Premier League roundtable: United beginning to look like a Mourinho team
This weekend in the Premier League, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United won their third match in a row, Bournemouth were soundly beaten by Southampton and Manchester City came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1. In our weekly roundtable, FanSided’s soccer staff share their reactions.
Mourinho making his mark
Dan Voicescu, @fiveboroball
If you ever wanted to understand Jose Mourinho’s blueprint for success, this was one of the more demonstrative games in that regard. It took all of five minutes for Manchester United to get on the board, following a textbook counterattack, made up of only three touches, starting with Antonio Valencia’s beautiful long ball into Jesse Lingard’s path and a perfect cross onto Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s forehead. Three touches, five seconds and United found themselves in the driver’s seat, ready to follow the Mourinho formula.
From that point on it was a case of Mourinho’s quintessential low-risk, low-reward approach, focusing on staying disciplined, avoiding giveaways and preserving the goal advantage.
Along with the edge on the scoreboard, the goal instilled a boost of confidence, allowing the United midfielders to buzz around the field, pass the ball with conviction and generally look much more poised and self assured than they had for most of September and October. Without committing numbers forward, United were looking to pick their spots in attack by isolating Wayne Rooney and Lingard one-on-one with the fullbacks on the flanks and looking for quick one-touch combinations to get the final through ball to one of their three forwards.
It’s not that this Mourinho team is playing any differently in terms of formation and approach than the earlier version of Manchester United this season, or last season’s Chelsea teams. The formation was essentially a very flexible 4-3-3, emphasizing Lingard’s speed and distribution from the flanks, the tremendous ability of Ibrahimovic as lone center forward, the no-nonsense, clean game of Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera in central midfield, and the shutdown defense provided by the center-back pairing of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo.
This United team seems to have found the chemistry to enable them to optimize their skill set. There is very little innovative or creative in the Mourinho formula for success. What makes it successful is the simple fact that a no-nonsense, disciplined approach will yield better results when said approach is executed by world class players.
The difference in class was on full display as Ibrahimovic doubled United’s lead through a brilliant individual effort. This is classic Mourinho — ensure nothing bad happens, and the success will naturally follow from the sheer quality of the players. Again, easier said than done, but the entire mechanism at United seems to be molded by Mourinho’s conservative philosophy. “Avoid errors at all costs and good things will happen” is one way to describe what Mourinho is trying to instill at United. None of the teams Mourinho was in charge of truly valued possession of the ball, and United are no exception. The reason is fairly simple: the more time you have the ball, the more likely you are to commit a mistake, the more “opportunities” you have to turn the ball over.
This is also a reason why players who need more time on the ball to create, to set up a positional attack have no future under Mourinho. Players like Juan Mata and Eden Hazard are not likely to thrive unless they’re given a certain level of creative freedom. This may boil down to the way the Special One rates substance over style, with the implication being that crafty players may not get a chance to contribute to substantive results on his watch.
A gifted player like Paul Pogba is having a tough adjustment at Manchester United and it’s not clear whether it’s because of the rigors of the Premier League or the limitations imposed by Mourinho in the locker room as he attempts to mold Pogba into just another effective cog in his machine.
From a neutral fan’s perspective, the major downside is that we may be deprived of a much more appealing brand of soccer, a more free flowing style that a congregation of players with the level of talent available on the Manchester United books could be able to showcase.
However, this is Mourinho’s world — we’re just living in it. The same issues were raised during his tenure at Real Madrid as the Spanish giants employed a counterattacking style worthy of a mid-table team.
United seem to be hitting their stride at the moment. With a favorable schedule ahead of them (they play Sunderland, Middlesbrough and West Ham next) they should be able to continue to pile up the wins, climb up the standings and to an extent validate Mourinho’s tactics.
For all the talk of the over-reliance on the legs of 35-year old Ibrahimovic it was really surprising to see the Swede on the pitch up until the final whistle, especially with Mourinho recognizing before this game the need to manage his aging forward’s minutes optimally.
The other interesting question is whether the return of Chris Smalling from injury will disrupt the current starting center-back duo of Jones and Marcos Rojo. Smart money says you never tinker with a winning formula. However, when it comes to predicting Mourinho’s next move there really is no smart money.
Howe has a way to go to make case for Arsenal job
James Dudko, @JamesDudko
Eddie Howe isn’t ready to succeed Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. Bournemouth boss Howe is the media choice, the mass-anointed darling expected to become Arsenal’s first new manager since 1996. It’s almost become accepted wisdom. He’s even been tipped for the England job.
Scratch a little beneath the surface, though, and you won’t see a manager ready for the big time.
You won’t see a manager able to take Arsenal above where they are under Wenger. The second half of Wenger’s lengthy tenure has been disappointing, although mitigating circumstances have payed their part. Notably, the cost of building the Emirates Stadium. There’s also been the rise of the petro-dollars at both Chelsea and Manchester City.
Yet outside influences, overwhelming though they may be, aren’t enough to alter the bottom line. Wenger’s won just two FA Cups after winning four cups and three league titles from 1998-2005.
This season was supposed to be different for Arsenal, but Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, the Gunners’ second 2-1 reversal in a week, has left Wenger’s men nine points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea. Wenger’s contract runs out in the summer, and he’s indicated he won’t carry on if he’s not making progress.
The onlookers think Howe is the right man to replace him. Think again.
Shortly before Wenger’s team capitulated in Manchester, Howe watched his Bournemouth side taken apart at home by a Southampton outfit ironically coached by former Wenger player Claude Puel. It was the Cherries’ fourth defeat out of seven, one damaging enough to drop them to 10th.
Howe has Bournemouth punching above their weight just by guiding the club to the foot of the top 10 in England’s top flight. But the story isn’t a fairy tale starring a plucky upstart. Indeed, in their own way, Howe and Bournemouth have benefited from the type of outside investment that’s propelled City and Chelsea above Arsenal.
Russian millionaire Maxim Denim bankrolled Bournemouth’s rise from Championship outfit to Premier League newbies after purchasing a controlling stake during the 2010-11 season.
It’s all context, and context is relative, but Howe has had money to spend thanks to Denim. A look at how he’s spent it should give any top club considering a change of manager cause for pause.
It wasn’t until the 73rd minute against Southampton that Jordon Ibe came off the bench. The ex-Liverpool winger entered the game after one-time Arsenal prospect Benik Afobe had already been subbed on. Ibe cost the Cherries a club-record £15 million. Afobe was purchased for around £10 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers last January. He’s started just twice in the last five games, while Ibe has been on the bench for all of them.
A club the size of Bournemouth, whose Vitality Stadium only houses a Premier League-low 11,464, can’t afford the luxury of leaving nearly £25 million worth of talent on the bench. When they do, it raises questions about Howe’s ability to get value for money in the transfer market. That would be a problem since Arsenal generally still have to be selective about competing financially with the rest of the top four.
Of course, Howe is usually touted as Wenger’s successor because of his adherence to stylish, passing soccer, a trait long embodied by the Frenchman. Howe’s fidelity to attractive, attacking soccer is to his credit, but it shouldn’t be considered reason enough for him to take over at Arsenal.
Wenger’s steadfast refusal (to some) to abandon stylistics for pragmatism is often viewed as a major reason why the Gunners haven’t been winning major trophies. Would Howe do the same? Could he?
Howe’s principles are also doing little to improve the game of Arsenal loanee Jack Wilshere. The brittle midfielder is playing more often at Bournemouth, but he’s still struggling to move the ball quickly and see runners between the lines. End product has eluded Wilshere at Arsenal, and continues to do so with the Cherries, where the 24-year-old has provided just a single assist.
Wilshere should be the star of the show on Howe’s studied watch, not still struggling to assert himself.
This is isn’t intended as an all-out rebuttal of the fine work Howe has done at Bournemouth. He’s a capable tactician of considerable promise. But he’s not ready for the big time just yet.
When Arsenal do come to replace Wenger, they must look for a manager who will lift them above third- and fourth-placed finishes. Above cup wins.
The club needs progress in Europe. Such progress demands a manager with top-level experience and a pedigree in the UEFA Champions League.
Howe might maintain Arsenal’s status quo, but the Gunners must aim for more.
Familiar failures raise familiar questions for Wenger
Peter Johnstone, @9PniJ2
This season could finally be the end of Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman has had a long and illustrious time in charge of Arsenal, but it’s time for him to step down. The Gunners’ performance at the Etihad on Sunday was a prime example of why Wenger can do no more for this club.
Arsenal took the lead inside five minutes, and Manchester City looked woeful at the back. Although the Gunners looked like the better side going forward they never really created another clear cut chance in the first half. They seemed to lack structure which in turn led to them running out of ideas in the final third. Instead of marauding up and down the right wing, Hector Bellerin was often found more centrally in the final third and on more than one occasion he had an appalling attempt on goal. Mesut Ozil was non-existent for the most part and, besides the assist for Arsenal’s goal, Alexis Sanchez didn’t provide much going forward. Their failure to get a second goal would come back to haunt them early in the second half, when Leroy Sane equalized. However, there can be no excuses for the way they performed in the second period. The only answer is that Wenger has run out of ideas himself.
Instead of firing up his side to come out and grab a second, which would probably see them win the match, it appeared that Wenger opted for a more defensive strategy. This game-plan quickly became irrelevant when City scored, but judging by the performance it looked like some of the Arsenal players might not have even noticed that goal. Normally when a side of Arsenal’s quality concede, they produce a good response and their opposition need to be weary. The Gunners could barely even muster a whimper, and Pep Guardiola’s side went on to take a firmer grip on the game.
Wenger brought on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in an attempt to shake things up, but the England international had little to no effect on the game and then came off injured. Even Wenger’s super sub of the season, Olivier Giroud, was completely ineffective and Arsenal didn’t have a shot on target in the second half. Earlier on in the season, I was singing Arsenal and Wenger’s praises for some of their gritty performances and I was finally beginning to believe Arsenal could actually win the title again. However, after watching their performance against Manchester City I agree with those Arsenal supporters who want rid of Wenger.
Arsenal are normally so disciplined in the way they play. Going forward they’re usually a joy to watch but this season their attack has not been as fluid and free-flowing as recent years. The Gunners style is the main reason I always defended Wenger in arguments over whether Arsenal should get rid of him or not. That, coupled with his ability to create this brand of soccer with minimal big money signings, is what makes him such a great manager. None of this was on display against City.
There has been speculation over the futures of Sanchez and Ozil and after this weekend I would be surprised if both of them are at the club next season. Both those players are a class above anyone else in the Arsenal team and they won’t stick around for the odd FA Cup victory here or there. This season may finally be the end of the road for Wenger. Unless he changes things quickly, he could be remembered for the wrong reasons.