At the start of Jose Mourinho’s second season in his second spell at Chelsea, one that ultimately yielded a Premier League title, the ethos of the illustrious coach seemed to have shifted substantially.
The Blues began the campaign with a swagger and, as is uncharacteristic for the Portuguese’s teams, a cavalier attacking flair. Chelsea scored 15 goals in their first four games, with intricate, technical stars such as Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard thriving.
It was a deviation from the functional and physical football we’ve been used to from Mourinho’s Chelsea sides. And even though it was working well, when the table-topping Blues fell to a 5-3 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on January 1, something changed. Mourinho reverted to type and Chelsea churned their way to a Premier League title.
As Mourinho stands on the brink of a new challenge at Manchester United, those performances early in 2014-15 come to mind. Because it’s that expansive blueprint he’ll likely put back on the drawing board for his Old Trafford tenure.
He has to. While results weren’t outstanding under his predecessor Louis van Gaal, the stagnant style adopted by the Dutchman was so at odds with the mantras instilled by iconic boss Sir Alex Ferguson it became insufferable. If his summer recruitment is an indicator, that’s an issue Mourinho is keen to address.
Eric Bailly is an aggressive, front-foot defender, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan was one of the most creative players in European football last term. Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the enigmatic talisman the Red Devils have craved and Paul Pogba, the most expensive player in history, is the epitome of the United essence; he’s powerful, direct, skilful and has an unshakeable footballing arrogance.
Should the latter trio mesh, United will be a force of nature in attack. But what Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic and Pogba—not to mention Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney—require to be at their absolute best is freedom of movement on the field. Each is a kindred attacking spirit who craves the flexibility to torment opponents as they please.
Some managers would afford them license to interchange and roam. Although, briefs spells aside, that’s never been the Mourinho method.
Expect it to be early in his United career. A willingness to get supporters invigorated at the beginning of a new campaign and a relatively modest early fixture list—clashes with AFC Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull City will be the Red Devils’ first three games—will give Mourinho the chance to do that.
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But when United slip up, which they will in such an unforgiving division, how will Mourinho react given the expectation on him and his lavish squad? Will he still allow the clutch of attacking stars at his disposal a degree of leeway? Or will his pragmatic reflex be pulling at his conscious a little too strongly to resist?
Of course, churning out results and winning the title would be welcomed by United fans in a manner comparable to Chelsea in 2014-15, as they’ve not been crowned champions since 2012-13. Mourinho knows what’s needed to get through a season in English football’s top flight and any team that’s gone all the way in the Premier League has always placed a strong emphasis on defensive values.
But the squad Mourinho has is top heavy with attacking talent. Should Rooney, Mkhitaryan, Martial and Ibrahimovic line up in the same XI at Bournemouth on Sunday as expected, it should be thrilling to watch. However an appetite for the defensive side of the game and a nouse in off-the-ball positioning will be lacking.
The Portuguese is a master motivator and will feel confident of adding facets to the game of all the footballers at United. That’s a process that he’ll be hoping aids in expediting this integration of star players, who will be tasked with following tactical instructions in scrupulous detail, especially when it comes to big matches.
Perhaps these players will take to his approach easily and forge the complete unit, something they seem capable of doing when jotting down the star-studded XI on paper. Indeed, maybe Mourinho himself will decide it’s time to adopt an attitude to the game that’s a little more carefree than in previous roles. He’s hinted as much.
“I don’t defend that the manager should have a style of play,” said Mourinho upon taking the job. “A manager should be open to adapt and to create a style, and adapt it to the reality. And what we are trying to do is to bring the players to play with a certain style.”
The recruitment done by the United hierarchy this summer has been clinical, extravagant and exciting. If that’s a sign of things to come, we’ll be spoilt watching a bombastic Red Devils side this term. It’s going to fascinating to see how Mourinho’s own impulse for winning at all costs fits into the club’s longstanding mantras.
