Jose Mourinho says...

[Citizenhill]

I would say at the moment Real Madrid are pretty even with Chelsea, City, and United in terms of quality, all 3 English teams have stronger defenses.

Barcelona undoubtedly has the greatest quality player for player but as we've seen that doesn't necessarily mean anything as they finished the season almost empty handed.

Real Madrid and Chelsea should not even be considered as even, Real are far, far better. Same goes with us and United on paper and most of the time on the pitch, Real are just unlucky that Barcelona's best ever team arguably corresponds with a good collection of players they have.

 

[GHoddle]

Madrid have a miles better team than United and Chelsea.

No comparison.

Well let's break that down a bit.

First of all, you're saying that a team that hasn't made a CL final in around a decade, is currently better than two teams who have contested 5 CL finals since 2008 between them, and won 2 of them? They also both played a CL final in the last 2 seasons consecutively, with Chelsea winning and Utd losing. That doesn't make much sense if football is supposed to be based on results.

Second, we can compare them to find out. I would say United and Chelsea have an overall better defense, especially back 4. Casillas is the only "world class" player in Madrid's defense, whereas at Chelsea for instance you could make arguments for Cole, Cech, Terry, and Ivanovic. Certainly players like Ramos, Pepe, and Arbeloa could be improved upon.

Madrid would have a far more formidable midfield if they manage to get Modric from us, but at the moment Alonso and Khedira form a pretty good midfield but not necessarily better than Scholes and Carrick, or Oscar/Lampard and Ramires.

Madrid do have an outstanding attacking 4, but we also don't know how well Chelsea's attack will gel together. If their new signings are as good as people say, then Oscar, Hazard, Mata, and Torres could be as good as Madrid's front 4. Rooney, Kagawa, Nani, and Valencia is also a very strong looking front 4 and United might get Lucas Moura as well.

So overall I would say there doesn't appear to be much in it for me at least, Madrid don't have the record of results to suggest that they are any better than United/Chelsea though.

 

[DaveTheYid]

Madrid have a miles better team than United and Chelsea.

No comparison.

Well let's break that down a bit.

First of all, you're saying that a team that hasn't made a CL final in around a decade, is currently better than two teams who have contested 5 CL finals since 2008 between them, and won 2 of them? They also both played a CL final in the last 2 seasons consecutively, with Chelsea winning and Utd losing. That doesn't make much sense if football is supposed to be based on results.

Second, we can compare them to find out. I would say United and Chelsea have an overall better defense, especially back 4. Casillas is the only "world class" player in Madrid's defense, whereas at Chelsea for instance you could make arguments for Cole, Cech, Terry, and Ivanovic. Certainly players like Ramos, Pepe, and Arbeloa could be improved upon.

Madrid would have a far more formidable midfield if they manage to get Modric from us, but at the moment Alonso and Khedira form a pretty good midfield but not necessarily better than Scholes and Carrick, or Oscar/Lampard and Ramires.

Madrid do have an outstanding attacking 4, but we also don't know how well Chelsea's attack will gel together. If their new signings are as good as people say, then Oscar, Hazard, Mata, and Torres could be as good as Madrid's front 4. Rooney, Kagawa, Nani, and Valencia is also a very strong looking front 4 and United might get Lucas Moura as well.

So overall I would say there doesn't appear to be much in it for me at least, Madrid don't have the record of results to suggest that they are any better than United/Chelsea though.

How is Cech,Terry and Ivanovic World Class?
and Ramos and Pepe not world class?

Cech has been crap for a very long time.
Terry lacks pace and gets exposed unless you play deep and Ivanovich is not a natural RB and he is extremely clumsy and Real Madrid would not swap a young and improving Coentrao or Marcelo for Ashley Cole who is reaching the end of his career.

Chelsea's attack is nowhere near Madrid's level, Mata,Hazard and Oscar would not get into Real Madrid's team and that's a fact as Ozil,Ronaldo and Di Maria are better than Chelsea's creative players and Benzema/Higuain or Torres is a no comparison as Torres has been utter crap for a good while now, As for United's attack, Nani and Valencia are inferior versions of Di Maria and Ronaldo and United lack an "Ozil" type player anyway, Rooney is probably better than Benzema/Higuain so I agree on that one.

Alonso and Khedira are a much better pairing than a old scholes and Carrick, Also why do you think Oscar/Lampard and Ramires is a midfield 2? Ramires is not a defensive midfield player.

As for managers, Mourinho is streets ahead of Di Matteo.

 

[Roll On City]

Not sure if it's Hala Madrid... or Haha Mourinho's Madrid

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz_uaFjFzhU[/youtube]

 

[cookster]

It's sweet when the Madrid pimps get beat. Already 5 points behind Barca ;)

 

[Roll On City]

It's sweet when the Madrid pimps get beat. Already 5 points behind Barca ;)

Yep, I'm Lovin' It ... Haha Madrid lol

 

[CityCTID]

Not sure if it's Hala Madrid... or Haha Mourinho's Madrid

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz_uaFjFzhU[/youtube]

Madrid have far too many outstanding players to play the way they do. This is a result of Mourinho's cautious overly defensive tactics. The same thing lost him his job at Chelsea. A nobody from Israel replaced him and the team started playing better and more attractive football. Mourinho is incapable of any positive innovation or beautiful style, he is good as tactics that make it difficult for the opponent to play their style. Madrid would be much better if they fire him and hire an attacking minded positive manager.

 

[sam-caddick]

Guillem Balague had a point on Revista last week. He reckons Mourinho is an impact manager, he will come into what would be an already very good squad that is not doing what its capabilities are and will max out its potential.

He might want a good transfer kitty as well to help him out.

He says thats all the team talks Mourinho would have said last year for them to win the title in the fashion they did might wear off now as the players have heard it all before - losing a little ambition and harder to get the team motivated.

For me, it has been the same at Chelsea, Inter and what it looks like at the moment Real Madrid.
Mourinho will no doubt win you trophies but it will come at a cost, plus I can never see him staying at a club for more than a couple of years. Everyone talks about Mourinho being the successor to Ferguson but I cannot see it - he will be higher paid than Fergie and will demand a good transfer wallet - too costly in my opinion.

 

[ElanJo]

He's probably right but the top 6 of a LL/PL table would be filled in by english clubs tho

(in no particular order)
Barca
Real
City
Utd
Chelsea
Arsenal (tho maybe not atm)