Let's just counter-attack..? (Says Mourinho)

[Toronto Villa]

I feel sorry for Lambert, we were so close with our 20% possession strategy

No he changed it after he met with Pep. It's just that he left the meeting a few minutes before Pep revealed that he needed to ensure the new 60% possession was in the opponents half and not outside our own box.

[Ivo Stas]

Even if we had mourinho we'd be fucked.

Aitor Karanka is very much a Mourinho protégé. He was his assistant at Real Madrid. Using the methods learnt from Mourinho, Middlesborough have:

- the best defensive record in the Championshipt (only 12 goals conceded).
- clocked up 15 clean sheets in the league.
- recorded nine straight home league clean sheets.
- only conceded two league goals at home all season.

[tomd2103]

Even if we had mourinho we'd be fucked.

Aitor Karanka is very much a Mourinho protégé. He was his assistant at Real Madrid. Using the methods learnt from Mourinho, Middlesborough have:

- the best defensive record in the Championshipt (only 12 goals conceded).
- clocked up 15 clean sheets in the league.
- recorded nine straight home league clean sheets.
- only conceded two league goals at home all season.

He's done a good job there and it seems to given the club a massive lift.  Chris Hughton deserves credit for the job he has done at Brighton since he has been there as well. 

[john e]

What happens when both sides play the same counter attacking football

[KevinGage]

Mourinho's teams have never been as entertaining as his press conferences.

Years ago, there were comparisons with Cloughie; both big personalities and both had regular run-ins with authority. But that is where the comparison ends for me.   Old Big Ead was off the cuff, his idea of a good pre season was taking his players to the Red Light District in Amsterdam. Mourinho is probably the most organised manager in the game, relying on detailed dossiers even when his side have a plum FA Cup draw against Third Division opponents.

He is a safety conscious, risk averse manager.  But I don't recall many of his sides consistently posting the same dismal possession stats as O'Neill's and Lambert's in particular.

You can be a counter attacking side and still appreciate the value of possession. Clough's sides were in that mould, they would draw sides in and then Clough jnr would pull them apart with a sharp pass. The Arsenal side with Henry, Pires and co were probably the best exponents of counter attacking football I have seen - to the point that sides would be wary of winning a corner against them.

But they would dominate possession too.  They were just absolutely ruthless when they sensed even half a chance.

[Sexual Ealing]

Apart from his time with Vittoria Guimares (I don't know for sure whether that's who he started with, or whether that's how you spell their name) he's always worked with the one of the biggest/richest teams in whichever league he's been in. His ideas just aren't relevant with a terrible squad like ours. At Inter, Porto, Chelsea etc you can be reasonably sure that the players you give instructions to will be able to carry them out.

[Cut to] Gestede, on all-fours, being hit square in the middle of the eyes by a frisbee[Cut away].

[brian green]

Counter attacking sides need players with the confidence, technique and vision to play the ball that tips the scales from defence to attack in a second. With the possible exception of Veretout we have nobody good enough to play the counter attacking game.

What we get, at best is Hutton galumphing forward and shovelling the ball across, at worst cross field passes in our own half until one of our players panics and gives the ball away or passes it back to Guzan to kick for the spot-the-ball photograph.

[PaulTheVillan]

Counter attacking sides need to play with tempo.

Most of our players can't control or use a football at the slowest pace.

We have no hope.

[Dave Cooper please]

What happens when both sides play the same counter attacking football

It becomes basketball.

[oldhill_avfc]

You don't have to be Mouriniho to spot the bloody obvious.

I said all this on another thread weeks ago, ie we should get rid of the weaknesses in our team and style of play - shore up the defence with 3 in the centre.  Do away with the full backs - play wing backs.  Empty the midfield - 1 defensive midfielder.  Then play with pace up front on the counetr attack.

Of course we would still have been shit - but at least we would have tried to address our obvious inability to play tip-tap football in the midfield which creates nothing and ultimately concedes possession to the opposition.

Now, where's my £100k per week?