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Jose Mourinho’s Jibes at Arsenal More Complimentary than Insulting
By Josh Sippie
Any time Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger meet, whether that be on the pitch or at the supermarket, you are bound to hear about it in the headlines. Usually, the headlines involve a lot of snide comments, some jibes, and less than one handshake.
This meeting in the community shield was no different, as Jose Mourinho did not take his loss terribly well, hitting out at Arsene Wenger and Arsenal for “leaving their philosophy in the dressing room.” Here is his full quote, from the Guardian:
"I also have my opinion and that is different from your opinion, and that is the team that defends well and the team that leaves their philosophy in the dressing room and change that attitude and philosophy and accumulate 10 players behind the ball all the time and play all the second half with nine players in front of the box. This is football, this is very good tactical organisation and in the perspective they scored one goal and deserved to win. Congratulations to them."
I understand what Jose Mourinho is trying t say. Arsenal came out looking completely different from the team he had been demolishing in the past. They had a different formation, different personnel and yes, even a much diffferent philosophy. Whereas Arsenal have traditionally been a build-up and attacking team that can be exposed on the counter attack, last year we saw the first signs that that Arsenal was not the only available Arsenal.
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Again in the Community Shield we saw the same. Arsenal put one goal in the net and sat back on their haunches, not necessarily parking the bus, but not pressing the attack, mainly because they did not need to. This was the same kind of strategy that Chelsea employed last year – score a goal and watch the other team scramble, then filch some more if possible when they leave themselves exposed.
Jose Mourinho was obviously a bit frustrated that he got beat at his own game and he hit out at Arsene Wenger, saying that the Gunners left their philosophy in the dressing room and the better team lost and all that hubbub. But the actual, overlying message from the Portuguese manager is very complementary: He was stumped by Arsenal’s tactics.
For so long, Mourinho has had the spare key to Arsene Wenger’s mind and he has been able to pick at it and prepare for the Gunners before each meeting. In the Community Shield, Mourinho may have prepared for the same Arsenal that he had been beating for years, but that was not the Arsenal that showed up. No, that Arsenal stayed in the dressing room, as Jose Mourinho himself put it.
What came out of the dressing room was a new Arsenal, tactically speaking. Arsene Wenger had made adjustments and completely changed how his Gunner’s squad would handle the team that they could never beat.
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Of course, Arsene Wenger defended his tactics as well. When asked about abandoning his tactics, he said, “It’s the fact in a game like that we wanted to win – that’s why we behaved like that. I’m proud of that,” (The Mirror). And proud he should be, he stumped Jose Mourinho and frustrated him in the process, that is no easy feat.
Chelsea is a very good team. They won the league, I do not need to tell you that. But it was pretty clear that Jose Mourinho was indeed a bit too cocky in believing that Arsenal could not change their tactics. Leaving their philosophy in the dressing room is just a bitter way of saying that he was outsmarted.
Next: 10 Things we Learned from Community Shield win