FatBloke
Niko Kranjcar
I'm starting to think that this is the crux of the matter. Perhaps Mourinho had spent so many years working with top players* and huge wage budgets that, when faced with our motley crew and not being able to recruit at the top end of the market, he just couldn't cope. I'd argue that the last time Mourinho worked at an underdog club was Inter Milan, and that was 10 years ago...and besides which, he inherited the likes of Zanetti, Maicon (before Bale destroyed him), Cambiasso, and Zlatan at his peak.The difference being he actually won things with his/the previous teams that had downed tools, would you say that is a fair comment.
Also Figo and Vieira, who were past their best (at 34 and 31) but still proven winners. Stick those two into our midfield and we sure as hell wouldn't be conceding late goals every game.
* While we do have some top players, we've never been able to simply go out and buy more of them on a consistent basis. Not the way Real, Chelsea and ManU do.