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The Mourinho Effect – The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of Manchester United In Jose’s Reign.

Mourinho

Almost four months have passed since a Portuguese whirlwind blew through the doors of Old Trafford and Carrington. Jose Mourinho’s arrival as Manchester United boss had been foretold since his dismissal from Chelsea last season and It was never going to be dull.

With just four Premier League games of his reign played, it seems premature to pass judgement on Manchester United but such has the change been at the former Premier League champions, it’s entirely appropriate to assess his time in the most demanding job in football.

A Low Bar

United are expected to win; Mourinho is a winner. In those simple terms, it’s a match made in heaven but there is more to it than that and the reservations held by some of those in the boardroom prior to his appointment were understandable. United have to win with style and Mourinho’s Chelsea were anything but that.

He was, however, always onto a winner, initially at least. United under Louis Van Gaal were insipid; dull; and boring has never been acceptable at Old Trafford. The bar was set at an incredibly low height.

A Sense Of Purpose

His immediate legacy is instilling a sense of purpose at United. The hangover of Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure has been washed away, for now. Mourinho has injected life into a listless squad and turned the club’s PR on its head. What was a crisis is now a success story.

Yes, he is egotistical and when he talks about his achievements and himself at press conferences, it’s because he wants to be the centre of attention. And to deflect attention away from his players.

Jose is good copy. If he is being followed by the paparazzi when he goes for a meal with his staff, his players are being left alone. There’s enough pressure in playing for Manchester United as it is; Mourinho does his best to deflect attention away from them.

Decisive Action

United were quick off the mark in the transfer market. Although he couldn’t publicly admit it for contractual reasons, everyone knew Zlatan was heading to Old Trafford. Mkhitaryan and Bailly both joined the Swede on United’s books by the end of the first week in July.

Mourinho wasn’t interested in small signings to strengthen his squad, these were about making a statement. United had to be seen to be a big club once again and being dramatic is Mourinho’s forte. Making Paul Pogba the most expensive signing in football was exactly that. It gave the squad strength and the club stature.

A simple message rang out that United were back.

The Genius Of Signing Zlatan

Signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a moment of genius. Not just for the talent – which is immense – but for the kudos. Arsène Wenger said the Swede would be missed in Paris not just for his ability but because he was “a charismatic carrier of the ambition of the club”.

He is now that for United.

He is also the Premier League’s top scorer at present. The downside of not scoring the winning goal in Saturday’s derby defeat against Manchester City will be forgotten if he scores another 20 top flight goals this season but United also have to address a problem.

If Zlatan doesn’t score, who does?

United have a strong emphasis on youth in their strikeforce with Rashford and Martial as the back-up. The former, having scored the winner at Hull, went on to score a hat-trick for England Under-21 yet was overlooked for the Manchester derby in favour of Jesse Lingaard.

It was a perverse decision which United rued on the day and one that’s unlikely to be repeated.

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Wayne?

It’s a question which has baffled successive England managers. No-one is quite sure what to do with Wayne Rooney.

Creative though he is, Rooney’s strength is in the penalty area and all the while he is behind the strikers, outside the box, he is not hurting opponents. Which is curious to say because Rooney has been heavily involved in several United goals this season.

However, he gives the ball away cheaply and for every well delivered cross or set-piece, there are five which aren’t. Rooney doesn’t quite know where he is most effective and until Mourinho resolves that issue, there will always be an imbalance in the XI.

‘Elbows’ Fellaini Is Back With A Bang

Much maligned last season, Marouane Fellaini has been much improved this. Not quite a revelation but certainly showing the form which made him a key signing in David Moyes mind. The Belgian international is the epitome of a Mourinho player. Capable of beautiful football but also unafraid to mix it with opponents outside the rules of the game.

Stray elbows are a common theme to his performances, which with referees now paying more attention to players at set-pieces could bring a few disciplinary issues.

But Mourinho has tapped into Fellaini’s psyche and got him passing the ball sweetly. If it continues, the Belgian may yet prove to be a Manchester United player.

Pogba, Homecoming King

When Manchester United blew Real Madrid out of the water during the bidding war over Paul Pogba, it sent an important message to the footballing world. United had bullied the bullies and were a club in a hurry.

It was also a sign that the Old Trafford board were backing Mourinho to the hilt and meant business.

Pogba settled quickly. His debut against Southampton drew plaudits but last weekend against Manchester City, he was found wanting, particularly in the first thirty minutes. With his price tag, that can’t happen; the £100m man has to deliver every time.

Whilst there have been no public revelations, the tag of the ‘world’s most expensive footballer’ doesn’t appear to be sitting entirely comfortable with the 23-year-old. Mourinho’s ability to get inside opponents heads for his own purposes may need to turn to his midfield tyro’s mind to cope with the pressure.

New Life In An Old Dog

Overall, Mourinho has breathed life into a deflated Manchester United. Yes, they expected to beat Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull whilst many predicted a City win in the derby. They are at ‘par’ in terms of results.

But away from that, there is much for the United faithful to be looking at in a positive light. Title challengers? It’s too early to say, with the fixtures against the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool telling supporters more about their chances than one where bragging rights are all-important.

It’s the hope he has given them which is his biggest triumph so far.