Mourinho criticizes players and Ref after Derby Loss

[txj]

José Mourinho questioned whether some of his players were able to cope with the pressures of the Manchester derby, accusing them of “really poor individual performances” after a 2-1 defeat that finished with him heavily criticising the referee, Mark Clattenburg, as well as his own team.

Mourinho was incensed that Clattenburg did not award his team a penalty and show a red card to Claudio Bravo after Manchester City’s new goalkeeper, at fault for Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal, dived into a challenge on Wayne Rooney 11 minutes into the second half.

However, the Manchester United manager also turned on his own players for the first time since taking the job in the summer. Henrikh Mkhitaryan was substituted at half-time on his first start since signing from Borussia Dortmund. Jesse Lingard was also substituted during the interval but Mourinho said there were other players who had performed badly.

“I didn’t change after 20 minutes because I didn’t want to destroy the players,” Mourinho said. “I didn’t want to make three changes at half-time, but if it was a sport with a free number of changes I would have done it after 20 minutes. I made a couple of decisions [with the starting lineup] because I thought the individual qualities of certain players would give me what I wanted. But I didn’t get it.

“But it is not just about them. We lost the ball very easily. Even our central defenders [Eric Bailly and Daley Blind], who were top-class until today, lost easy balls. What I told them at half-time was: ‘For some of you, it looks like you are trying to do what I told you not to do.’ I had told the players 20 times never to play a first-station ball – ‘never, because they [City] want to press, so never do that’ – and they did it 20 times.

“I think some of the boys felt the dimension of the game. Everything around the game – the derby, the big game, Man United, Man City, the focus, the attention. Some of the guys, they felt it. But it had nothing to do with inexperience or age because we have the kid [Marcus Rashford] in the second half and the kid looked like he was playing in the under-18s against Salford City. It’s about the individual and how everyone reacts to the dimension of the occasion in different ways. It’s difficult to predict.”

Kevin De Bruyne had opened the scoring for City and Kelechi Iheanacho doubled their lead in the 35th minute before Ibrahimovic capitalised on Bravo’s mistake to score the goal that set up a thrilling second half. Bravo, signed from Barcelona to replace Joe Hart, had a difficult debut but Pep Guardiola was supportive of his new signing.

“Claudio Bravo’s personality showed me a lot today,” the City manager said. “Sometimes when that happens maybe the player can think: ‘It is my fault.’ Instead Claudio said: ‘OK, it’s football, we were unlucky, the situation is unlucky,’ and in the second half look what he did – he played again and again with the ball. He was amazing with his feet – saves, going to attack the ball. I am happy for him. It was not an easy first game, after two training sessions, coming here to Old Trafford, and to play with that personality means a lot.”

Mourinho was less impressed and thought the goalkeeper should have been sent off. “I know the rules of the game. It’s obvious it was a penalty and a red card for Bravo. If it was outside the box, a direct free-kick and a red card. Inside the box, it is more difficult [for a referee] because it’s a big decision and sometimes referees are like us, human, and think twice before big decisions.

“If he [Clattenburg] doesn’t think twice, it’s a penalty and a red card with a big possibility of 2-2 and a lot of time to go. We could have been talking about a completely different story. We were punished by our bad first half, my responsibility, and we were punished by Mark with his bad decisions in the second half.”


https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... le-penalty

[tunde72]

He don start.

[Tbite]

He don start.

I think he is in the right.

That was a Penalty IMO and also his players were pathetic.

[tunde72]

He don start.

I think he is in the right.

That was a Penalty IMO and also his players were pathetic.

He may be right on the penalty. ManCity too have one that was not given. But why is he criticizing his players in the press? Same thing he did that caused his downfall in Chelsea and Real Madrid.

[nemi2002]

He don start.

I think he is in the right.

That was a Penalty IMO and also his players were pathetic.

It wasn't a penalty. Bravo got the ball. Aside from that, he has has lost 9 times to Pep and won 3 times. He should be looking at himself. ..... Who saw the boy from guinea?

[YUJAM]

Mou is the reason why Bailly and Blind were exploited. In fact it took Mou a little while to recognize that DeBruyne was creating problems by stacking the CDs from midfield. This resulted in Bailly and Blind following DeBruyne when no one in midfield picked him up, resulting in openings behind the CDs that City attackers exploited

I don't think Moi should be throwing his players under the bus at this point. He should lead by example and accept responsibility when he screws up. The supposed PK was debatable but truth is his team did not play well enough to win the game or get a draw. So him moaning about PKs is pretty lame

[kajifu]

This short clown don start,hopefully his players turn on him and force him out like Chelsea players did.
He is Pep official wife,no shame in that,he should man up and accept that.

[balo]

He should bring in Neymar and Messi during the January window to solve the riddle.

[peppersoup]

The interview I listed to, he blade himself for the choice of player in the first half and blamed the referee for the second haff

[Tbite]

He don start.

I think he is in the right.

That was a Penalty IMO and also his players were pathetic.

It wasn't a penalty. Bravo got the ball. Aside from that, he has has lost 9 times to Pep and won 3 times. He should be looking at himself. ..... Who saw the boy from guinea?

Should be. It was dangerous, studs were raised.

It makes no sense if that is not a penalty, but if it was an outfield player...the outfield player would be given a red card.

Refereeing is a joke because there is no consistency.

[Dr. Wazobia]

Mou is the reason why Bailly and Blind were exploited. In fact it took Mou a little while to recognize that DeBruyne was creating problems by stacking the CDs from midfield. This resulted in Bailly and Blind following DeBruyne when no one in midfield picked him up, resulting in openings behind the CDs that City attackers exploited

I don't think Moi should be throwing his players under the bus at this point. He should lead by example and accept responsibility when he screws up. The supposed PK was debatable but truth is his team did not play well enough to win the game or get a draw. So him moaning about PKs is pretty lame

Mourinho may not be at Man U next season if he starts putting his players under too much pressure. Let it go and just move on....

[theYemster]

He don start.

I think he is in the right.

That was a Penalty IMO and also his players were pathetic.

I suppose he's completely blameless.

There penalty was iffy. Bravo got the ball clean despite showing studs. That's not the reason his team lost.

Lingard apparently was just returning from injury so perhaps he wasn't physically or mentally ready. And maybe some of the new players also needed time to settle into the physicality of the EPL before having to play in a derby.

Point is we don't know and it was Mourinho's job to figure that out...something he (and not the players) failed at. Besides his tactics in the first half doomed the team to playing catchup in the second half.

This is my problem with him...he takes all the credit for his success yet refuses to accept responsibility for his failures...just like Wenger.

[Tunisian Gooner]

And welcome to an all new episode of the "I win, they lose" show starring Jose Mourinho.

Good manager but his pre and post game shtick is getting is so stale.

[uglyoneiamagain]

The interview I listed to, he blade himself for the choice of player in the first half and blamed the referee for the second haff

Yeah I saw that too. He said the players didn't handle it well but it was his fault because he is the manager and his decisions... It wasn't a throw-them-to-the-dogs rant or anything... He actually sounded and looked humbled for a change.

[zee]

Borinho the 'football-coward' don come again oo

[Ugbowo]

I could have sworn he blamed everyone INCLUDING himself. But he should know better that this us what the narrative is going to be. This is Mou for you sha. The man speaks his mind a little too much.

[felarey]

Mourinho is spot on 100%. There were a number of players out there that didn't know what it means to play for Man Utd. They should have scored a goal or two in that 2nd half. That's why Fergie was shaking his head towards the end.

[zee]

Mourinho is spot on 100%. There were a number of players out there that didn't know what it means to play for Man Utd. They should have scored a goal or two in that 2nd half. That's why Fergie was shaking his head towards the end.

Nonsense and idiotic rantings from a .............'coward of a coach'.

[Prince]

Mourinho to make New signing in January

[green4life]

He don start.

I think he is in the right.

That was a Penalty IMO and also his players were pathetic.

It wasn't a pk. Perfect side footed tackle by Bravo. One problem with a good manager like Jose is over analyzing and over planning for every possibility. Some players won't respond well due to over thinking things as opposed to just playing their natural game. In any event, Jose shouldn't have blamed the 2 chaps who were subbed at HT.

[cic old boy]

Borinho and Manure should consider themselves lucky that the decision making of Kelechi, Nolito and Sterling needs major improvement, not to mention the missing Aguero. City should have been 6-0 in the first half.

If he and Pep had switched teams, the result would most likely have been the same. One coach is proactive and set up his team to play football, using space and movement. While the other coach set up his team to be reactive and try and capitalise on the other side's mistakes. So the fault for handing over the initiative to City is the coach's and it didn't matter which players he picked.

City took the game to Manure and were rewarded for their positivity.

[anikulapo]

Mourinho to make New signing in January

[wanaj0]

This short clown don start,hopefully his players turn on him and force him out like Chelsea players did.
He is Pep official wife,no shame in that,he should man up and accept that.

Exactly. Wenger is however official wife to Pep and Mourinho