to pay for that with a weaker (still capable of winning) team against Swansea on Sunday. Not just because of the EL, but because some players really are hitting the bumpers now. I don't think it's mind games, he's just getting the fans ready for it.
So when it comes to the Celta match, no one will be held in reserve (unlike keeping Herrera out for Chelsea) Given a choice between a tired team getting tireder and a seemingly weaker one at Arsenal, we may have to go with the weaker looking one.
It's just squad management, made particularly tough by a shortage of centre backs. We're just unlucky that we have a run of tough games while it's happening. Though given Liverpool (who haven't exactly been wearing themselves out with cup runs) lost to Palace yesterday, maybe tough is relative.
So when it comes to the Celta match, no one will be held in reserve (unlike keeping Herrera out for Chelsea) Given a choice between a tired team getting tireder and a seemingly weaker one at Arsenal, we may have to go with the weaker looking one.
It's just squad management, made particularly tough by a shortage of centre backs. We're just unlucky that we have a run of tough games while it's happening. Though given Liverpool (who haven't exactly been wearing themselves out with cup runs) lost to Palace yesterday, maybe tough is relative.
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