Match Day Southampton v Man Utd, Saturday 23rd September 15:00

[SALTIRE]

Match chat.

 

[johnnytodd]

0-0 goals

 

[Jamie_SFC]

Unlucky to lose that but United done well to soak up our pressure and get the three points.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Ground out an important 3 points. Job done.

 

[Super_horns]

What was Jose sent off for?

 

[JimJams]

Stepping on the pitch.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

A poster I've read on another site who says she was at the game and in the stand fairly close to the dugouts says Maurinho infringed out of the technical area and onto the pitch several times and was spoken to by the fourth official at least twice that she saw.

If that's correct then wouldn't it be just like Jose?

The bloke can't help himself. He has to push the envelope and test people's patience. He's like a child sometimes, whose obstinate, recalcitrant attitude towards authority gets him into trouble time after time.

In the end, the fourth official's patience was exhausted and he called the referee over. The ref clearly wasn't going to mess about with somebody who just won't listen. Maurinho was sent to the stand and will most likely find himself in front of the FA yet again.

Was it a petty issue? Well, perhaps on the surface of things it was. He was only just over the mark and the ball wasn't close by so he didn't interfere with play. Jose may argue that he didn't realise he'd encroached.

But whenever Jose is involved in what appears to be a minor infringement of the rules, you can't help having the sneaking feeling that it wouldn't end there. On the touchline this week turns into further onto the pitch next week. Chip away at the boundaries..... Always go a little further if you think you might get away with it.

Is he (as he sometimes claims) a "marked man?" I'm not so sure. I think referees are honest men who don't go out of their way to victimise anybody. That's just my opinion, likewise, if ever a man hanged himself with his own rope, it's Jose Maurinho.

When will he ever learn.?

 

[HarvSFC]

It was actually a smart move from Mourinho. We were dominant in the second half, but Mourinho knows how to win games fairly and by his own tactics. Yesterday was an example of the latter, throwing on the physios for every Manchester United player that went down in the second half, bringing a halt to the play and killing off our momentum and then he knows he can't step out onto the pitch, but he did it in added time as we were breaking on the attack (I wonder why).

 

[Super_horns]

Yes - you had a corner at the time and it actually wasted time giving them a chance to get organised.

Very sly.

Wasn't aware Mourinho had been warned a number of times not to encroach but maybe shouldn't be surprised.

He didn't seem that fussed after wards either so must have know he was wrong.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

Well, it hadn't occurred to me that he would do such things as a tactical move, but now you come to mention it, I'm not surprised that he might.

But what goes around comes around and if that's the case then there will come a day when somebody does that to his team in a tight contest. Karma's gonna get ya in the end, Jose.

It's all a bit cheesy though, isn't it...? And what does it say about the confidence (or lack of it) that he has in his team to defend a slim lead..?

If Manchester United's self belief is so fragile that their manager feels he needs to resort to such tactics, then it doesn't say much for them or him.

 

[Nilsson]

 

[Bilo]

And what does it say about the confidence (or lack of it) that he has in his team to defend a slim lead..?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He's just trying to gain an advantage.

 

[Cornish Piskie]

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He's just trying to gain an advantage.

I disagree. If he had confidence in his team and himself as a coach, shouldn't the ability of his players and the skills he has taught them be all the advantage he needs..?

Not only does such action display a lack of trust in the abilities of his players, but it also exhibits a casual attitude towards dubious practices which doesn't reflect well on either him or his team.

Brian Clough once told the Leeds players to throw all their medals in the bin because they won them by cheating. I could admire a man like that far more than a Maurinho. And Clough won the European Cup twice too.

I'm sure Jose isn't the only one who does it and in all probability Southampton in a similar situation might do the same. But that doesn't make it acceptable.

Perhaps I'm a bit naive about sport. I'll put my hands up to that. But I've never been comfortable with the idea that if everybody does it then it must be alright and may the best cheat win.

I was brought up to play fair and either win by my skills or lose by the lack of them and then work harder to improve.

That's probably why I've never become a top sportswoman, but I'm comfortable with that.

 

[Skinner]

It's no different to when most other managers install their team to time waste from kick-off, especially for goal kicks and throw ins.

It's Mourinho by the way, with an O.