Look in the mirror Jose!!

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho’s rant about the way West Bromwich Albion played at Old Trafford in Saturdays 0-0 draw shows just how childishly petulant he can be when things don’t go his way. He also tried to belittle the interviewer whose first question may not have been the best but in his defence he was basing his question on the result.

I am sure Jose’s rant was based on the fact that his team had 75% possession and outshot the Baggies but it is a results based industry not a statistics based one and of course the result was one point each. Jose has rightly earned his place among the management greats with the trophies he’s won however he is not the pope-he is not infallible believe it or not.

So let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and get it straight Jose: your Manchester United side were unable to break down a resilient West Bromwich Albion defence over 90 minutes and somehow that is West Brom’s fault? What on earth were the baggies supposed to do? Stand aside and play in a way that would let you win?

It is not anyone’s fault but you and your teams. I would suggest that the fact you did have 75% possession and more shots on goal is a reason for ranting about your players’ inability to turn that into a win-not ranting about the opposition.

Albion asked questions of your team and your team failed to answer those questions and not for the first time this season and that is why your team have dropped 19 points at home. That is more than Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, and Manchester City and if you wonder why you are not in the top four-the answer is right there staring you in the face. United have a great squad of talented players and yet have drawn eight times at Old Trafford so perhaps it’s time to have a look at yourself Jose and stop defending your players or more importantly stop letting your players hide behind you.

There are two parts to this great game of football attacking and defending. Both are important. I get that Jose is unhappy at drawing but all I am pointing out is that he shouldn’t be blaming West Brom and that he and his players should look in the mirror.

The self-styled special one has drawn 8 home games and perhaps you should be humble enough to change your tactics to suit who you are playing rather than arrogantly just keep on playing the same way.

I am sure most Baggies fans agree that it was a hard earned point but nonetheless a great point for Tony Pulis’s team that they should be given credit for and certainly not criticised for.

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I would like join the many others and pay tribute to the contribution defender Jonas Olsson has made to West Bromwich Albion. He was what I describe as a proper tough no nonsense defender. Forwards would always know they were in for a tough afternoon playing against the likeable Swedish international.

He played 245 games in the Navy Blue and White stripes and his ability, dedication, application, effort and commitment was there for all to see. He always came of the pitch with nothing left in the tank.

On the pitch he was always focused and rarely smiled and looked at times as if he was quite miserable when nothing could be further from the truth.

However off the pitch he was always smiling but was a quiet unassuming man, a top guy and a genuinely nice guy who always had time for fans and us in the media. Good luck to him back in his native Sweden at Djurgardens IF he will be missed.

He loved his music and was a more than capable guitarist

On a personal note who the hell am I now going to endlessly talk to about Bruce Springsteen? 

Why the pre-occupation with age

Last year in this column I spoke about the need for Gareth Southgate to pick players in form like Sunderland striker Jermaine Defoe as I believe form should be the yardstick for choosing any team or squad and not age.

There was quite a bit of criticism from many quarters citing his age as a problem and that the England Head Coach should pick younger players with potential for the future and I understand why they would say that however for me it’s always about picking the best balanced team and not the best players.

To be honest I am sick of England always picking players for the future when it’s important to have a team that can compete in tournaments now. Goal scorers’ rather than strikers are the key to winning any game but those who can nick a goal at the highest level can be the difference between competing in or going home early from competitions. Like a lot of great goal scorers’ Defoe can be out of the game for long spells but instinctively is always “Johnny on the on the spot” to put away the one chance he may get. You cannot coach that into players-that is a God given gift.

I heard Gareth Southgate after the game saying that Defoe is worth his place in the squad as long as he is playing in the Premier League? With Sunderland looking certain to get relegated I am sure his agent is already looking for another Premier League club! Would he be a Tony Pulis type of player I wonder?

True he is not a long term England solution but is he worth his place in the squad? You bet he is with his ability to score crucial game-changing goals!

The Home straight for Wolves and Blues

The big talking point among Blues and Wolves fans as the teams head into the final straight in this most stressful of seasons is still about if they will win enough points to stay in the Championship?  As any fan knows they face 8 and 9 cup ties respectively in their fight to avoid the drop and let us be absolutely clear it is vital that they do avoid relegation as that would be a cosmic sized disaster for either club.

As I see it, and I could be wrong, with Rotherham definitely down and Wigan needing snookers there is only one relegation place to be decided and although Blackburn Rovers are currently in that position it ain’t over till the fat lady sings. However she is definitely gargling but the big question is what colours will she be singing about come May?

Wolves and Blues just have to keep pace with the points earned by any of the four teams currently below them in the table over the remaining eight games-Bristol City, Nottingham Forest, Burton and Blackburn. That is a lot easier to say than it is to do in this division of unpredictable results.

However if they do manage to do that then safety is guaranteed. Of course if Wigan did manage to string a run of wins together no matter how unlikely that is with the Latics 11 points adrift of Wolves and Blues then they would both have to match the points earned by any two of the four teams.

Over the last eight games Bristol City have taken 9 points, Forest 5 points, Burton 10 points, and Rovers 11 points. In the same period Wolves have taken 10 points and Blues 5.

Within the remaining 8 games there are a few cup finals that will have a massive say on who eventually goes down. Bristol City v Wolves, Bristol City v Blues, Blues v Burton, Wolves v Forest and Blackburn v Wolves. Although winning those games would be brilliant what will be absolutely vital is NOT losing them.

Of course there are other games any of the 4 teams below Wolves and Blues could win and there are other games our teams could win but those above are key games based on form and current results.

I have been talking to a number of current and ex-players and ex managers about what is needed in any fight against relegation and the most important thing is mental strength. This is the thing that enables you to overcome a confidence sapping loss or going behind in a game. Do Wolves and Blues have the mental strength required is the question. I am sure Gianfranco Zola and Paul lambert will say yes but the proof of the pudding will be in how they deal with these last 8 matches and the set-backs that are bound to happen in this most unpredictable of sports.

However the people I spoke too also said, albeit reluctantly, that what was needed was a large slice of luck, the rub of the green or whatever you like to call it. I know exactly what they mean because any of us would be delighted to stay up thanks to a very lucky own goal despite the performance. Then the owners’ directors and managers can analyse what went wrong and what is needed to ensure the club is not in the same position next season from the comfort of the Championship and not League One.

Its tough at the top-but a lot tougher near the bottom

The relegation pendulum in the championship has once again swung with Blues now cautiously looking over their shoulder alongside Wolves both 5 points above the relegation trapdoor.

It’s fair to say that bottom club Rotherham all but down while second bottom Wigan who are eleven points behind Blues and Wolves have what looks like a real tough run in with games against Brighton, Leeds, Cardiff and Reading.

So on the face of it, it looks like a royal battle between Burton, Blackburn, Nottingham Forest and Bristol City to escape that third relegation place. Blues Wolves and Ipswich are definitely not out of the wood but must be considered outsiders to be relegated. But of course that can change in one weekend.

With Wolves and Villa both having to play Blackburn they can and will have a big say in who does eventually go down to League One. If they were both to win it would go a long way to ensuring that Wolves and Blues live to fight another Championship day.

One thing is certain this is no good for the heart and blood pressure and all three, Villa, Wolves and Blues need to ensure that next season they are prepared and ready to mount a challenge for promotion and without doubt have to be in and around the top places and most definitely not worrying about relegation like they have been this most frustrating of seasons.

Villa can start planning now for their promotion push while Blues and Wolves must start the minute that survival is guaranteed.

On the face of it all of them will need more investment in better players or risk getting left behind as it is absolutely certain that with each passing season it will become even more difficult to get into the Premier league.

Perhaps first they need to ask themselves what the recipe is for winning promotion out of this toughest of leagues. Once you know the recipe you can then go and get the ingredients that will blend and cook together ensuring you rise and not fall flat. To get the ingredients without knowing the recipe is indeed a recipe for failure.