Has Jose Mourinho been sacked?

[Stevencc]

blackburns start in 95/96 was awful.....7 points in first 8 games i believe.

Chelsea will be fine, i fully expect them to be there or their abouts comes May. A few weeks ago man city were walking the league, United are now top, their next 3 games will surely see them drop down. It's september....long way to go.

Stop using logic and sense - City have already won the league....apparently.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

No they didn't.

If Jonny said they did, then they did.

Who are we to try and use facts to prove him wrong?

 

[HertsWolf]

1987 Everton lost the first 3 games and won the league

23 Aug 1986 Everton 2 v 0 Nottingham Forest
25 Aug 1986 Sheffield Weds 2 v 2 Everton
30 Aug 1986 Coventry City 1 v 1 Everton

You may be confusing it with 1990-91 when Everton lost the first three games and didn't win the League.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

23 Aug 1986 Everton 2 v 0 Nottingham Forest
25 Aug 1986 Sheffield Weds 2 v 2 Everton
30 Aug 1986 Coventry City 1 v 1 Everton

You may be confusing it with 1990-91 when Everton lost the first three games and didn't win the League.

And the year after

 

[Letsby Avenue]

As we move from 'ink media' to "web media" ~ newspaper sales dying daily ~~ Jose would be on a cross just 5 years ago. With the photoshops etc.

Had he been there 5 years ago that is.
He is, as has been often said, a man without humour. He can't make a joke without it seeming vindictive and nasty.
Hansen said years ago that it was a problem for Jose.
Brian Clough got away with his range of comments because he was funny.
Jose doesn't because he don't know "funny" ~ they just comes across as 'cheap shots'
Lost in translation ?? Or understanding??

He was NEVER ON PLOT ~ imo ~~ he was a good defensive coach, who had, over his time at Chelsea, 3 really brilliant outlets. One retired. One suspect and one on the 'not-happy-step'.
He ain't Kelly Holmes.

"The richest managers are the ones most sacked"
Jose Mourhino 2004

 

[merseyboyred]

blackburns start in 95/96 was awful.....7 points in first 8 games i believe.

The issue there is they won the title in 94/95.

 

[Munkiki]

Has a title winning team ever had a run of 8 points from 7 games before? It's all well and good saying this is a bad start but surely someone, somewhere has had a spell like this and still won?

Since the 3 point for a win system was introduced (1981):

Least points from eventual champion in first 7 games
9pts - 1981/82 Liverpool (W2 D3 L2)
11pts - 2002/03 Man Utd (W3 D2 L2), 1984/85 Everton (W3 D2 L2)
13pts - 2013/14 Man City (W4 D1 L2), 2010/11 Man Utd (W3 D4 L0), 1996/97 Man Utd (W3 D4 L0), 1992/93 Man Utd (W4 D1 L2), 1988/89 Arsenal (W4 D1 L2)

Worst run of 7 games by eventual champion
2pts - 1982/83 Liverpool (W0 D2 L5) [clear by 16 points with 7 games remaining, they lost 5 and won none in their run-in but still won the title by 11pts)
5pts - 1992/93 Man Utd (W0 D5 L2) [went on a run of 5 draws followed by back-to-back defeats late September to early November, a 10 game unbeaten run (winning 8) put them back with Norwich & Villa in the title race by the new year and after a tussle won their final 7 games to leave both in the dust]
7pts - 1997/98 Arsenal (W2 D1 L4) [amongst the frontrunners early in the season, a poor run up to Christmas saw them drop to 6th before going 18 unbeaten (winning 15) - they lost their last 2 games but the title was won by then]
7pts - 1986/87 Everton (W2 D1 L4) [unbeaten in first 7 went on to lose 4 in next 7 but recovered to win 20 of their remaining 28)
7pts - 1985/86 Liverpool (W1 D4 L2) [stuttered around December but rallied to win 11 of last 12]

also matching Chelsea's run this season: 8pts - Man Utd (W2 D2 L3) in 95/96 & 96/97

 

[Kyle Hatch]

i must be mistaken, i took his meaning to be, a worst start AFTER winning the title, not a worst start and going on to WIN the title....thus my blackburn comment, munkiki comment above suits the latter.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Also interesting to note that last year's dominant Italian Champions Juve have 5 points from their opening 6 matches this term and that Dortmund found themselves embroiled in a relegation battle for much of last season, so Chelsea's woeful form perhaps isn't that exceptional.

It's really difficult to ascertain exactly what's wrong with the side at the moment though. There were some warning signs in the latter half of last season but they still largely had the capacity to grind out results when it mattered. That no longer seems to be the case. I've rarely seem a Chelsea defence look so ragged but, in all honesty, they've not been getting a lot of protection from the midfield, and the attack's also appeared pretty blunt. Too porous at the back but also too ponderous to be an effective counter-attacking side, the problems are pretty much everywhere. One of my major concerns last year was a lack of squad depth and I think that's probably still applicable this season - when the first eleven aren't performing I'm not sure the replacements are of a sufficiently high calibre to step in. And there are simply too many poor performers this season - no idea how the dreadful Ivanovic* is still holding down a place, Fabregas has been a huge disappointment and pretty much everyone else has been indifferent at best. My biggest worry is that Mourinho doesn't seem to know how to arrest this decline. I thought the Arsenal result may have been a turning point in this regard but that looks to have been a bit of a false dawn.

*he's been a fine servant for the club so I don't really like describing him in these terms but he really has been diabolical this season. I know he didn't enjoy the best of starts either but I really do think Terry needs to be restored to the defence, for his leadership qualities if nothing else.

 

[Nilsson]

Also interesting to note that last year's dominant Italian Champions Juve have 5 points from their opening 6 matches this term...

Juve have been awful in Serie A but you can somewhat attribute that to losing key players like Pirlo, Vidal and Tevez and bringing in a lot of new players. Chelsea haven't made any significant changes and all of their key players from last season have been underwhelming, I think that's the most shocking thing. The back four, which was so reliable last season, seems all at sea with Mourinho having no idea how to sort it out and Hazard and Fabregas are offering very little to no creative spark. I have a feeling this poor form could last longer than most would expect.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

I think that failing to sufficiently strengthen your squad can occasionally prove to be as damaging as losing top players - if there's little competition for places you run the risk of your players becoming complacent and stagnating. It doesn't really seem to provide adequate explanation for Chelsea's dire form though. Some of these guys, now barely recognisable as the same players, were phenomenal this time last season. I too feel this could last some time...

 

[BlueBee]

Mourinho has to start by dropping Fabregas. There's no place in a team, which demands immensely high work rate, for a player who can barely run or win a 50/50. I feel sorry for Matic....he's doing the work of two players in that defensive midfield position. Ruben Loftus Cheek has proved he's physically up to the task....he's proved he's got an eye for a pass....He can also take a man on....it's time for him to make that his position.

Then you've got to ask yourself who plays the number 10 role out of Oscar and Fabregas, it's a pretty easy decision. Hazard has vastly underperformed this season, he's come back unfit and overweight....that said he's still doing far more than any other attacking player so he has to play. Willian takes the other wide position.

He's then got to drop Ivanovic....shift Azpilicueta back to his natural position and stick Baba Rahman at LB.

Terry has to play....this whole nonsense that he's being dropped because he isn't very quick is complete shite....he's always been slow. Something has gone on behind the scenes between Mourinho and JT....it's the only logical explanation for him being sat on the bench.

Begovic
Azpilicueta Zouma Terry Baba
Ruben Matic
Willian Oscar Hazard
Costa

That's the team to take us forward.

 

[G-Dragon]

Chelsea are finished. Wonder what will happen when Roman gets tired and fucks off.

 

[Whitechapel]

Chelsea are finished. Wonder what will happen when Roman gets tired and fucks off.

Even I'm bored of using that line now. Roman's money helped a great deal into turning Chelsea into a big club, they are slowly becoming a huge brand which will need less and less help from him. By the time he wants to jump ship the stabilisers will be off.

I don't think they'll slip into decline that easily.

 

[BlueBee]

It's amazing that people still believe he'll just wake up one morning and think fuck it and do one. Only way he's leaving is if he dies....and the club would be passed on to his son....who loves the club even more so than his father.

We're already a huge 'brand' across the world....even a year or two of mediocrity wouldn't change that.

 

[Pagnell]

One of the issues Chelsea have is that Mourinho has such a gargantuan ego he'd sooner let the club's results suffer rather than admit to a mistake. An example of this is that I really can see John Terry only being reinstated to the starting lineup if results pick up before hand, then Mourinho can pretend (to himself at least) that dropping him was the correct decision. But Chelsea need to get used to life without him anyway, perhaps part of the reason he's been dropped is that Mourinho is aware this is likely to be his last season.

Roman's money helped a great deal into turning Chelsea into a big club...

Understatement. Said wonga turned Chelsea from a top 4 club and occasional domestic cup winner to consistent title winners and the first London club to win the Champions League.

 

[JoshBCFC]

23 Aug 1986 Everton 2 v 0 Nottingham Forest
25 Aug 1986 Sheffield Weds 2 v 2 Everton
30 Aug 1986 Coventry City 1 v 1 Everton

You may be confusing it with 1990-91 when Everton lost the first three games and didn't win the League.

*plastic fan alert* *plastic fan alert*

 

[Nath]

Yes, he has.

 

[G-Dragon]

He is on the wings ready to replace Mourinho

 

[Blitzballer]

 

[JoshBCFC]

Looks like Jose could be a goner.

 

[The Iron]

 

[Pagnell]

I can't remember ever enjoying a manager going through the mill as much as this.

 

[BlueBee]

Apparently the reason he persists with Ivanovic in the side is because without him we don't have enough tall players In the side.

Jesus fucking christ.

 

[Pagnell]

I never thought I'd ever see Chelsea fans turn on Mourinho. The guy has literally always shit gold according to them. It's great.

 

[smat]

Telegraph says the CFC bigwigs met about Mourinho's future this weekend and he has survived for now, but doesn't have the support he used to and they're pretty fed up with his behaviour. The international break has come at a very good time for him.

Oh I do hope he can turn it round.

 

[Pagnell]

So do I, but only until we get Klopp (if that's FSG's plan) to stop him being an option for them. It goes without saying they would currently be the preferable option for all but the maddest of managers.

 

[smat]

Chelsea statement:

The club wants to make it clear that Jose continues to have our full support.

As Jose has said himself, results have not been good enough and the team's performances must improve. However, we believe that we have the right manager to turn this season around and that he has the squad with which to do it.

Matt Law (Telegraph) thinks it's the first time they have ever done this during the Abramovich era. The last sentence reads more like a "shut up and get on with it" than a vote of confidence.

 

[Gallen10]

Quite nice to see Chelsea lose but it won't last very long. They have the players to turn it around.
Ivanovic needs a spell on the sidelines and Matic needs another defensive minded player next to him for a spell to shore things up and get the team confident again. Perhaps even play Cesc further up with Hazard and Oscar/Pedro either side of him and Remy trying to get on the end of the through balls.

As good as a keeper Begovic is, you can't underestimate how much losing Courtois does to the defence as well.

 

[smat]

Charged with misconduct following his bonkers comments about officials at the weekend.