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In July 2004, having led his Porto side to a miraculous Champion League triumph, Jose Mourinho announced his arrival at Stamford Bridge and the Premier League by proclaiming himself as a “Special One”. By then, nobody could challenge Mourinho’s trumpet as the Portuguese not only led Chelsea to a record-breaking season in his Premier League debut, but his Chelsea side also raised the level of the league significantly. His credentials were further boosted after he returned to Chelsea in 2013 and guided the Blues to another league title in the 2014/15 season. With his rich experience and strong credentials in the Premier League, Mourinho arrived at Old Trafford with the high expectation of ending Manchester United’s league title drought. Three years entering his tenure, the Red Devils not only are nowhere near challenging for the title, but they have found themselves in huge turmoil on and off the pitch. This begs the question of why has Jose Mourinho, one of the most successful managers in the Premier League, failed so miserably in Manchester?
Mourinho’s Style of Play and Signings
Jose Mourinho has implemented a specific style of play to every team he has managed: a well-organized backline, two aggressive holding midfielders, an effective playmaker, wingers with excellent work rate, and a powerful centre-forward. However, his style has not produced the desired outcome at Man Utd.
Defense: Jose Mourinho must be reminiscing the back four of his first Chelsea side. Not only did his 2014/15 Chelsea only conceded 15 goals, which is still a Premier League record, but his back four of John Terry – Ricardo Carvalho – Ashley Cole – Paulo Ferreira were always reliable. In his other teams, the likes of Walter Samuel, Marco Materazzi, Sergio Ramos, Branislav Ivanovic, and Cezar Azpilicueta always made him feel secure at the back. Man Utd’s excellent defensive record last season was, in large part, due to David De Gea’s heroics and Mourinho’s defensive approaches in most of United's league matches, including at home against weaker opposition. Mourinho's tendency to play defensively highlighted the Portuguese's lack of trust vis-à-vis his defenders. Jose Mourinho plays defensive football not because “parking the bus” is his modus operandi, but he did so due to his strong sense of insecurity at the back. Manchester United’s center-backs are nowhere near the levels of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, while Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia are wingers converted into wing-backs. Nevertheless, the lack of defensive qualities does not absolve Mourinho from his duty to improve United's defense. Mourinho signed Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof to bolster his center back options, but both signings have failed to live up to expectations. Bailly was perceived by some as the next Nemanja Vidic; unfortunately, his constant injuries and calamity at Brighton have undermine his progress at the club. Lindelof has made too many simple errors which inevitably raises the question of whether the Swede is good enough to play for United. As such, Mourinho desperately pushed for the signing of a world-class center-back over the summer to amend for his error of judgement, but Ed Woodward refused to sanction any deals, an outcome which heavily strained the pair’s relationship.
Midfield. Mourinho’s midfield system consists of two holding midfielders and a playmaker. With Michael Carrick passing his prime and Ander Herrera not an orthodox holding midfielder, Mourinho brought his loyal servant Nemanja Matic to Old Trafford in summer 2017. Aside from freeing up Paul Pogba, the Serbian also provides more security in front of the shaky back four. However, Matic’s arrival did not remove United’s midfield problem altogether. United still lacks a versatile, box-to-box midfielders like Xabi Alonso, Ramires, or Dejan Stankovic. Ander Herrera appears to be fitting into this category, but he has failed to replicate his brilliant form in the 2015/16 season and cement his place after the signing of Paul Pogba. It remains to be seen if Fred can be the person filling the hole in midfield. The elephant in the room, however, is the role of Paul Pogba in Mourinho’s system. Mourinho brought Pogba back to Old Trafford because the manager hoped that the United youth product would feed his main striker, just like the Lampard-Drogba, Özil-Ronaldo, and Fabregas-Costa partnerships that were so successful. There are two flaws in Mourinho’s plan, however. First, Pogba simply cannot thrive when he touches the ball in his own half. During his Bianconeri days, with Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo sat deeper in their own half, Pogba was allowed to use his power, deft touches and distance-shooting prowess to hurt the oppositions. Pogba barely had the opportunity to do all that in a United shirt because he has found himself hovering around his own half under Mourinho. The notable exception was the second half of the Manchester Derby in April, wherein the Frenchman openly admitted that he was able to score two goals because he was given the license to go forward after knowing that Matic or Herrera would sit in midfield. Second, while Mourinho knew that he needs to push Pogba further forward, hence the signing of Fred, Pogba has not lived up to his price tag. He claimed that Man Utd is his “house”, but United fans, pundits and even Mourinho felt that the World Cup winner does not show the desire and discipline for his club and country. During the World Cup, Pogba was tidy on the ball and fulfill his defensive duties very well. However, back in Manchester, he often gave the ball away cheaply and failed to sense the danger when the opposition is building up its attacking play. Perhaps the Frenchman simply could not adjust to the intensity of Premier League football, but Jose Mourinho and Ed Woodward would lament the money they paid for the incredibly gifted Frenchman.
Attack. It is no secret that Mourinho favors wingers with high work rate and a robust center forward. As the United board refused to meet the hefty price tag of Ivan Perisic, Mourinho's no.1 target for a long time, Mourinho was forced to improvise with a straight swap involving Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexis Sanchez in January. At the first glance, the deal makes sense because 1) Mourinho had completely lost faith in the Armenian, and 2) Sanchez works very hard for the team without the ball, thus making him the ideal alternative for Perisic. Unfortunately, Sanchez has been a massive shadow of his previous self. His appalling goalscoring and assist records for the Red Devils are just microcosms of his main issue at United - his inability to link up with his teammates. He often gives the ball away cheaply and makes wrong decisions in front of goal - trying to find his teammates instead of finishing the opportunities himself like he usually did for Arsenal. Is Sanchez's massive dip in form a result of him being incompatible with Mourinho's tactics, or the Chilean's loss of self-confidence, or both? Regardless, Sanchez's predicament has prompted many to, once again, question Mourinho's judgment and ability to get the best out of his players. As for center forward, Mourinho understandably signed Zlatan Ibrahimovic and late Romelu Lukaku because he needs a proven and powerful striker to lead his front line. Both Ibrahimovic and Lukaku have done their job fairly well but at the expense of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford. Rashford, in particular, has been forced to play as a winger under Mourinho. While the young Englishman has the pace and skills to tear fullbacks apart, he is much more effective playing in the middle, as evidenced by his performances under Louis Van Gaal and for England. However, as Lukaku is likely to remain as Mourinho's only striker, questions will continue to linger around Rashford's development and happiness at the club.
Mourinho's Controversial Statements
Jose Mourinho simply cannot stay out of headlines. His blunt, and at times provocative, remarks have put him at constant odds with his critics and even members of his team. Mourinho's latest period of controversies began in the second half of the 2017/18 season when he became impatience with Pogba and openly questioned the Frenchman's attitude on the pitch. A month later, in the defeat against Brighton, Mourinho justified his decision of always starting Lukaku - and not others -to the media.
His statement was perceived as a dig against Martial and Rashford who were disappointing in that game. His overt, albeit indirect, criticism came amidst rumors of Martial and Rashford wanting to leave the club to get more playing time. Mourinho's dig at Martial was further exacerbated during the summer when the manager publicly expressed his frustration about Martial's belated return to the club for family reasons. Mourinho "tough love" approach did not work well on Martial, as the Frenchman hit back at his manager by stating that he prioritized his family over the club.
Although Martial ended up staying in Manchester, it remains to be seen if the Frenchman would force his way out again when the transfer window opens in January. The biggest clash, nonetheless, involves Mourinho and Pogba. Much has been said about the escalating conflict between the two, but the saga once again proves that Mourinho's "tough love" approach does not materialize on every player he wishes to improve on. It worked on Luke Shaw because the full-back still has much to learn to prove; however, Pogba has proven himself at Juventus and in the national team. As a World Cup winner, one of the most expensive midfielders, and a player with a massive ego, Pogba simply cannot swallow Mourinho's assail towards him. As a result, Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola have been plotting for a move out of Manchester since August. As the repercussions of their recent clash in the training session continue to reverberate, it appears unlikely the duo could ever repair their strained relationship. Worse, the clash has heightened the gloomy mood surrounding other United players - a scenario which certainly would not help the squad their recent miseries around.
Aside from players, Mourinho has found himself at loggerheads with his employer Ed Woodward. Throughout the summer, the Portuguese have repeatedly bemoaned his inability to acquire the players he yearned for, especially a center back. Given that Liverpool and Man City have strengthened their respective squad with quality players, the United manager was desperate to get "one or two more players" from the "list of players" he submitted to Woodward. Ultimately, no center back was signed and one could surmise that the pair's relationship has been negatively affected by this saga. Last weekend, Mourinho applauded West Ham's transfer scout for signing Isa Diop - an act which has been widely interpreted as another dig towards Woodward. With United now having their worst ever start to a Premier League season and the disharmony in the dressing room, Mourinho's clash with Woodward certainly does not help him convince his boss that he is still the right man to salvage United's season, should the United board decide to reassess the Portuguese's position at the club anytime soon.
Who to Blame for the Current Man Utd Turmoil?
Everyone who has been involved with the club - in particular, the board, managers, and players - ought to bear the responsibility for United's downfall since the post-Fergie era. Among the managers United have hired since Ferguson retired, Mourinho undoubtedly has the most successful one. Indeed, he has tried very hard to rectify Man Utd's problems; however, his methods on and off the pitch are no longer compatible with today's football.
His 4-3-3 with a more defensive outlook simply does not suit the team, most of his signings have let him down considerably, and his insistence on his football philosophy is not going to make Man Utd a title contender in the coming years. Worse, he is not helping himself off the pitch by repeatedly making offensive remarks against members of his own team, which created unnecessarily discord within the team.
Jose Mourinho is no longer special - the elements that made him so special a decade ago is now contributing his downfall at Man Utd. Today's Mourinho is helpless - he does not what is his best eleven and how to make things right. He is not getting the help from his signings and the man who hired him. He is not helping himself with his belligerent behaviors. Is his time up at Old Trafford? Only Ed Woodward knows his fate.
