Jose Mourinho doing no different than Harry Redknapp would

Matt Stead

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By accident or design?
James Hastings hit on something that I’ve been saying for a few months now: the problem with United’s successes is that they are largely unrepeatable because they are generally borne of moments of individual quality, rather than any particular tactical nous. The Newcastle game was just the latest example of this. The goals we scored were, forgetting the context of the game, pretty good goals. Mata’s free-kick was well-placed and hit with good pace, Martial’s came from good interplay with Pogba and was an excellently struck shot, and Sanchez’s goal was a great leap from a short player, his header placed just out of the ‘keeper’s reach. All moments of quality from the players.

But aside from that, there was no specific plan. Three good goals, but all very different from each other, so you can’t say that we were playing for those kind of goals. It wasn’t excellent tactics that won us the free-kick, it wasn’t the change of shape that allowed Martial to get past a couple of defenders, and it wasn’t that we were specifically playing with a target man that enabled Sanchez to score. It was good play for each, sure, but it still feels like it was coincidental rather than by specific design. We attacked a lot more in the second half, which obviously increases your chances of scoring, but that’s such a vague requirement – attacking football – that you can’t really put that down to any brilliant scheming from the manager; Harry Redknapp could have come up with that plan. We didn’t target a particular weakness in their setup, it was just a case of “if you throw enough shit…”. This is the reason why we constantly look like we’re taking one step forward and two steps back.

Mourinho doesn’t build teams, he recruits individuals and hopes that one or more of them can do something brilliant from game to game. We can’t repeat that second-half performance next time out, because there’s no way we could line up with Matic and Pogba in defence against Chelsea, Juventus, Bournemouth, or City, because their attacks would run riot. We can’t assume that Martial is going to be able to waltz through any of those defences – mostly because none of us have any idea if he will actually start any of those games. We can’t assume that we’ll get and be able to score from another free-kick like that. We can’t assume that Sanchez will remember he’s a footballer again. We can hope, but that’s it.

The plan seems to be that we have no plan. Yeah, the changes at half-time had a positive effect, but we shouldn’t have to go 2-0 down before we start attacking. The system that finished the game bore virtually no resemblance to the one that started the game, which just highlights how awful the original plan was. The fact that the changes worked just papers over the huge chasms that lie underneath. This, of course, goes up to the boardroom level too. Why hire Mourinho – famous for being a chequebook manager – if you aren’t going to continually back him? Now, I know that I have complained about him not making the best of what he’s got and he shouldn’t keep spending his way out of trouble, but it seems more than a little counter-productive to pick that guy and then don’t let him operate how he wants to. They knew what kind of manager he was when they hired him, so you could assume that they were comfortable with that. Which makes you wonder why we did so little in the way of recruitment this summer.

For the record, I still think he should go, and I’m definitely not defending him with that last point. It’s all just short-termism. Even the rumours of Zidane being a candidate follow the same pattern; all about the flavour of the month instead of a long-term plan. I’d rather have Gareth Southgate than either Mourinho or Zidane, because at least he seems like he knows where he wants his squad to be in 2-4 years time. I couldn’t even hazard a guess at what a Mourinho would look like by the end of January, never mind 4 years later. It would probably be playing in League One, at this rate.
Ted, Manchester

Careful what you wish for
I am so pleased you referenced in winners and losers the whole ‘be careful what you wish for’ in regards to Arsenal. We were told as fans that we were demanding too much, that Wenger was a genius, end of, you fans don’t you’re born etcw. I’m not denying or denigrating what he achieved for us, but the idea that he couldn’t replaced was always ridiculous. That he has been replaced by a pragmatist is music to my ears.  I am enjoying watching this Emery side, not because they play the best football, but thy look like they care, and people are in the side on merit. Players seem to be dropped and no one is upset, only resolute in their desire to get back in. Players who under Wenger who were limited, Mustafi, Iwobi and Welbeck are showing that hard work can take you places. I used to say to friends that I thought a team of Ray Parlours would beat most teams, not because he was more talented, but because he cared and he’d do whatever it took. Maybe I’m being needlessly nostalgic, but it is nice to see players try hard. Also, after the Sanchez seasons, it is great to see the team smiling again, celebrating each other’s goals. And in Lacazette and Auba, we have a the best bromance since Bergkamp and Henry.

Also, the distinct lack of Arsenal Fan TV links being shared is great. A friend took a photo of Troopz and Gooner Claude at the Fulham game, looking like they had no content to share as anger is fleeting and the fans are happy. Here’s hoping United fans are happy to pick up the baton this year. We never wanted anything more than a team who competed, and looked like they worked hard. This has all lead me to the theory that most football managers have a decade (Sir Alex the exception) at the top after which their ideas become obsolete or they are usurped by younger managers with new ideas. It is a natural cycle.
John Matrix AFC

 

Ramsey street
After Ramsey’s thrilling entry into the match against Fulham I was reminded of a submission by someone in the mailbox a short while ago. They described Ramsey as a “schoolyard footballer” who was like someone who’s brilliant in the schoolyard but when they try their tricks and moves in a more organised setting they get schooled (not sorry).

I thought maybe this is the appeal of Aaron Ramsey. In some games he looks like a kid trying too hard to pull off flashy moves instead of just passing it along. In other games he looks like Zidane, executing brilliantly timed flicks and tricks and looking like a midfield genius. In some games he frustrates the fuck out of you with his pointless pirouettes and unnecessary turns which often result in him running into cul-de-sacs, screwing up build up play or slowing down play. In other games he glides around the pitch with incredible passing, movement, cunning and skill.

He’s the Jekyll and Hyde of Arsenal? I don’t know. Maybe I’ve just forgotten all his performances that were somewhere in between. Perhaps I’m just a silly romantic trying to find something philosophical or clever in a player who’s mostly a little above average.

I still don’t mind him leaving though. I’ve enjoyed him playing in our shirt but I don’t think he’s vital.
Vish (AFC), Melbourne

 

Just to echo the words of Matt Wright, being a gunner is great at the moment!It has been the calmest start to the season that I can remember in recent seasons (maybe because there is less Arsenal Fan TV on my social media platforms?) and it is nice to be escaping much of the media attention due to the antics in Manchester and Liverpool and Chelsea’s continued good form!

Unai has done a brilliant job so far, we still look shaky at times but he is slowly but surely getting his message across. He has created a hunger to play and perform in the squad which is so refreshing to see!

A season of relative consistency that doesn’t end in massive capitulation around February would be amazing
Conor (Galway Gooner)

 

Long live the FA Cup
The Proud Shepherd is right to say that Liverpool have had a tricky run of fixtures, that we are basically on par for the season so far and there is no need to panic. However Shep is wrong to discount the League Cup – the media / rival fans may well say ‘so what, it’s only the League Cup’ but who cares what they think?

Jurgen Klopp would think ‘I actually can win a final after all’ (after losing 6 of his previous 7), the squad would have their first taste of winning (any player will tell you winning something feels amazing – whatever the perceived value of the competition, you still have incontrovertible proof that you were the best side in it), as would the fans. I am aware however, that we are out of the Carabiner Cup, and realistically out of our best chance of silverware this season.

City just showed that they have added mettle and pragmatism to their incredibly strong winning formula from last season, so they are going to take some shifting at the top of the Prem. Napoli showed them how to beat us in the week – sit deep, aggressively shut down space for our front three while flooding midfield, and position pacey forwards behind our full backs for the counter – which the rest of Europe can follow to good effect. Perhaps the FA Cup then is the best chance for this manager and squad to learn the winning habit.

Hopefully I’m not being too neg neg. It is important to remember this is relatively young Liverpool squad with little experience of actually winning something, bar Mili Vanilli who is sadly crocked, hopefully not for too long. Obviously I would love Liverpool to win the Premiership and Champions League and for Klopp to reverse his record in finals for the next 3 years, but it’s more likely to take that long before we have won even one.
Gofezo

 

Knocking them back down off that perch
Simon, (It used to be a Big Six, so I’m told) from this morning’s mailbox has left me confused. I was under the impression that to be considered part of the Big 5, Big 6, Big 4, Big…anything, a team should have won something recently or at least been up near the top of the league regularly. Clearly this includes City and Chelsea, given they have won the league recently, and Spurs as they have been in the Top 3 the last few years. Then there’s Arsenal, who just love an FA cup or two and have only recently not made the Top 4 for two seasons running. So far so good. But then Simon throws a curveball and includes Liverpool in a Big 5? Liverpool?!

Not one for embracing confusion without checking “facts” I took to Google, furiously typing like Jessica Fletcher at the start of a Murder She Wrote episode, trying to get to the bottom of this particular mystery. League wins, no, none since the Old Testament of football existed. League position, well maybe at a stretch, although out of the last 10 seasons they have been outside of the Top 5 more times than in it. “But Simon sounded so cocksure, it can’t be that”, I thought as I went further down the rabbit hole of misconception. Recent trophy wins, please let it be so, and after one final push of the enter key I sat agog. Then aghast. It turns out Liverpool have only won 1 trophy in the last 10 years, a League Cup where they scraped a victory against the Championship’s Cardiff City on pens.

It was at this point I realised I had been duped, so I turned my computer off and wistfully peered out of the window, disappointed at the deceitfulness of humanity and confused about what the future holds. However after many minutes of soul-searching, and strange looks from others in the office, I concluded that Simon was not intentionally trying to deceive and perhaps he had been misinformed or miseducated. So down went the “thinking pipe”, on went the computer. A brief grammatical obstacle was overcome as my spellchecker tried to tell me that “miseducated” was not a word, the fool (thanks Lauryn Hill), and here I am, doing my civic duty to help clear the fog of misunderstanding.

So Simon, for future reference, if you have to group the teams currently occupying the top 5 places in the league together, and Lord knows this is sometimes essential although I currently cannot think of why, it would be advisable to dub them “the Big 4 and Liverpool”.

You’re welcome.
Garey Vance, MUFC             

 

Pep Guardiola, always improving
I am thrilled by the performance of Man City’s back four yesterday at Anfield. Mendy had the best game (defensively) of his career at City. Stones and Walker were good in possession and were able to contain the threat of the front three. Laporte deserves extra credit for his performance yesterday; he has been (quietly) having a brilliant season and took it to new heights at Anfield. I think he is the best defender we have.

I am actually quite happy after the tweak in approach offered by Guardiola. He was clearly in no mood to allow LFC to run riot again. I was quite nervous about this game especially because of the last 2 defeats, we were actually thumped at Anfield. But Guardiola is nothing, if he does not learn from his mistakes.

He knew we needed to slow the game and quieten down the famous atmosphere .The players showed immense courage to keep the passing game on even in and around their own penalty area instead of just hoofing it up the field. We controlled the tempo and in the process we lost some of our own verve but that is acceptable when you have been made to look like roaming ducks at Anfield.

Guardiola learns from his mistakes and 2 seasons in English football has made him even better at his management. This was the most assured performance defensively I have seen from them and credit must be given to Guardiola for changing the script to suit the opponent. Even against teams like Huddersfield and Newcastle we have looked defensively susceptible to the odd break or a set piece. This time Stones and Laporte showed the value for money and in the process became excellent example of why you need defenders who are comfortable in possession (at no point in the game I thought they are nervous or going to give the ball away, whereas in the first season I would have drowned in my own sweat).

If Mahrez had kept the ball down then it would have been a triumph of tactical master class (off-course at the expense of scintillating gung ho approach of last matches when they met).

Anyway, I think it was a good point for both the teams, as it was unthinkable to lose at this stage. It would have had a huge impact psychologically going in to the international break. Hoping for a title race this league & City deserves.
Abdul (mind, De Bruyne has not even played this season) MCFC

 

Crystal Palace are f***ed
Dear Football365,

*Crystal Palace are f###ed.  I say this every year because I believe it.  Against Wolves on Saturday, they lined up with:

-Defenders who can’t defend

The defeat to Bournemouth came about because of a brainless moment from an expensive centre-back constantly on the edge of giving away a penalty.  On Saturday, it was a failure by Jeffrey Schlupp and Patrick van Aanholt to track Matt Doherty that allowed him to wander through the defence and score the sort of goal both Eagles have registered themselves this season

-Midfielders who can’t pass to each other or create chances

Roy Hodgson’s selection policy is starting to annoy people.  On Monday night Max Meyer was the Eagles’ best player, involved in all of his side’s best moments and still found himself on the bench on Saturday.  Instead, Palace lined up in a narrow 4-4-2 with Schlupp on the left, and though they enjoyed more of the possession, they didn’t have anyone to pull the strings in midfield against a team prepared to sit back.

-Strikers who can’t score

Christian Benteke is injured but is an effective target man. Connor Wickham is injured and is an effective target man.  Alexander Sørloth is not injured and is not an effective target man.  Jordan Ayew wasn’t really an effective anything on Saturday.  Every time the ball was crossed into the box the forwards were nowhere near it.

*In an echo of last year, Crystal Palace have not scored at all in any of their first four home games.  This international break has come at a good time to break up a poor run of form, but a lot of work needs to be done in order to turn things around.  It’s entirely likely we won’t win a league game again until December, and will likely slip into the relegation places in that time.  There is no need to panic but at the same time it’s important to address these concerns now before it’s too late.
Ed Quoththeraven

 

Bring back the bruised banana
Kit manufacturers generally don’t matter to most people but the news concerning our new kit suppliers has made me want to do a jig.

And it isn’t because of the new designs they’ll come up with but the chance that the club will rerelease the adidas kits of yesteryear.

Anfield 89, the velvety 1991 home, bruised banana and the chance to renew the only shirt I have from that era – the last adidas home shirt.

We haven’t had an adidas kit in almost a quarter of a century and I for one cannot wait for the club and sponsor to renew their acquaintance.

And the football at the weekend wasn’t bad either – winning while playing pants, standing up to the likes of Watford, and an adidas deal in the offing – we certainly have got our Arsenal back.
Graham Simons, Gooner, Norf London