Sport360° view: Mourinho correct on Arsenal's failings

Alam Khan - Reporter 11:36 16/02/2014
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  • Outspoken: "He has never been afraid to speak his mind – nor insists he speaks the truth."

    Judging by Jose Mourinho’s post-match comments following Chelsea’s FA Cup loss at Manchester City, it is clear he feels he has become the Premier League’s panto villain.

    “It is always the same guy, the bad guy. One is polite and the other is the bad guy,” he reflected.

    Those words last night centred around his spat with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. While many have questioned his view that the Frenchman is a “specialist in failure” it is true the Chelsea boss does get more than his fair share of criticism.

    With Sir Alex Ferguson riding off into the retirement sunset and Roberto Mancini out of the door at Manchester City, there needed to be someone to provide the fireworks to fuel the media’s desire for headlines.

    Mourinho provides that and has brought the energy and entertainment to make the game essential viewing.

    What he said, what he suggested, about Wenger’s efforts at the Emirates might not seem respectful, but what he said was as honest as it was blunt.

    It was from the heart and what so many football followers, including frustrated Arsenal fans themselves, have been saying or thinking. Let’s be honest.

    Given his previous record of honours, Wenger might not be exactly what Mourinho says, but he has failed in nine years.

    The cold hard facts confirm that with no major trophy since the FA Cup triumph in 2005. Seasons that often started with hope and promise ended with abject disappointment around March, with the Frenchman being harangued over a lack of spending to strengthen his squad and his side’s fragile mentality to cope in the closing, and crucial, months of the campaign.

    This is always such a period where Arsenal have been found wanting under pressure, and Mourinho – and everyone – knows that.

    The Portuguese has never been afraid to speak his mind, nor insist he speaks the truth. Be it about rival bosses, players, match officials or governing bodies, he does not shy away from controversy.

    Some might say he openly courts it, covets it, but there is no crime or shame in that. Or even standing up for his beliefs. Of course he has to be careful with his choice of words to avoid personal hurt, but his comments on Friday were only in response to Wenger claiming other clubs were downplaying their title chances because they “fear to fail”.

    No Arsene, Mourinho has said that because he knows there are still areas in his team – particularly up front – that need improvement and he’s not sure if they can consistently be at their best in every game.

    Having won the title twice before, he knows what it takes to rule English football. He might be the master of mind games and too brazen at times, but he was honest enough to admit Chelsea deserved to be beaten at City and go out of the FA Cup.

    Wenger has come up with too many excuses for Arsenal’s own failings. With Liverpool and Bayern Munich to face this week, he should be focused on his own team. Talk is cheap. It’s about what happens on the pitch that counts.

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