I honestly think if Mourinho was appointed manager of Man Utd at the beginning of the season or even December they would of challenged or maybe won the league. It didn't take a team of high quality to win it this year.

LVG defiantly underachieved after spending 250m. He kept playing players in there wrong positions and Mourinho would of made players like Fellani, Smalling and Schneiderlin even better.

Leicester were quality though, all over the pitch, plus there team work was immense. They still finished 10 points ahead of 2nd, you can't belittle that.

Jose had a great squad here but messed up this season.

Edited May 23, 201610 yr by Malcolm9

I'm sorry, but anyone here who thinks that Pep will dominate domestically for the next few years must have absolutely no knowledge about English football whatsoever. Being successful in Spain and Germany is all well and good...but the Premier League is where a manager really has to prove himself. Things are different over here. Very, very different. Leicester City winning the League last year proves my point... Anything can happen in the Premier League.

I agree.

 

Also, Guardiola has never actually had a proper challenge of rebuilding and developing a great team. I think he's a good manager who did what was expected with the quality of the teams he inherited at Barcelona and Bayern Munich but I'm not convinced he's the world's best manager until I see what he can produce at Manchester City rather than just inheriting great teams and dominating.

 

For what it's worth, I rate the likes of Mourinho, Simeone, Ancelotti and Klopp far higher than him. He's a good manager without doubt, but he's overrated at the same time and Roman's unhealthy obsession of trying to obtain him as manager for years has set us back somewhat.

What's he supposed to do, go back and manage Uniao Leiria? We sacked him, twice. He's entitled to go and find employment with another club. It was exactly the same with Lampard. Fully half the forum wanted us to get rid of him, we didn't renew his contract and then everyone was moaning when he showed up at Man City and started scoring a few goals. Can't have it both ways.

Spot on.

For what it's worth I think he'd have preferred to go there than to us when moyes was appointed, but so what?

It's football. I wish him luck so long as it isn't at our expense, like I would any club legend who has moved on. Don't understand people salivating at the possibility of him failing.

Jose had a great squad here but messed up this season.

He had a great first eleven but the overall squad lacked depth which is required in any team that wants to be a title winner, or in our case striving to be back-to-back title winners.

 

I think the whole club failed from top to bottom last year. The board stood on its feet and essentially thought retaining the current squad would be good enough even though it was obvious that our rivals would strengthen and go after us since we were champions at the time. The board made the same mistakes in 2010 after Ancelotti led us to the double yet we didn't replace or strengthen our squad whatsoever even though it was evident we had an ageing team and the likes of Manchester United and City would continue to strengthen.

 

The coaching staff including Jose failed to stop the form slump for months on end in the league and seemed to have no solutions to curb on our form deterioration, and Jose's abrupt and abrasive attitude only fuelled these problems, and most importantly the players lacked the mental capacity or will to go back-to-back.

 

The fact that several of them returned to pre-season overweight, unfit and unmotivated demonstrated the poor mentality that was seen in a Chelsea team that I hadn't seen for a long time. If the problems were simply down to the coaching staff, our form of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 would have returned after Jose's sacking yet we could only muster up one home league win under Guus even though we somehow miraculously managed to go 15 matches unbeaten at one stage.

Edited May 23, 201610 yr by Jezz

Leicester were quality though, all over the pitch, plus there team work was immense. They still finished 10 points ahead of 2nd, you can't belittle that.

Jose had a great squad here but messed up this season.

I'm not belittling it, it was just one of those abnormal years and the greatest sporting achievement in sporting history.

People also have to admit that certain things helped them like lack of injuries, no European football, out of cup competitions early. I'm sure they made the least changes to a starting 11 for over 10 years.

Next season most people are thinking they will take top half now.

Leicester did have a great spine to the team, Schmiexhal, Morgan, Huth, Kante, Drinkwater and Vardy was immense. I would take Drinkwater at Chelsea now, think he runs and bosses the midfield.

I just think Mourinho would of taken Utd to another level and this year a decent run could of seen others win the league, it was a low total for a league win.

Inherited makes it sound like he didn't have much to do.

He sold Ronaldinho, Deco, Zambrotta, Eto'o And promoted Busquets; changed their style to suit Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta as a midfield three.

Brought in Pique and Dani Alves and shifted Messi from the left to the right.

Messi scored 16 goals in 40 odd games prior to Pep then scored 36 in Pep's first season. Coincidence? I think not.

I don't particularly like the guy but he's an outstanding manager.

Henry gives a good account of his management style here. There's a lot of thought behind it and it's easy to see why it works.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fB9jpteTgH0

Edited May 23, 201610 yr by MayosNoun

He had a great first eleven but the overall squad lacked depth which is required in any team that wants to be a title winner, or in our case striving to be back-to-back title winners.

 

 

 

Yes but why did we have such poor squad depths? Do you think it was down to Mourinho refusing to play people like De Bruyne, Filipe Luis, Schurrle etc.. making them want to leave that led to that lack of squad depth. 

Moved into General Football section, he's no longer Chels....

Never realised you was a mod Zola, congrats.

Spot on.

For what it's worth I think he'd have preferred to go there than to us when moyes was appointed, but so what?

It's football. I wish him luck so long as it isn't at our expense, like I would any club legend who has moved on. Don't understand people salivating at the possibility of him failing.

 

Wouldn't go as far as to say salivating but I must admit, I do hope it all goes tits up for him and Utd. No-one ever really wants to see their main rivals do well but in the past, when it comes to Utd, it hasn't bothered me. I would sooner they won trophies than Arsenal, Spurs or Liverpool. But with Jose there, I really don't want to see them win anything and will be more than happy to see things go wrong.

 

How great would it be if in a season or so's time, we meet Utd in latter stages (or even final) of CL and beat them. As Kevin Keegan would say..................

Love how talk sports see through the rubbish that most of the fans up his backside try to ignore.

Ruined the club under his watch. Told KDB and Lukaku that they are not good enough but Falcao is. I hope Jose hasn't changed his ways because if so Utd are in trouble.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/23/dr-eva-carneiro-to-be-represented-by-manchester-united-season-ti/?

Eva's barrister is a Man Utd season ticket holder haha

Love how talk sports see through the rubbish that most of the fans up his backside try to ignore.

Ruined the club under his watch. Told KDB and Lukaku that they are not good enough but Falcao is. I hope Jose hasn't changed his ways because if so Utd are in trouble.

Yeah it was really damaging when he delivered the league cup and a first league title in 5 years.

I actually still don't get all the KDB nonsense looked a star for City early on yet faded away later. People are talking like he delivered City the title. They finished 4th.

Lukaku was good money at the time and we had Costa in place. Sure we should have inserted a buy back clause but that's down to the club. Falcao also came the season after as a backup player.

Yeah it was really damaging when he delivered the league cup and a first league title in 5 years.

I actually still don't get all the KDB nonsense looked a star for City early on yet faded away later. People are talking like he delivered City the title. They finished 4th.

Lukaku was good money at the time and we had Costa in place. Sure we should have inserted a buy back clause but that's down to the club. Falcao also came the season after as a backup player.

One league title yes. Before he came we were a world class manager away and a few players from being seasoned challengers for years. Our squad was so promising.

Short term gain for Jose that's all it was.

Maybe you haven't followed KDB close enough. He was injured for most of the middle of the season. When he came back, he ripped apart PSG and us at the Bridge and was class in the Arsenal game.

We're crying out for players to come into this squad and it's a shame because we had the quality already there and they were sold just to achieve one league title from a squad that needed a 200m improvement just 3 months later.

Costa OK I can understand but back up player or not, Falcao was ridiculous whatever way you want to dress it up.

When you look at the talent that has been sold, I put the blame on Jose for that and his mistrust in them.

Hence forth I shall be referring to him as Jose ManUno. (No offense to The real Uno.)

Wait'll you see, Jose will completely troll us now by playing Juan Mata, signing Lukaku and De Bruyne and start playing 2 up front with wingers.

Wouldn't go as far as to say salivating but I must admit, I do hope it all goes tits up for him and Utd. No-one ever really wants to see their main rivals do well but in the past, when it comes to Utd, it hasn't bothered me. I would sooner they won trophies than Arsenal, Spurs or Liverpool. But with Jose there, I really don't want to see them win anything and will be more than happy to see things go wrong.

 

How great would it be if in a season or so's time, we meet Utd in latter stages (or even final) of CL and beat them. As Kevin Keegan would say..................

why? because he'll rub it in our faces? he sort of did after he won the league with inter I guess...

 

I was more referring to the fans who probably, and this seems unbelievable to say, were too young to really remember the first title win under him (and its significance). so they really have no memory of us not beating arsenal or wenger for years etc etc. they might only know jose as a guy who won a title, which for them is par for the course, then had a big hand in our demise this season. you could be a grown adult supporting chelsea all your life and not remember jesper gronkjaer's season long assault on the matthew harding stand with his crosses for example!

Edited May 23, 201610 yr by g3.7

One league title yes. Before he came we were a world class manager away and a few players from being seasoned challengers for years. Our squad was so promising.

Short term gain for Jose that's all it was.

 

Yeah one measly league title. We've won five of those in 110 years and Mourinho delivered three of them. First time around he won our first in fifty years. Second time around our first in five years. If only he'd kept DeBruyne and Lukaku instead.

One league title yes. Before he came we were a world class manager away and a few players from being seasoned challengers for years. Our squad was so promising.

Short term gain for Jose that's all it was.

Maybe you haven't followed KDB close enough. He was injured for most of the middle of the season. When he came back, he ripped apart PSG and us at the Bridge and was class in the Arsenal game.

We're crying out for players to come into this squad and it's a shame because we had the quality already there and they were sold just to achieve one league title from a squad that needed a 200m improvement just 3 months later.

Costa OK I can understand but back up player or not, Falcao was ridiculous whatever way you want to dress it up.

Based on what? You're own thoughts maybe. We didn't challenge again until Jose came back in. We were a decent cup side prior to that.

I love how you talk about one league title like its a a easy thing. Look at the teams that have won it since we last did before that 2 for United, 2 for City. Neither of which were back to back. That's not exactly domination on any level.

I know he was injured but upon his return he didn't change City's fortunes.

I think signing Falcao was ridiculous myself actually but you were talking like he was a replacement for Lukaku.

Edited May 23, 201610 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

Yeah one measly league title. We've won five of those in 110 years and Mourinho delivered three of them. First time around he won our first in fifty years. Second time around our first in five years. If only he'd kept DeBruyne and Lukaku instead.

Spot on.

Some really ungrateful brats on here, so he let a couple of good players leave...name me 1 manager who hasn't done.

We couldn't buy a title for love nor money before he came back. We spent well over £100 million trying it. Torres, Luiz, Mata, Oscar, Hazard...they all came in but it took Jose to bring it back to the Bridge.

Yes he ballsed it up in the end but he built a squad that strolled the league. Players downed tools and Jose lost the dressing room. It had nothing to do with selling KDB and Lukaku.

The title will be harder than ever to win now he's with United so people should remember what an achievement it actually is to win it.

Spot on.

Some really ungrateful brats on here, so he let a couple of good players leave...name me 1 manager who hasn't done.

We couldn't buy a title for love nor money before he came back. We spent well over £100 million trying it. Torres, Luiz, Mata, Oscar, Hazard...they all came in but it took Jose to bring it back to the Bridge.

Yes he ballsed it up in the end but he built a squad that strolled the league. Players downed tools and Jose lost the dressing room. It had nothing to do with selling KDB and Lukaku.

The title will be harder than ever to win now he's with United so people should remember what an achievement it actually is to win it.

Yeah one measly league title. We've won five of those in 110 years and Mourinho delivered three of them. First time around he won our first in fifty years. Second time around our first in five years. If only he'd kept DeBruyne and Lukaku instead.

He is a hater. No use trying to reason. Hate how it played out. Hope he doesn't become a United legend now.

I agree with the suggestion that Mourinho was angling for the Man U job since last summer. He got himself a new 4-year Chelsea deal last summer as an insurance policy and then spent the next few months (a) sabotaging Chelsea and (b) lining up his redundancy payment. Comments he made to football focus in May last year made it clear he was tarting himself around other PL clubs. Anyway, no doubt Abramovich will have learned little from this latest managerial episode but I am very happy the Mourinho soap opera will now happen in rainy Salford. Let's hope Conte gets a decent chance.

Jose to hire caneiro as club physio!

 

Lets keep up the awful conspiracy theories.