What Next, Special One?

I was one disappointed bloke by the events of this weekend on the football pitches, Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to be precise. Not because I have a liking for Madrid (though, maybe), but because the result itself was all too familiar that I even had no regrets for actually not watching the match. 3-1 to Barcelona! A slap on the face right there. Real Madrid was supposed (and indeed, they were) to be the favorites for the first time in a very long time in the Clasico. Karim Benzema’s rather fortuitous goal after less than 30 seconds of kick off seemed add more credibility to that belief, but in the end in typical Barcelona style, Alexis Sanchez, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas (ever growing unplayable, this guy) got the goals and the victory in yet another encounter that Lionel Messi came good for his team as Cristiano Ronaldo fired blanks in anonymity. I think it obvious who the better player is.

With that result begs the question, ‘is Barcelona (and Pep Guardiola) simply too good for Jose Mourinho? (I’m not even going to refer to him as ‘The Special One’). Increasingly the answer to that is becoming a resounding ‘YES’ and I too I’m close to subscribing to this. That Jose is all pedigree and class is not in doubt, but even his most ardent and vocal of supporters (cue, the writer), and indeed the man himself must be wondering what he’s not doing right.

The main reason Florentino Perez snapped Mourinho and tied him up to the Madrid hot seat just moments after Inter Milan’s 2010 Champions League triumph was to stem and curb Barca’s ridiculous domination of Spanish football. Now this is not an enviable task by all means but being the lover of challenges that he is, Mourinho took it up. In his second season, he faces the prospect of being labeled a failure, this despite having improved the team and done relatively well. A Copa Del Rey title, a second place finish in the La Liga and a Champions League semi final finish in any manager’s first season at a club deserves applause really. Not so at Real Madrid, especially in this era. Much, much more is always expected; attractive football, silverware and of course, getting the better of the old enemy, Barcelona. Jose has managed to attain some of these, but it all counts for nothing (rightly or harshly so) if you can’t beat Barca. Truth is, this might be Mourinho's final season at the Bernabeu.

All is not lost though. Barcelona is not invincible, they can be beaten. I mean, Arsenal has proved that this year. This is not to suggest that Mourinho arrange a cup of coffee with Arsene Wenger and ‘talk’. (Though, why not?). So, what should the man under siege do? The answer to this would be as simple as ‘get the best out of Ronaldo in the Clasico’. As vague as it may sound, Ronaldo is Madrid’s best player and a proven match winner, but Jose knows this, right? Rather than play the Portugal captain on wide left or right, play him alongside Mesut Oezil in a more central false striker role and give him the free role. In that position he would be able to draw defenders, win fouls in dangerous areas, devastatingly link up with Oezil, and commit defenders into red-card tackles and most importantly, score.  This would make Ronaldo the perfect foil for Gonzalo Higuain upfront. Yes, it should be Higuain even though Mourinho tends to opt for Benzema. In all fairness the Argentine is a more accomplished finisher than the Frenchman.

Barcelona either beats you or loses to you because of their midfield. Jose is well aware of this and usually opts to deploy power-play in the middle of the pack to contain the Xavi- Iniesta-Messi, and now Fabregas axis. I tend to think that there’s a better way of countering this, having a near-creative midfield of your own and shifting from an overly physical approach. Nuri Sahin. He is the answer. The former Dortmund man may have missed the action for much of the season, but he’s the one who might well add the extra dimension Real needs to beat Barca. He’s well accomplished defensively and his creativity that drove Dortmund to the Bundesliga title last season is well documented. If flanked by whichever two hardmen of Mourinho’s choice, Sahin would surely bring out the best of Madrid’s attacking players at the same time keeping tabs of Barcelona’s midfield domination. Well it may be argued that Xabi Alonso pretty much does that, but really, does he? It’s now time for a change, and Nuri Sahin is the change.

The whole world desperately needs a Mourinho win in the Clasico. Who wouldn’t want a return of his cockiness and arrogance? With a line up of Casillas – Marcelo, Carvalho, Pepe, Sergio Ramos – Khedira, Sahin, Diarra – Oezil, Ronaldo – Higuain, hopefully we might see a change in fortunes when the next El Clasico rolls in.

The Dug Out.