Jose’s back. “Everything I say is mind games, everything I do is mind games”. And you know what, Jose? We love you for it. His mind games are almost as entertaining as the action on the pitch. The press lap up his every word at each press conference he performs at. And it is a performance. He takes his seat like a master conductor at a Viennese Opera House. He flicks his coat-tails with a wry smile before beginning his latest assassination of a rival manager. “City are lucky… they have everything in their favour, but it’s just a coincidence”.
But history is repeating itself. Won’t these rival managers learn? With a third of the season remaining his mind games are now in full flow and it looks like Manuel Pellegrini will make the same mistake as countless managers before him. Retaliation. Pellegrini recently responded by claiming Chelsea or “the little horse” is “very rich”. Come on Manuel, that’s like Steve Claridge calling Michael Owen boring or Craig Bellamy calling Robbie Savage an annoying, Welsh p****.
In their most recent dual Mourinho challenges Pellegrini’s numbers claiming he needs a calculator. He is also demanding Yaya Toure be banned for his recent kick on Norwich’s Ricky Van Wolfswinkel. Mourinho is a predator ad once he’s got his claws in you there’s no escape. It may seem like he’s picking on City and only City but it’s more than that. After City’s defeat to Chelsea followed by their failing to find the back of the net at Carrow Road on Saturday Jose can smell blood. And he’s after more. No matter what you say, Mourinho always comes out on top. And actually, they are top. Chelsea have stealthily maintained in touch with the top three throughout the season. The “little horse” has been coming up on the outside and it’s just starting to get its nose in front. If I were Pellegrini I would take Mourinho’s recent flirtations as a compliment. Perhaps all this focus on City means Mourinho only sees them as genuine title challengers. City need to remember what they’re good at. They’re good at beating teams 6-0. They’re not good at playing dirty. Mourinho is. And he’s luring them in.
For the neutral the next few weeks will be very interesting. It’s that time of the season where momentum can win you the league. Games will start coming thick and fast with the Champions League returning and the mentality of the players and managers will be tested to its limits.
Who will win? Pellegrini or Mourinho? I know who I’d rather have conducting my team. And as Jose says “The only thing that’s not mind games is the results”.
The Special Horse
Game of Two Halves Football 