Two of the best pundits in the country going at it over the best a former top manager.
This week, Monday Night Football got back to what made it so special. No guest or any of that nonsense, just Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville trading blows over the biggest talking points in football.
And the argument everyone is racking their brains over is whether or not Jose Mourinho’s methods are out of date and whether or not, even if United finish the season with two trophies, his performance has been acceptable for the club.
Combined XI of current #MUFC and Alex Ferguson's last team is embarrassing for Mourinho https://t.co/rS3LbYzlyQ
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 8, 2017
Gary Neville took the side of the apologists ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Middlesbrough. He argued that Jose Mourinho hasn’t been able to bring in “HIS” players to the club yet – as if what he’s working with is useless.
Carragher debated that the way United play with this current team is not good enough but Neville offered an explanation that the manager’s hands are tied because he doesn’t trust these men – so that’s why he’s playing a back six, for example.
Naturally, it lent itself to an explosive argument.
Jamie Carragher:Â
“You’re talking about ‘when he gets these players’… what players are you talking about?
“He’s got Paul Pogba, the most expensive player in the world. He’s got Mkhitaryan.”
Gary Neville:
“He’s had four signings. Would you accept that they’ve got a squad of 24 and 20 of them are not his.”
JC:
“Mourinho was talking about the league at the start of the season so why would you be taking these tactics into these games?”
GN:
“The games where they’ve dropped most points have been at home against the lesser teams – Bournemouth, Hull, Stoke, Burnley, West Brom… they’ve had about 25 shots in each of those games.”
Then Neville claimed that, if Mourinho was allowed another transfer window, it would all be completely different.
“Jose Mourinho has been unbelievable in the transfer market over the years, you’ve got to accept that,” the former United man said.
“Getting £45million back for Schneiderlin and Depay… Maybe, if De Gea leaves, it’s going to be 60/70 million – he’s probably going to have £200million to spend. He’s only signed four players at Manchester United, four players in one transfer window.
“I think give him one more transfer window and, if he’s still playing a back six in all those games next season, then I’ll be sat here saying it isn’t right.
“I don’t think he was ever like that with Robben and Duff at Chelsea. Or Hazard and Willian. They were never that deep. They were compact but they were never that deep.”
Carragher had a very simple response.
“You’re talking like he’s got the worst players in the world,” the Liverpool legend stated in exasperation.
“He signed Mkhitaryan, Pogba, Zlatan… he’s got Mata, Martial, Rashford – the best young player in the country.”
So who do you think won?
Watch the full debate below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awffgTSCw5I
