So often has Jose Mourinho’s track record in his second season at clubs been quoted it is beginning to sound a little cliche, but there is reason behind his history of winning a domestic title the campaign after being appointed.
So particular are his methods, it requires time for players already in place to fully engage. Then there is the transfer market, where Mourinho always demands specific qualities that usually take two or three windows to acquire.
Once all that is sorted, the creative tension sparked by Mourinho’s exacting standards tends to produce a driven squad that leads from gun to finish post.