Mourinho will always stand by ‘Teflon two’
JOSE Mourinho was perplexed. “What is the criteria for a manager to choose a team?” he asked rhetorically.
“I only know one criteria, is the way they play. Is the only way I can select players.
“Or do you want me to go for the price they cost, or their salary, or their beautiful face? The only way is to go with performance.”
Paul Pogba may represent price, Alexis Sanchez the salary and Juan Mata the beautiful face. Do not expect all of them to start Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham.
Mourinho revealed on Sunday ‘some of the guys that played today don’t have a place in that team,’ that team being the Spurs XI. ‘Some of the guys’ could be as many as just two or everyone bar David de Gea after the woeful West Brom defeat. Even the springing Spaniard has not started a cup tie this term.
Mourinho was reluctant to discuss his selection issues before West Brom, responding to enquiries about Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial’s playing time by advising: ‘If I was you I would go with why Lukaku plays every match, why Matic plays every match.’
Lukaku and Matic were carefully chosen not just because they are Mourinho’s signings but because they literally play every match. Matic is the only outfielder who has started every league fixture and Lukaku only sat out the New Year’s Day trip to Everton through injury. The irony of Mourinho’s ‘performance criteria’ policy is he has eschewed dropping Lukaku and Matic at times their form was poor. United were fluid without Lukaku at Goodison Park, where Martial clipped in a marvellous winner to retain his place for the next league game against Stoke. Yet Rashford had to wait until March 10 to start his only Premier League match this calendar year. He scored twice.
The privileges afforded physical and functional footballers extends to Chris Smalling, who has avoided being dropped since he made his first league start of the campaign on September 30. Smalling only sat out the three post-Christmas fixtures with an injury and as soon as he regained full fitness was recalled.
Antonio Valencia is one of Mourinho’s untouchables but that is more of a reflection on the alternative; Matteo Darmian. United are in the market for a right-back this summer.
Marcos Rojo has received a new contract before Martial, Mata, De Gea and Ander Herrera. Rojo has not played for United since February 3.
Lukaku and Matic still rank as United’s better performers this term but Mourinho has a tendency to treat his men like Teflon. United’s outstanding performance of the Portuguese’s reign was at home to Chelsea a year ago, a triumph brimming with tactical innovation and pace – and without the rested Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Mourinho never considered benching the lion who was occasionally a pussycat in front of goal.
Joe Hart will catch a ball before Mourinho scolds Lukaku or Matic. “I told my midfield players that they didn’t need to improve because they were playing very well even in the first half,” Mourinho said after the derby comeback. “I think it’s very difficult to be a midfield player against Manchester City and Paul, Ander and Matic were playing really well but I need more from Lingard and Alexis.” On Sunday, Matic inadvertently assisted Jay Rodriguez, who lost Lukaku to convert. Lukaku has cost United at set-pieces before and wasted a gilt-edged chance in defeat; against City in December. But he’s not one ‘of the guys.’
Joe Hart will catch a ball before Mourinho scolds Lukaku or Matic Samuel Luckhurst