After their win against West Ham, Manchester City played with greater composure. Mourinho repeatedly called out instructions in the training to Makélélé, adjusting tactics throughout the match.
He clearly had a specific plan for him.
While Mourinho busied himself with tactical details, O'Neill relied on his words to inspire and motivate the players.
This was how O'Neill and Mourinho complemented each other—one commanding with speeches, the other with strategy. Mourinho had already proven himself a master of tactics.
Of course, there were times when they clashed, holding very different views.
O'Neill favored using a player like Pirlo—creative, with broad vision—to control the rhythm of the game and dictate the flow of attacks. Mourinho, on the other hand, preferred a midfield built around a destroyer, paired with a dynamic box-to-box player like Lampard.
