Let the [mind] games begin.
- Red Devils Advocate
- Oct 19, 2017
- 3 min read
Last season, Mourinho was what we'd call a tame cat. He'd inherited a team and was late in the transfer market. His signings needed time to adjust and the only buzz he had was managed by it's owner aka Zlatan. He was tame, playing a game where someone else had create the pieces.
2017/2018 is Mourinho's season, and he has been the driver of his own bus [pub intended] and what a drive. Mou went out on an early shopping spree for his defenders, he 'boombasticated' the world with the Matic signing, transformed Ashley Young into a defender and created a defensive wall that can only be broken under the Windy City in Stoke, which is not something one needs to be ashamed about. When you look around, wit the exception of our pesky neighbors, led by the ever glamorous Pep and his unending supply of strikers, Mourinho is in a good place.
And when Mourinho is in a good place, the beast is unleashed!
The first barb was thrown at Liverpool - they of the 'freescoring' hype; confident at home and chaffing to score one over Mourinho. They got a stifling I hear they are still on the ventilator. The bus was parked tight, the game dirty and closed and when the stray ball or two found its way towards the net, it was met by the superhuman De Gea whom the world and the rest of the fans have at last agreed he is the best goalkeeper.
Yesterday, Mourinho removed the password from his mind-games wifi with the injuries zinger, which prompted Chelsea Boss, Antonio Conte still reeling from defeats and forever bitter about the Matic situation to ask Mourinho to focus on his team rather than Chelsea.
However, Mourinho knows about his situation. There is no one else more aware of the Manchester United's squad situation that Mourinho, right?! So, he knows he has problems; weak flanks and potential areas rivals can use against him and media can exploit to mess or to test his players' mental resilience. So, rather than giving anyone an opportunity to hit, Mourinho has done what Mourinho does: he has managed them. The team problems, knowing they are temporary and rather than being a distraction or jabs or curiosity into the team's fitness have been turned into weapons and barbs that found an easy victim - a boss aware of his weaknesses and potential marching orders from the ever impatient Abramovic.
The warning bells have been sounded and Mourinho is closing in, ready to remove, deflect or pivot from any distractions or signs of weaknesses. And those wondering about PSG, don't feel special, the Special One has a wondering eye and he's simply courting his next boss.
And even if that was not true, tell me how many reports have been written about Man United's performance? Tell me how many reports have been written about the exhaustion of the team or the parked bus? We are so busy focused on these 'special' reports and drama that soon, we shall wake up and we are still chasing the title, Pogba is back or in this case, it will be Z-announcing his return.
Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves for mind games. We are challenging for the championship, Champions League, the FA and the Cari-something cup. We are likely to have boring games and all, but the off-pitch performance will be so good you will smirk at those Barcelona-lite wannabe's and the their beautiful football. SMH beautiful football my foot, they could not even beat Watford!
Jose Mourinho is not perfect, but Mourinho is a winner. He will do what he has to do to win... in the meantime, are you entertained yet?!
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