100% on Mourinho that, Klopp says "fuck you very much, see you next time"...
Whenever I read posts in this forum criticizing Guardiola for lack of plan B, I don't know if I want to laugh or cry. Seriously. It's not that I am ever going to debate such posts, that decision I've made long time ago, it's totally meaningless. But still, coming from City fans, after everything they've experienced these years, it's weird, to say the least...
Anyway, while Pep has worked and prepared plans A, B, C, D and E, let's assess Spurs' performance after minute 46' for a moment. That's Mourinho's plan B for you. Because he's clever, you see. So he reacts immediately. That's what I expect he's going to tell his boss. Which he did, no doubt about it. In fact, he reacted so radically, that he accomplished two things, simultaneously : fucking his team and handing the game to the opposition. I mean, those two specific centerhalfs facing Mane, Salah and Firmino, what could possibly go wrong, right? You fucking clown...
While discussing plan A, Liverpool's first goal comes directly from their textbook. We've witnessed it dozens of times, I mean in that very first half, how many efforts did they make to force a Mane penetration? When, in theory, you have adapted your defensive structure to control the movement of that player specifically. People having watched the match may have noticed that Doherty's defensive instructions were different from Aurier's, while applying a 3 man central defense. Mourinho wouldn't mind the possibility Salah being picked up by Davies...
Aurier will be punished, stay in the dressing room. Formation will change and Winks will enter the pitch, the intention being freeing Dombele. But the problem of providing supply to him, Son and the other two, remained unsolved...
It naturally leads to the quality and flexibility of Mourinho's work, doesn't it? Personally, I don't need this game to realize that Spurs were bound to struggle against an organized defense. Which is exactly why Mourinho should continue in the same path starting second half. Having his back secure, in the process he could have made appropriate tactical adjustments, according to the reality of the match itself. Smoothly pushing the team forward, eventually winning space, bringing fresh legs, taking reasonable risks etc. The fucking point was to stay in the game, till the end. Had he and his staff read the game calmly, they would have noticed that Liverpool were ready to fuck up any moment, at the back as well as in midfield...
Following the Fulham match, Mourinho did not hesitate to directly question his players' individual skills. Hardly a surprise, of course. I've also read somewhere that he claimed Fulham should apologize if they used their first team. The man is a cretin. An absolute disgrace. I wonder who he'll blame now though. Aurier? Lloris was poor tonight, no doubt about that. But in terms of team selection, Dier in that position is his choice. And what about the guy alongside him? Who will take the blame for the third goal? Alderveireld doesn't make that error, I'm sorry. Whose decision was it to play Sanchez and Toby on Monday, then rotate them tonight? Show me a media whore with the brain and balls to ask him such questions...
As for Jurgen, he is a very lucky man -and he knows it, take my word for it. His team was one step from a complete psychological collapse tonight. Goalless for like 500 minutes, insecurity and lack of confidence were mounting. Dangerously. First goal enhanced enthusiasm, but after 1-2, even after 1-3, signs of uncertainty were more than obvious in their game. Misplacing passes, seeking defensive stability etc, throughout the 90 minutes. They had developed an expertise pressing up front, their supposedly wide players controlling two opponents each, I didn't see that tonight. And I don't remember the last time I watched 11 Liverpool players behind the ball in their own third...
That win is massive for their moral, no question about it, they were in deep deep shit. But finding themselves again, it's a process. The elements defining them as a team are there, it's the application holding them back, for a variety of reasons. It will depend on them, also on questions asked by opposition they'll face. Football dialectics, as usual. Because tonight they received a gift, they should be grateful to Jose...
PS. Introducing Bale, a player with that history, at that particular moment, with the score at 1-3, can that be considered a move aiming to help the team? A desperate final gamble perhaps? I wonder how certain players on Spurs' bench felt about that move. I also wonder if the intention was to actually expose Bale, defending his ass. In that case, it's not about the team or the player, is it? It's about him, it's about opening a dialog with his boss, it's about his image in the media...