FA Community Shield: Leicester City v Manchester United, Sunday, 7pm (UAE time)
It was a disaster, to use his own description. For Jose Mourinho, 2015/16 ranked as the worst season of his stellar career.
It was bookended by games at Wembley. Mourinho was beaten in one. He did not even attend the other. He nonetheless formed a principal part of the plot.
His campaign began with a Community Shield defeat to Arsenal. It ended with Manchester United beating Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup, with Louis van Gaal's valedictory victory immediately overshadowed by news emanating from the Mourinho camp that the Portuguese was set to replace his former mentor.
In one respect – and, he will hope, just one – 2016/17 begins the same way. Mourinho returns to Wembley for the Community Shield.
More than most, he can testify that a game sometimes described as a glorified friendly has a significance.
Read more Premier League
• Leicester City v Manchester United: Five key questions ahead of the FA Community Shield
• Managers: Guardiola, Mourinho, Conte, Klopp, Wenger: Super-coach era begins but something has to give
• 2016/17 season preview: Richard Jolly's predictions and analysis
Twelve months ago, he lost his unbeaten record to Arsene Wenger on this stage. It proved the prequel to a series of unprecedented, unexpected humiliations. They culminated in a 2-1 defeat to Leicester at December, Mourinho being beaten by another manager, in Claudio Ranieri, who he had long taunted and tormented.
Chelsea were 16th in the league. Mourinho claimed his players had “betrayed” his work. He was sacked three days later.
A reunion with Ranieri and a return to Wembley presents a chance to indicate that normal service has been resumed for Mourinho and that this season is the antithesis of last. It would be understandable if he harbours feelings of trepidation.
He subsequently accepted his gave his Chelsea charges one too many weeks off last summer. It was a reason why they appeared off the pace against a fitter Arsenal team at Wembley and why they did not begin the campaign with the intensity his sides normally exude.
If United are not at their sharpest now – and they did not look it during Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Everton – it is more a product of circumstances than Mourinho’s fault. “The number of matches was not enough,” he said. “The match not played against City was really bad for us.” That game against Manchester City in Beijing was called off because of a waterlogged pitch. United have had less time to gel than they hoped; they have only really clicked once in pre-season, when they scored four goals in the second half against Galatasaray last week.
They have benefited from Mourinho’s clarity of thought, his immediate implementation of a 4-2-3-1 formation, his three early signings and a determination to identify his preferred starting 11 as soon as possible. But, while there are three new signings and a fourth, Paul Pogba, is planned, theirs is not just a cosmetic makeover but an attempt to implement an entirely new thought process.
To put it bluntly, he believes he has to coach Van Gaal’s methods out of his players’ system. There will presumably be less ponderous passing and a greater sense of purpose.
“My teams are different to Mr Van Gaal’s,” he said. “It is a difficult situation to change dynamics. It would be easier for me to have 20 new players and start from zero. For two years, they had principles of play that are not mine, clearly. But the players are players and without losing their identity, they try to adapt to what the manager wants. After two years, there are things in their brain that are automatic and that is difficult to change.”
They were pointed comments, ones designed to buy him a little time. But Mourinho knows better than most the cost of losing the Community Shield and the implications of winning it.
“It’s important,” he said. His hope is that history will not repeat itself.
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
