Considering the history of verbal duel between the managers, Manchester United and Chelsea match would've been more about them playing the match rather than 22 players slugging it out in the Old Trafford sun. However, what is lost amongst most of the fans is both Mourinho and Conte are managers of same breed. Both are reactive and old school managers who do not wrap their head around a single style of playing and prioritize results over style. Difference being Mourinho is more stubborn than Conte, hence his persistence of "parking the bus" in big games, whereas Conte devises a game plan to overcome the strengths of the opposition being true to his reactive style.
Today's game at Old Trafford clearly differentiated the characteristics of the respective managers game plan. Mourinho sent out his team man-marking important players and depending on scraps for his forwards to feed off. In contrast Conte focused on swarming the midfield and using Willian & Hazard to wreack havoc to United Midfield and their by creating chances for Chelsea. Mourinho's game plan is perfect to nullify Chelsea's strengths however this nullifies his team's individualistic strengths that's a huge drop off considering the squad which they have assembled. Conte uses the strengths of his players and drilling them to implement his game plan. See the difference, players get a chance to express themselves in Conte's gameplan and players regress in Mourinho's.
Alas, not all the best laid plans come to fruition. Chelsea strommed United midfield at the match beginning and dominated the possession and also the chances. Willian nicked a goal with a superb team play and match up with Hazard. If this game plan had continued, Chelsea would've completed premier league double over Manchester United for 4th time.
Mourinho's gameplan of man marking started stiffling Chelsea with Scott McTominay disciplined man-marking Eden Hazard out of the game (just like Herrara in the same fixture last season) and United picking up steam towards end of 1st half and being awarded a goal for their patience and sticking to the tactics which their manager laid out for them.
Post break, home team emerged with renewed focus and started enforcing things their way rather than wait for Chelsea to slip up. And introduction of Jesse Lingard (man for big games) gave home team a different outlet. Lingard's in-game brilliance shone when he ran past Chelsea markers and picked a brilliant Lukakku assist. Chelsea dropped off drastically in the 2nd half and nowhere seemed like they would make a comeback win or a draw.
Mourinho will use this game as an example to prove many of his detractors wrong. To show his critics that he has still got the tactical nous to be a force to be reckoned with. To show Pogba an example of Lukakku to be relentless rather than dropping off when he is doesn't have the ball and seem un-interested when things are not running through him. Use Lingard and McTominay as an example to show he will trust the youth and academy graduates with right attitude and focus. From pure importance of the result perspective, this result gives United some breathing space in the top 4 race. However, there is still a huge cause for concern with respect to performance of biggies such as Sanchez, Pogba and Martial. These are the players who are brought to bring a flair to the game at Old Trafford, but are being stifled with manager's tactics. With Mourinho prioritizing results over anything else now, fans have to get accustomed to the style and continue to hope there are better days ahead.
Conte would've felt unlucky for not getting the win and disappointed that Moratta goal ruled wrongly off-side. His bigger concern would've been below-par performance by Moratta again, how easily McTominay marked Hazard out of the game and how Chelsea's and Chelsea Player of the Match Willian's intensity dropped off in the 2nd half. They have a no clear back up game plan to depend on and very thin bench strength to call upon.
This game showed that even reactive tactics can get best results for the games. However, i would attribute this win to "Manchester born & bred" characteristics of Scott McTominay and Jesse Lingard.
Today's game at Old Trafford clearly differentiated the characteristics of the respective managers game plan. Mourinho sent out his team man-marking important players and depending on scraps for his forwards to feed off. In contrast Conte focused on swarming the midfield and using Willian & Hazard to wreack havoc to United Midfield and their by creating chances for Chelsea. Mourinho's game plan is perfect to nullify Chelsea's strengths however this nullifies his team's individualistic strengths that's a huge drop off considering the squad which they have assembled. Conte uses the strengths of his players and drilling them to implement his game plan. See the difference, players get a chance to express themselves in Conte's gameplan and players regress in Mourinho's.
Alas, not all the best laid plans come to fruition. Chelsea strommed United midfield at the match beginning and dominated the possession and also the chances. Willian nicked a goal with a superb team play and match up with Hazard. If this game plan had continued, Chelsea would've completed premier league double over Manchester United for 4th time.
Mourinho's gameplan of man marking started stiffling Chelsea with Scott McTominay disciplined man-marking Eden Hazard out of the game (just like Herrara in the same fixture last season) and United picking up steam towards end of 1st half and being awarded a goal for their patience and sticking to the tactics which their manager laid out for them.
Post break, home team emerged with renewed focus and started enforcing things their way rather than wait for Chelsea to slip up. And introduction of Jesse Lingard (man for big games) gave home team a different outlet. Lingard's in-game brilliance shone when he ran past Chelsea markers and picked a brilliant Lukakku assist. Chelsea dropped off drastically in the 2nd half and nowhere seemed like they would make a comeback win or a draw.
Mourinho will use this game as an example to prove many of his detractors wrong. To show his critics that he has still got the tactical nous to be a force to be reckoned with. To show Pogba an example of Lukakku to be relentless rather than dropping off when he is doesn't have the ball and seem un-interested when things are not running through him. Use Lingard and McTominay as an example to show he will trust the youth and academy graduates with right attitude and focus. From pure importance of the result perspective, this result gives United some breathing space in the top 4 race. However, there is still a huge cause for concern with respect to performance of biggies such as Sanchez, Pogba and Martial. These are the players who are brought to bring a flair to the game at Old Trafford, but are being stifled with manager's tactics. With Mourinho prioritizing results over anything else now, fans have to get accustomed to the style and continue to hope there are better days ahead.
Conte would've felt unlucky for not getting the win and disappointed that Moratta goal ruled wrongly off-side. His bigger concern would've been below-par performance by Moratta again, how easily McTominay marked Hazard out of the game and how Chelsea's and Chelsea Player of the Match Willian's intensity dropped off in the 2nd half. They have a no clear back up game plan to depend on and very thin bench strength to call upon.
This game showed that even reactive tactics can get best results for the games. However, i would attribute this win to "Manchester born & bred" characteristics of Scott McTominay and Jesse Lingard.
