And he'd be right to have that point of viewI guess it's because Mourinho has absolutely no faith in the team's ability to score multiple goals.
And he'd be right to have that point of viewI guess it's because Mourinho has absolutely no faith in the team's ability to score multiple goals.
Exactly. Compared to last year when we embarrassingly lost to bloody Liverpool in the quarters , I'd take this any day.I agree with you.
We've known this squad has critical issues that won't be solved until a very successful summer transfer window.
So trotting out the same frustrations game after game and expecting it to be somehow better is quite a balmy mad point of view.
Given the circumstances I don't care what style and strategy Mourinho uses, as long as he wins us CL qualification.
Winning 2 albeit minor trophies when we have such a disjointed squad will do for me.
That's how I feel as well.I agree with you.
We've known this squad has critical issues that won't be solved until a very successful summer transfer window.
So trotting out the same frustrations game after game and expecting it to be somehow better is quite a balmy mad point of view.
Given the circumstances I don't care what style and strategy Mourinho uses, as long as he wins us CL qualification.
Winning 2 albeit minor trophies when we have such a disjointed squad will do for me.
If anything it proved we can play poorly and still get the job done.We were lucky to go through. We played very poorly, the strategy and tactics were wrong, and if they had a striker we would be out. There is no entitlement, just some realism and an acknowledgement that if we play like that in the final we will lose. They are none so blind who will not see.
I agree with all of that. At the turn of the year I was convinced we were on the fast track to awesome, and I still believe we were largely good enough to have finnished top 4. And of all those home draws (that should've seen us at least 8 pts better off) the majority didn't annoy me at all. Frustrating, yeah, but as a fan whose first memory is of us losing the title in 91, and who grew up with the subsequent unprecedented success, an annoying but entertaining draw is inconsequential, and merely part and parcel of the journey. I follow England at tournaments FFS. Football for me isn't about bragging rights, it's about those glorious fleeting highs and random moments. It's that amazing goal in a game you lost. That world class move that almost was the best goal ever. That first bump of good coke when you're flagging. That sensation of coming up at a festival just as the tune drops. That 4am wank in the living room when no-ones about. It's all that, and meeting Chris Kamara in a favela.It's as close to fact as an opinion can get probably.
We've tried to do things the Jose way all season of sitting on one goal leads, making negative defensive subs and it's come back to haunt us countless times. I mean for feck sake it's the 4th time in the Europa League knockouts we've been pegged back to 1-1 in similar circumstances.
Tonight was just another in a long list of games we've been needlessly submissive in and I can't see why Jose can't work out that it's not a successful tactic for this Utd side. How many times do we have to blow 1-0 leads before he changes something?
Maybe after another transfer window when he can bring in more of his own players we'll be capable of it but right now this lot can't.
The subs tonight were almost cliche Jose, take off the three players on the pitch that can run with the ball and relieve pressure by attacking and bring on 3 slow cautious "experienced" players that mean Celta can just pen us in even more.
The frustrating thing is I truly believe we're not that far away from being a proper side, he just needs to be a bit more positive and we'll be fine in Stockholm.
Also, I don't think he'd have done this when he was managing you. Or at any other point in his career. Part of this fear is that he's (seemingly) finally at the club he's always dreamed of being (at least at this point of his career, and since he came here and started overtly idolising SAF) It's been patently obvious - from his constant Fergie fawning to his uncharacteristic contrition whenever he beat us - that he's wanted this job for ages. And now he's got it, he's suddenly scared of fecking it up. Which seems a tad mad considering he managed Madrid, who are the only club definitively "bigger" than us, and one with far more militant and demanding fans. But then again it's also a job that's widely accepted to be transient. One where 3 years engineering their only title in near a decade, whilst creating the base of a team that's gone on to be hugely successful, is considered at best under par for a Real boss, by many.Yep, I alluded to that in an earlier post. This seemed like fearful "negative", unlike his pragmatic "negatives" from the past.
I think winning this is far too important to him (as it should be). And it's understandable if you look at his career, know who he is, and see where he sees himself now. If he pulls it off I'm sure you'll see an improvement next season.
It's not mentioned because it's not really a factor at all that determine such transfers. The players will come will be suiting what Jose wants to play with best season.One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how attractive is a Manchester United team, playing this defensive style in a European stage, to potential transfer targets? Can't imagine Griezmann et al would have been watching tonight thinking we're a club on the cusp of greatness again.
That's assuming they don't have the choice of a club that are more alluring style wise and are further down the road in their development.It's not mentioned because it's not really a factor at all that determine such transfers. The players will come will be suiting what Jose wants to play with best season.
Sure but when Jose contacts a player to come they would know what he wants from them and how they will play so it won't be a surprise from them. It's not like Jose is a new manager whose style is unknown to players we're interested in.That's assuming they don't have the choice of a club that are more alluring style wise and are further down the road in their development.
I know it won't be a surprise, that's my point. They might prefer a more progressive style.Sure but when Jose contacts a player to come they would know what he wants from them and how they will play so it won't be a surprise from them. It's not like Jose is a new manager whose style is unknown to players we're interested in.
Hold Trafford.Thankfully the final isn't played at Old Trafford.
If that was the case Jose wouldn't have been able to make a single deal with an attacking players in his careerI know it won't be a surprise, that's my point. They might prefer a more progressive style.
I agree that that may all play a significant part, but one thing you didn't mention, which I think may also be a big factor in his "fearfulness" is that Mourinho himself is at a personal (i.e., irrespective of United) crossroads in his career. He has just come from the only truly "poor" season of his life. Until here he was always winning or very closely challenging for wins. What was his worst league position ever until last year, third?Also, I don't think he'd have done this when he was managing you. Or at any other point in his career. Part of this fear is that he's (seemingly) finally at the club he's always dreamed of being (at least at this point of his career, and since he came here and started overtly idolising SAF) It's been patently obvious - from his constant Fergie fawning to his uncharacteristic contrition whenever he beat us - that he's wanted this job for ages. And now he's got it, he's suddenly scared of fecking it up. Which seems a tad mad considering he managed Madrid, who are the only club definitively "bigger" than us, and one with far more militant and demanding fans. But then again it's also a job that's widely accepted to be transient. One where 3 years engineering their only title in near a decade, whilst creating the base of a team that's gone on to be hugely successful, is considered at best under par for a Real boss, by many.
However here, where he dreams of being the post slump saviour, and grand successor to Fergie, he knows that fecking up so early would be seen as a globally notorious failure. Which is why winning the Europa is the ultimate saving grace of both his project and his ego. It makes complete sense that he'd be pragmatic about it. He's got a lot to lose.
It's just the extent of his pragmatism is ironically detrimental to his success at it. We've got just about enough attacking players to win most games. We don't have enough defensive ones to see them out. It should be simple logic to discern which approach is the most beneficial.
I'm not saying it would be the same for all players but could have an influence in some players decisions.If that was the case Jose wouldn't have been able to make a single deal with an attacking players in his career
Also, assume we're after, say, Griezmann, that guy is playing in even more ridiculously defensive team he won't complain much, I think Jose attacks more than Simeone anyway.
I don't think so, you're just worrying too much Jose has signed many great offensive players in his career and no one was worrying about his style of play whatever it's.I'm not saying it would be the same for all players but could have an influence in some players decisions.
This one takes the cake....One thing that hasn't been mentioned is how attractive is a Manchester United team, playing this defensive style in a European stage, to potential transfer targets? Can't imagine Griezmann et al would have been watching tonight thinking we're a club on the cusp of greatness again.
He can't. Our players are just not good at it as they mispass and lose the ball a lot. The only player who seems to have a vision is Pogba, Mikhi is good but losses the ball a lot, so our attackers destroy any chance of building a counter.I don't mind fecking sitting deep and soaking pressure but can Mourinho coach more of a counter attacking game ffs?
Ha! I wrote a whole paragraph about just that, but deleted it for fear of posting a rambling wall of text. So yeah, I agree. If he weren't our boss, I'd find it tragi-comical that Jose finally landed his dream job at the very same time not only Pep rocked up in the league, but also every other feted manager of note. This season has been like a hunger games of top managers. With cup games and European commitments being like handicaps (do they have handicaps in the Hunger Games? I'll be honest, I don't know shit about it. I watched one. Lenny Kravitz was on a train at one point. That probably has no relevance to anything, but good for Lenny Kravitz!) And all at a time when the game in general is shifting away from the style Jose spent the last decade mastering.I agree that that may all play a significant part, but one thing you didn't mention, which I think may also be a big factor in his "fearfulness" is that Mourinho himself is at a personal (i.e., irrespective of United) crossroads in his career. He has just come from the only truly "poor" season of his life. Until here he was always winning or very closely challenging for wins. What was his worst league position ever until last year, third?
This is his second "poorest" season ever, and it's coming right after the first. Until here it has all been borderline perfect, at least as close to it as a managerial career can realistically get. He must feel a sense of urgency to get past this stage, and he would probably be feeling a relatively similar level of anxiety even at another top club that wasn't United. These next few seasons will determine his legacy too: That of a manager who was always at a top with a random blip here and there, or that of a manager that was at the top for a while and then saw his career turn average (for his incredibly high standards). He must dread to become a Wenger.
It's somewhat analogous to a scenario where Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly found himself out of WPOTY shortlists, struggling to hit 20 goals in a season, not challenging for honours, out of the CL or having to fear being benched for someone better. It would be a nightmare for him and he wouldn't rest until he was out of that slump.
My thoughts exactly.I just don't believe Jose has much faith in the quality of some United players, hence an ultra-defensive approach that he knows & acknowledges is not the way his bosses and supporters want us to play. Too many of our players pass backwards at the drop of a hat, lacking the skills or courage to take opponents on and drive forwards. Considering that I've been one of Jose's harshest critics on here in recent times, I'd gladly give him several years to sort this all out; for me, a possible two trophies in a debut season is bloody excellent, especially when fielding some of the timid and average players left over from the last few managerial reigns.
Ovidiu Hategan