But it is a strategy that can work out as we have seen against Bayer Leverkusen. Roma literally didn't even try to score, their game was all about destroying the opponent's game, not creating a game themselves. The only issue I have with this is that there are too many elements that have nothing to do with the sport itself or with being smart. When a player is lying on the ground every few minutes, it isn't smart in my opinion and it also isn't good strategy. It is destroying the game and the purpose for which the fans paid money to go into the stadium. When I want to see people lying around in pain I can visit hospitals.
It's smart strategy. It doesn't matter what strategy that being used as long as it can give trophy and that's the main purpose in football. You will be known as a part of history if you were winning the trophy but you will be also known as a loser if you were losing in the final. Your fans will be singing chants to praise your team no matter what strategy used by its coach. Jose has proven itself boring football can beat beautiful football and why not?
Did you think play beautifully and then lose the game is the main purpose of the football? Football is about winning trophy. Losing the trophy will make you to be called as looser. The fans will be so grateful if their favorite clubs were winning trophy.
If you lose and the club who win the trophy will be mocking you. The name of club will be remember in the history as long as the club has ever won the trophy.
All of strategies that used by mourinho are smart strategy.
I thought it would be better to not answer your post, but I can't hold back... As a fan I can repeat myself that I want to see a soccer game and not people lying around on the pitch pretending to be injured. That has nothing to do with the sport. It is part of the sport, that is correct, but is it a good part of that sport? I prefer games where two teams play with the goal to generate some action during the game, not acting. Action, not acting! Those are two different things. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona was action even when there were fouls and emotions, that's ok and that is part of the game and should be part of the game. But behaving like a barbie falling down every few minutes and crying, you can't really like that and call it "smart". It is shameful and that is the major reason why a player like Neymar is frequently getting the bird.
When someone goes for an obvious dive and hasn't been touched by an opponent, gets a penalty, scores it and wins a trophy, you would call that smart? I would call it unsportsmanlike. Everything that happens on the pitch to save time while playing soccer, I think that's ok. Keeping the ball within your team in a smart way, winning corner kicks by kicking the ball against the opponent, there are many tricks to win time. But diving or falling on the ground pretending you are injured and then jump up again and play like nothing has ever happened, that isn't smart. That's bullshit.