Super Frank Thread

[Jase 43,479]

11 minutes ago, Blues Forever said:

Nah Azpi is better, James just can't defend properly.

One is better offensively while the other is better defensively. Can we find a way to merge them both?

[Blues Forever 1,232]

1 minute ago, Jason said:

One is better offensively while the other is better defensively. Can we find a way to merge them both?

Need to find a competent coach first, otherwise just buy a new RB who is good on both offensively and defensively. 

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

11 hours ago, kellzfresh said:

I'm happy with Anthony Barrys introduction, i can see signs of our improvements in defending. Tactical fouls to prevent counters, set piece defending, etc. 

The only thing is that the improved defense has come to the detriment of our attack, which looks stale compared to the beginning of last season. But once Pulisic and Ziyech come back and play a few games together with Havertz, I know the attacking fluidity will instantly improve because lampards system in attack largely depends on the quality of players and their form on the day. Its not a practiced system like Leeds who Bielsa grills to play a certain pattern no matter who is in the lineup. 

An improvement in using tactical fouling is hardly something you can solely accredit to Anthony Barry.

Its the players being a bit more cynical and realising that its stop it here or concede a chance more or less. I think Frank has maybe said it to them. I mean that Spurs documentary on amazon showed the situation at Spurs, they were too nice according to Jose and not horrible when they had to be. City do it, Liverpool do it, we've done it in past title winning teams, United have almost certainly done it with Ferguson.

Maybe he’s highlighted we were caught on transitions too much last season but a blind man could see that if I am honest, I mean when you have both fullbacks and 3 attacking midfield players pushed up as well as a CF almost all the time that tends to happen. Plus if Frank and Jody couldn’t see that we were caught out on transitions and they needed this guy to show them then I really would be surprised and shocked as it was a major downfall to our season. 

He is known for a lot of work on set piece analysis, maybe we will see an improvement over the course of the season, too early to say we have improved that already IMO. I am hopeful that will change because two of our biggest weaknesses last season was defending set plays and transitions.

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

11 hours ago, kellzfresh said:

I'm happy with Anthony Barrys introduction, i can see signs of our improvements in defending. Tactical fouls to prevent counters, set piece defending, etc. 

The only thing is that the improved defense has come to the detriment of our attack, which looks stale compared to the beginning of last season. But once Pulisic and Ziyech come back and play a few games together with Havertz, I know the attacking fluidity will instantly improve because lampards system in attack largely depends on the quality of players and their form on the day. Its not a practiced system like Leeds who Bielsa grills to play a certain pattern no matter who is in the lineup. 

An improvement in using tactical fouling is hardly something you can solely accredit to Anthony Barry.

Its the players being a bit more cynical and realising that its stop it here or concede a chance more or less. I think Frank has maybe said it to them. I mean that Spurs documentary on amazon showed the situation at Spurs, they were too nice according to Jose and not horrible when they had to be. City do it, Liverpool do it, we've done it in past title winning teams, United have almost certainly done it with Ferguson.

Maybe he’s highlighted we were caught on transitions too much last season but a blind man could see that if I am honest, I mean when you have both fullbacks and 3 attacking midfield players pushed up as well as a CF almost all the time that tends to happen. Plus if Frank and Jody couldn’t see that we were caught out on transitions and they needed this guy to show them then I really would be surprised and shocked as it was a major downfall to our season. 

He is known for a lot of work on set piece analysis, maybe we will see an improvement over the course of the season, too early to say we have improved that already IMO. I am hopeful that will change because two of our biggest weaknesses last season was defending set plays and transitions.

[NikkiCFC 7,582]

6 hours ago, Blues Forever said:

Nah Azpi is better, James just can't defend properly.

I agree. It is all about the balance.

Front 4 of Kai, Hakim, Timo and Puli plus Ben should be more than enough offensively.

And it is not like Azpi is not solid in attack. He gave us 30 assists in the last 4 seasons. 7.5 per season.

And Reece is still suspect in defence.

So this season it should be like last season. Azpi playing 2/3 of games. Reece the rest.

[kellzfresh 7,226]

2 hours ago, OneMoSalah said:

An improvement in using tactical fouling is hardly you can solely accredit to Anthony Barry.

Its the players being a bit more cynical and realising that its stop it here or concede a chance more or less. I think Frank has maybe said it to them. I mean that Spurs documentary on amazon showed the situation at Spurs, they were too nice according to Jose and not horrible when they had to be. City do it, Liverpool do it, we've done it in past title winning teams, United have almost certainly done it with Ferguson.

Maybe he’s highlighted we were caught on transitions too much last season but a blind man could see that if I am honest, I mean when you have both fullbacks and 3 attacking midfield players pushed up as well as a CF almost all the time that tends to happen. Plus if Frank and Jody couldn’t see that we were caught out on transitions and they needed this guy to show them then I really would be surprised and shocked as it was a major downfall to our season. 

He is known for a lot of work on set piece analysis, maybe we will see an improvement over the course of the season, too early to say we have improved that already IMO. I am hopeful that will change because two of our biggest weaknesses last season was defending set plays and transitions.

But we were terrible against counterattack teams like palace all through last season and Lampard never fixed that. We even had a loss to west ham late in the season through two very annoying counterattacks. Seeing tactical fouling which I never saw before Barry became a coaching staff must mean something surely.

The set pieces part maybe we have to wait for a longer time but I feel somewhat safer now compared to last season where every set piece against us felt like a penalty.

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

Just now, kellzfresh said:

But we were terrible against counterattack teams like palace all through last season and Lampard never fixed that. We even had a loss to west ham late in the season. Seeing tactical fouling which I never saw before Barry became a coaching staff must mean something surely.

The set pieces part maybe we have to wait for a longer time but I feel somewhat safer now compared to last season where every set piece against us felt like a penalty.

Lampard played in two Jose Mourinho teams and a Rafa Benitez team here. Its not as if he’s never seen or heard of tactical fouling being used by top managers when these situations arise. So to credit it purely to a new coaching addition doesn’t sit for me, I think Frank’s realised you can’t try and play like we do and win the fair play award also because we will leave spaces. I think he’s learned that the hard way through last season and the players also have. Pep encourages his players to make fouls if necessary to prevent these situations, Jose does, Klopp does. 

[kellzfresh 7,226]

38 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Lampard played in two Jose Mourinho teams and a Rafa Benitez team here. Its not as if he’s never seen or heard of tactical fouling being used by top managers when these situations arise. So to credit it purely to a new coaching addition doesn’t sit for me, I think Frank’s realised you can’t try and play like we do and win the fair play award also because we will leave spaces. I think he’s learned that the hard way through last season and the players also have. Pep encourages his players to make fouls if necessary to prevent these situations, Jose does, Klopp does. 

Lamps may have experienced it as a player but not putting a stop to it all through 50-60 games last season meant he didn't know how to properly do it imo. I mean how can he know how to solve a serious problem and not do it? Getting an extra staff was wise from him.

Agree to disagree.

[Jase 43,479]

1 hour ago, kellzfresh said:

Lamps may have experienced it as a player but not putting a stop to it all through 50-60 games last season meant he didn't know how to properly do it imo. I mean how can he know how to solve a serious problem and not do it? Getting an extra staff was wise from him.

Agree to disagree.

For starters, maybe not just throw all the players forward whenever we have the ball and end up getting caught repeatedly on the counter, which happened a lot last season. Surely Lampard doesn't need a new coach to tell him that? The tactical fouling yesterday was good but we also did not just throw men forward. So we always, at least, had enough players behind the ball to deal with any counter attacks.

As a whole though, if we can build on what we did yesterday, then that would obviously be great but given we have been fooled or let down by many false dawns in recent years, I would wait for the next few games and see before forming any conclusion. After all, for example, we had games last season where we did everything right in one game and then couldn't even do the basics properly in the next one. So, yesterday was good but let's see after the international break. 

[Fernando 6,376]

Kloop team getting spank....

Lampard fault! 

[Magic Lamps 11,450]

2 hours ago, Fernando said:

Kloop team getting spank....

Lampard fault! 

Yeah sure and Arteta and Bielsa are also faulty coaches bc they lost to pool too. Great logic. Let's hire Dean Smith then. Oh wait he lost vs Lamps last season.... See the problem?

[Fernando 6,376]

8 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

Yeah sure and Arteta and Bielsa are also faulty coaches bc they lost to pool too. Great logic. Let's hire Dean Smith then. Oh wait he lost vs Lamps last season.... See the problem?

It is why it is foolish to freak out about results this early as most teams are like in pre season mode. 

Lampard team will also take time for greatness. 

Hence why we see freak results. 

[Jase 43,479]

Not sure Lampard wanted a squad this big...

[NikkiCFC 7,582]

First 11: Mendy, Chilwell, Zouma, Silva, Azpi, Kante, Jorginho, Havertz, Pulisic, Ziyech, Werner.

Subs: Kepa, Christensen, James, Kovacic, Mount, CHO, Giroud.

Squad players: Willy, Rudiger, Tomori, Emerson, Alonso, Gilmour, Abraham.

This is when everyone is fit and it will be a lot of rotation so Tomori and Tammy will play a lot but Rudi, both left backs will be completely left out.

[bigbluewillie 1,806]

On 03/10/2020 at 10:33 PM, Jason said:

Careful mate. We're not allowed to say anything negative about Lampard... 

Bithchy

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

Real interest to see how he deals with these players that wont feature as often as we failed to offload them. 

Likes of Rudiger, Emerson, Giroud (didnt try offload him) and Alonso for instance. All these guys are established guys who are international players who will want to be playing, regardless of their relationship with Frank, nobody likes sitting on the bench. Even more so this season where there will be a international tournament at the end of it.

The whole situation with Alonso after WBA too might have put extra strain on his relationship with him perhaps. 

Even more so now as well as Callum seems to pipe up every 5 games if he doesn’t play every week wanting to discuss his future.... keeping squad players happy is always difficult but if he manages it, it is a good sign of his capabilities as a man manager.

If they dont exactly play and get frustrated, it isnt good for the group.

[bigbluewillie 1,806]

8 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Real interest to see how he deals with these players that wont feature as often as we failed to offload them. 

Likes of Rudiger, Emerson, Giroud (didnt try offload him) and Alonso for instance. All these guys are established guys who are international players who will want to be playing, regardless of their relationship with Frank, nobody likes sitting on the bench. Even more so this season where there will be a international tournament at the end of it.

The whole situation with Alonso after WBA too might have put extra strain on his relationship with him perhaps. 

Even more so now as well as Callum seems to pipe up every 5 games if he doesn’t play every week wanting to discuss his future.... keeping squad players happy is always difficult but if he manages it, it is a good sign of his capabilities as a man manager.

If they dont exactly play and get frustrated, it isnt good for the group.

What about the other dross still here.

Someone posted a list of sixteen that we not could, but should get rid of...... everyone I agreed with and I don't think Ollie was on there, mind you no reason to get rid of him imo.

[milka 3,308]