Mourinho questions Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw

Sideshow Bob

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Jose Mourinho: Man Utd boss questions Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho questioned Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw for missing the 3-1 win at Swansea.

Smalling has been out with a foot injury since 23 October, while Shaw played in the Europa League defeat by Fenerbahce on Thursday.

Before the game, Mourinho said: "Smalling doesn't feel that he can play 100% with his pain. Shaw told me this morning that he was not able to play."

Afterwards, he added: "For the team, you have to do anything."

Mourinho, serving a touchline ban, watched from the stand as two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and one from Paul Pogba helped United end a four-game run without a Premier League win.

"There is a difference between the brave, who want to play at any cost, and the ones for whom a little pain can make a difference," said the former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss.

"If I were to speak with the many great football people of this team, they will say they played many times without being 100%.

"We have players on the pitch with problems. In every sport, how many times do you play and you're not 100%?

United were also without two more defenders in Antonio Valencia, who has had arm surgery, and Eric Bailly, absent with a knee injury.

With four defenders missing, winger Ashley Young played at full-back and Phil Jones, who had been out since January with a knee injury, returned.

Mourinho praised the pair, saying he needs such players if he his to change the mindset at Old Trafford.

"It is not just the players, but the people that surround the players," said the Portuguese.

"Yes, it takes time, but with the help of people like Phil Jones, who was playing without having even trained, Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney - with these people it will not be an impossible mission but a possible mission."

To add to Mourinho's selection problems, Ibrahimovic will miss the home game against Arsenal on 19 November after picking up a yellow card against Swansea.

Central defender Smalling, 26, and left-back Shaw, 21, have both been left out of the England squad for the World Cup qualifier against Scotland and the friendly against Spain.

"Chris has not played for quite a while. Luke played and had ongoing difficulties," Southgate explained on Monday.

"Our medical teams are very close, and we liaise closely. The decision with Luke to not play yesterday was a bit late and we are aware both players are carrying injuries."

On whether Mourinho was right to criticise the players, Southgate added: "It is a club matter and it is not for me to comment on in terms of players playing with injury."
 
Poor form from mourinho to name and shame Shaw and Smalling. This was not required to be done publically. Could have relegated them to the reserves as punishment.
 
I think this should have stayed in-house. Smalling is an odd one. He played against Chelsea with an injury, and was awful.
 
Man Utd stars back boss over his bust-up with Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling

Shaw has been placed on an individual training regime for the week while others are off on international break. Bit harsh to call out Shaw after a serious injury but Van Gaal also questioned him in his first season. Smalling has had multiple injury problems up until recently. Pleased Mourinho is stamping his authority on this squad, think things have been too lax since Fergie retired and now we've got players leaking things left right and centre.
 
I really can't work out which way I'm leaning with this right now! On the one hand I think Jose does need to take a handle on the squad and he needs to clearly outline his expectations. This team really needs that right now.

On the other hand I'm not sure he should be doing all of this so publicly and it's almost a carry on from how it finished at Chelsea.

Shaw I don't think has mentally recovered from his huge injury. Will he ever? I hope so but only time will tell. In the meantime he needs to knuckle down and get on with the job at hand.
 
I think it's clear that Mourinho has identified our character/mentality as being a big weakness in this squad. We could all see it last season, sinking in lots of crunch games. It's why Zlatan was brought in, and probably part of the reason Pogba was.

Whether coming out and publically slating the players is the best way to improve the character of the players, I don't know. But some sort of kick up the arse is needed given to most of them.
 
Man Utd stars back boss over his bust-up with Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling

Shaw has been placed on an individual training regime for the week while others are off on international break. Bit harsh to call out Shaw after a serious injury but Van Gaal also questioned him in his first season. Smalling has had multiple injury problems up until recently. Pleased Mourinho is stamping his authority on this squad, think things have been too lax since Fergie retired and now we've got players leaking things left right and centre.

Agreed, I think that based on the fact that things are being leaked, Jose' had to deal with things publicly in order to send a message to the dressing room. It is a little harsh on Smalling and Shaw if it isn't them leaking club info, but needs must.
 
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw given boost by Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho insists he has 'no problem' with Luke Shaw despite criticising the Manchester United left-back at Swansea earlier this month.

Shaw did not travel for the Premier League fixture but Mourinho rebuked him and Chris Smalling for being unwilling to play through the pain barrier in United's 3-1 Premier League win at The Liberty Stadium.

Mourinho and Shaw also had a tetchy exchange following the defender's substitution at Watford in September, when Mourinho singled out the 21-year-old for his defending in the build-up to the hosts' winner.

The very mention of Smalling's name irked Mourinho at his press conference ahead of United's weekend match with Arsenal but Shaw, who posted a fitness video last week to signal a bullish statement of intent, was praised by his manager and is available to play on Saturday.

"Luke Shaw worked well in this period where we had a very small group, which is not the best," Mourinho said. "But he worked really well, he is ready to play, I don't have any problem with him.

"I'm not saying he plays or he doesn't play tomorrow, I'm saying that he is my player, he is a young player with potential, he is a young player like every young player, with little problems, with things he needs to learn and things he needs to improve.

"But he is a player of my confidence and playing now in two weeks playing five matches like we are going to do, in three competitions, for sure he is going to play."
 
So if he can say this about Shaw then I don't get why he can't with Smalling? Suggests to me there's another issue with Smalling?

The media have written stories about Shaw... After the Swansea game when Jose made those comments about picking players he can trust etc and how Shaw had asked to be left out. So he gave the media ammunition then!
 

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