WATCH OUT JOSE, HE ( LIKE YOUR BEST DAYS ) IS BEHIND YOU
As Mourinho searches for answers to his flailing team’s many problems Zidane suddenly looks like the perfect fit at Old Trafford
BY Saturday night Zinedine Zidane was trending on Twitter.
By the end of the Champions League tie at home to Valencia tomorrow, the clamour for ZZ could reach fever pitch.
Manchester United are a fire out of control. Far from being their Red Adair, Jose Mourinho is setting off more explosions than John McClane in Die Hard.
The ease with which West Ham dismantled United on Saturday confirmed what we already knew: The Special One has lost the dressing room.
This was United’s third defeat in seven Premier League games so far – their worst start to a top-flight campaign for 29 years.
The Reds now sit 10th in the League, nine points behind leaders Manchester City.
Mourinho and United might not think much of the Carabao Cup but they should not be losing to Derby, themselves beaten at Bolton on Saturday.
Should Valencia win at Old Trafford tomorrow night the virus will have spread to three competitions. West Ham’s win was their biggest over United in 36 years.
It is sad to say but the magic has gone.
Mourinho looked a broken man in the post-match press conference, filibustering his way through three questions to leave no time for more.
Then again, what could he say? How could he explain what we saw at the London Stadium, one of the worst United displays of ANY season?
This wasn’t just a poor performance, it was a disgrace to the club that ruled English football for two decades. When Chelsea sacked him in 2015 they said they had done so to save the club because players were no longer listening to him. The Glazer family are in the same position.
They may not be knee-jerk owners but United are out of the League Cup, will not be winning the Champions League, and at this rate will be lucky to finish in the top four.
Valencia have won just once in their eight games so far this season. Another win tomorrow night and surely it is goodnight Vienna.
Of course we should respect Mourinho’s two Champions Leagues triumphs and his titles in four countries. Of course we can never forget his Treble at Inter Milan, his success in taking Chelsea into the big time, his European triumph with Porto, and his one-time status as the world’s best coach.
Right now, though, he is a man thrashing around for a solution. A man on whom the pressure is starting to tell. His United are so easy to play against that opponents can’t wait to face them.
Mourinho’s relationship with so many of his expensive stars suggests he is no longer a motivator of top-class talent.
On Saturday he again threw his men under the bus, criticising their “quality and mental approach.” Anthony Martial (right, top) was accused of not
doing enough defensive work – an explanation similar to the one Mourinho gave for dropping Eden Hazard at Chelsea.
We know all about that viral video last week which brought to the surface the simmering tensions between Mourinho and Paul Pogba. To cap a terrible week, Pogba too was hooked as the going got tough. Mourinho also replaced centreback Victor Lindelof and kept rookie midfielder Scott McTominay (left, bottom) on the pitch – at centre-half. Alexis Sanchez must surely be wishing he had opted for sexy football at City rather than the cash at United. The Chilean started the day out of the squad after suggesting on Instagram the night before that he was bang up for it.
A sublime piece of skill from Marcus Rashford at least gave United a chance of getting something at the London Stadium but even the England striker is known to be frustrated at his lack of starts.
After Tuesday’s Carabao Cup defeat by Derby, Mourinho publicly criticised Phil Jones and Eric Bailly. In July he lashed out at the club’s pre-season preparations. The following month he nailed Ed Woodward for blocking his attempts to sign more defenders. How many fights does he want? How many more noses will he push out of joint?
Mourinho may have a glittering CV but Zidane inspires players and has the Spanish title along with the last three Champions Leagues under his belt. A France World Cup hero, he will have the respect of the French contingent at Old Trafford. He is a free agent and is learning English. What’s not to like?
Explaining his decision to strip Pogba of the vicecaptaincy, Mourinho said no one is bigger than Manchester United.
It may now be the case that the owners pull the trigger on him for exactly the same reason.