Mourinho in by Boxing Day

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Nice post, pal.

I would be prepared to concede, and have done for a while, that he may be slightly more pragmatic than earlier in his career. But the focus of retaining possession in midfield by patience and control is not something new with Van Gaal.

He has said in the past, long before coming to United and even before the Dutch job, that he doesn't see the sideways pass as negative or risk free. In fact the opposite. He believes that the vertical pass is risk free, because you maintain your shape even if you lose the ball. That's why Sam Allardyce teams like the long ball, because they can surprise their opponent without losing their own shape and the ball doesn't come back too quickly. Whereas a horizontal pass across the backline or in deep midfield carries a greater risk if you get it wrong. Hence pundits quickly criticising any team who play out from the back and get caught once or twice.

So for me it remains simple a difference in outlook. While the belief of Van Gaal (and many other of the top coaches, including Guardiola) is that in today's game a patient passing move is the best way to disrupt a deep, well organised defence, others see it differently.

I'm sure Van Gaal would say that having a team sit deeper because you don't want to be picked off the way we were on Saturday is not taking risk. He would argue that Mourinho and Fergie encouraging the industry over flair of guys like Willian, Park, Valencia etc in wide attacking areas is low risk. Many pragmatic managers would have used Valencia and Young instead of Mata or Memphis far more often.

Ferdinand said recently that when he arrived at United and tried to play too many expansive balls, Fergie %@#$&!ed him and told him to play it safe. There's no doubt in my mind that Rio would have been given far more responsibility on the ball under LvG than under Ferguson. Again, different managers take their own risks.

Van Gaal is Mourinho's teacher. As Sers has pointed out, Mou's attention to detail and opposition scouting, and many other traits, are taken directly from Van Gaal. I don't doubt LvG would look at what's made Mou so successful too, but at the same time he's always been keen to express that he differs in his ideology.

Overall, in football it's so often a mix of things. Perhaps a case of LvG being caught between his style and this ridiculous, hectic Premier League in which quality is lacking behind intensity and power. Maybe he just doesn't know how to deal with it. Or maybe as mentioned earlier his communication skills have let him down. Or maybe this is a club that, with Giggs and Rooney exerting so much power, is currently unwilling to embrace new ideas. Maybe there's just some pure bad luck in there, or poor timing.

Maybe it's a mix of all these things.

Is there any actual evidence of this beyond Twitter speculation? Particularly in the case of Rooney. If he's such a disruptive influence and not embracing the van Gaal way, why does van Gaal continually pick him (despite his terrible form) and leave him with the captaincy?

Originally Posted by Iron Fist

Is there any actual evidence of this beyond Twitter speculation? Particularly in the case of Rooney. If he's such a disruptive influence and not embracing the van Gaal way, why does van Gaal continually pick him (despite his terrible form) and leave him with the captaincy?

Yeah Mou dropping Terry worked out great for him.

Originally Posted by armchair

Yeah Mou dropping Terry worked out great for him.

Because United are the same as Chelsea aren't they.

Even when Rooney's been total shite he's been picked. United fans everywhere have been begging for him to be dropped, yet the subversive Rooney continually gets picked by LvG? Sounds like bullshit to me.

Big Dan Taylor all but saying its a done deal.....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...louis-van-gaal

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Big Dan Taylor all but saying its a done deal.....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...louis-van-gaal

It is only two weeks since United let it be known they were so impressed with Van Gaal’s work they envisaged it might eventually lead to him remaining at the club after his current contract expires in 2017.

Muy interesante.

Originally Posted by Zorg

Muy interesante.

Couldn't see Taylor going with lines like:-

• Manchester United will want assurances from José Mourinho that he understands the club’s traditions and is willing to fall into line
• t will be made clear to him that United expect a better standard of behaviour and historically place great importance on bringing through their own players.

If he wasn't sure something was going on.

The fact we're considering him tell you how bad things have got.

The football is total rubbish, and we've the least amount of shots on goals in the last two months in the whole league.

Mourinho is anti United in terms of his football and his antics. At this point though, so is van Gaal. Difference is Mourinho has won La Liga and the Premier League in the past five years. LvG won the Bundesliga, but by his second year Bayern couldn't get him out of there fast enough. Yesterday's man.

Originally Posted by Iron Fist

The fact we're considering him tell you how bad things have got.

The football is total rubbish, and we've the least amount of shots on goals in the last two months in the whole league.

Mourinho is anti United in terms of his football and his antics. At this point though, so is van Gaal. Difference is Mourinho has won La Liga and the Premier League in the past five years. LvG won the Bundesliga, but by his second year Bayern couldn't get him out of there fast enough. Yesterday's man.

Sodom or Motörhead?

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Big Dan Taylor all but saying its a done deal.....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...louis-van-gaal

Sounds like it's a bit all up in the air. He writes as if United haven't talked directly with Mourinho yet, which is what has been reported elsewhere. Indication is he's gone home to Portugal for some family time.

Suggests a couple of wins could keep Van Gaal afloat. Probably an acceptance that those are unlikely, given recent showings.

However way it happens, to go from that briefing two weeks ago - when they knew Champions League progress was 50/50 - to this situation is incredible. Confirms all the fears I have about the people running the club and how little a plan/clue they have.

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Big Dan Taylor all but saying its a done deal.....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...louis-van-gaal

No he's not?

I'm sorry, but from..

Everything has changed very quickly given that United’s executives had previously stated they were so impressed with Van Gaal they were even relaxed about the possibility of Manchester City hiring Pep Guardiola.

To wanting to sack him after 3 defeats screams of ineptitude on the part of the club to me..

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Sounds like it's a bit all up in the air. He writes as if United haven't talked directly with Mourinho yet, which is what has been reported elsewhere. Indication is he's gone home to Portugal for some family time.

Suggests a couple of wins could keep Van Gaal afloat. Probably an acceptance that those are unlikely, given recent showings.

However way it happens, to go from that briefing two weeks ago - when they knew Champions League progress was 50/50 - to this situation is incredible. Confirms all the fears I have about the people running the club and how little a plan/clue they have.

That briefing was in response to City being in the driving seat for Guardiola.

If United really thought they had a good chance of getting Guardiola, do you think they'd be briefing journos on what a genius LvG is .

Damage control at its best.

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Couldn't see Taylor going with lines like:-

• Manchester United will want assurances from José Mourinho that he understands the club’s traditions and is willing to fall into line
• t will be made clear to him that United expect a better standard of behaviour and historically place great importance on bringing through their own players.

If he wasn't sure something was going on.

Any fool can repeat what we all know the club would want.

Originally Posted by Cream

Any fool can repeat what we all know the club would want.

If he wins stuff, he'll be excused anything - just like Fergie was.

Oggers saying he's going nowhere

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...-a6782301.html

Originally Posted by Ethers

Oggers saying he's going nowhere

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...-a6782301.html

In short, they don't have a £#%&!ing clue

I sometimes wonder if the complexity of modern football theory has completely suffocated the inherent simplicity of the game. If the philosophy were correct in this situation, in this league, with these players, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't look so shitty.

Originally Posted by Jethro

In short, they don't have a £#%&!ing clue

"I want 750 words on Mourinho to United by 10pm."

"No-one's saying anything, boss. Woody won't answer my calls."

"Get typing, you clown."

Originally Posted by dragflick

No he's not?

Agreed. My 19th place FOTY finish has me aots.

Originally Posted by Switching Off

Agreed. My 19th place FOTY finish has me aots.

Better than I expected aswell tbf pal