Tomo

This is why i defend the defenders despite none of them being great themselves, a ludicrous amount of pressure is put on them due to our wastefulness and any clean strike going in. Get a new keeper to go alongside our new attackers (and pick atleast 3 constants in the back 4) and i think people will be surprised at how much better/less chaotic things look. Said at the time people didn't realize how good we had it with Courtois. He may be a repulsive bellend but he's an unbelievable keeper.

If we play 3atb there's no excuse not to play CHO and Pulisic on the wings together.

We're just basically saying the same thing in different ways. Ofcourse there has to be improvement next season, especially with the backing he's getting and (hopefully) a keeper of his choice.

That's ludicrous, how can a team with not a single world class player fresh from losing their game changer and trying to completely overhaul their style of play be expected to reach the same targets a team with about 7 international captains and finished article managers hit? Yes Lampard has rough edges he needs to fix but the reality is we don't have the squad at present to be doing better than a top 4 challenge and expecting more because "we're Chelsea" is the exact type of unrealistic expectations we use to laugh hysterically at Liverpool fans for having pre Klopp. Regarding the defense, we were one of "the best" last season because Sarri played risk averse possession football after Arsenal cut us open about 6 times in 15 minutes, and people spent the season moaning about how boring it was, with this squad there's a trade off, Sarri decided to master the possession bit first whereas Lamps wants to get the attack firing first, the end result is roughly the same one-way or another, we challenge for the top four as that's where this current squad is at and it's the ceiling.

Edit:Wrong thread

Well I guess it's personal perception, for me this season has always been a evolutionary one (that's why I've at times been downbeat after wins and the opposite in defeat). If this was about getting top 4 at all costs we'd have brought back Jose and shithoused it. Yes there's a lot of work that needs doing to get us back challenging for the league (including tactically from Lampard's perspective) but I've seen more than enough promise to make me hopeful going forward.

Hold on, are you saying you're holding Frank to the same expectations you are to the manager's who's managed the old guard in their prime?

Im not arguing it will be a crushing disappointment but at the same time we can't go overboard on squad bashing and lose sight of the bigger picture.

You should be as happy as anyone because you wrote off our chances of even making Europe and had us being around where Arsenal are.

Even if the worst happens on Sunday we've still massively hit above fan expectations. Go back to August, people were claiming we'll be lucky to finish top half (and even claimed they'd be happy with it aslong as we promoted youth, lol).

Despite the defense and keeper issues we're one point away from getting top 4 with Tammy/Giroud and Willian but we won't get it with Werner, Ziyech and possibly Havertz? Ok then.

Shouldn't have played 3atb, Liverpool devour those teams in the half spaces, Conte is the only one that's made it work Vs Klopp's Pool and that's because he parked the jumbo jet against them. We've been the better side against them in the last three clashes by playing 4/3/3. Mane and Salah get too much room in half spaces between outside CB and winger. However we knew we were getting some of this when we appointed Frank, we'll get the promise but we'll also get the mistakes, all things considered if you were told we'd go into game 38 needing a point for top 4 with a cup final against a vastly inferior side to come, we would have all accepted it.

Went a bit under the radar due to Pulisic's impact but I thought he was fantastic when he came on himself. The way he found Pulisic for the third goal with the ball in the air and him running at speed was sensational, that's end product we simply do not see from Willian (and I'm far from a Willian basher). He has to start with Pulisic Vs Wolves, even more so if we play 3atb again (as it will put less defensive emphasis on the wingers).

Pulisic will rightly get lots of plaudits but Hudson Odoi did superbly to find him given he was running at speed.

James has been robbed of 3 assists tonight. Another reason why the assist stat is misleading.

The defense needs upgrading but Kepa has the worst save % in PL history of first choice keepers, upgrading on him alone will have some improvement. We've played worse than this at Anfield (and big games) with Cech and Courtois and got results because those two produces massive performances.

Now change to 433, was a silly decision playing 3atb against this Liverpool team.

Really? We've been (by far) the better team so far.

Can't we shake on a 0-0 with Liverpool now? We get the point we need while they keep their home run going and don't have their party spoiled.

I think the comparisons between us and Arsenal are misguided but for different reasons than you do. No one mocked Arsenal for settling for mere top 4 in the mid to late 00s because realistically that was the best they could have done, they were building with teenagers next to no money and up against Chelsea and United's best ever sides (aswell as Liverpool's best PL side pre Klopp), to expect anything more from them at that point would have been lunacy. When they started to become bantered for settling for top 4 was when the stadium debt was paid off, those kids matured and they started adding players like Ozil and Cazorla to the ranks yet they still didn't adjust their expectations, that plus the relitevely low quality at the other top teams meant they should have really put a title challenging team together at that point but didn't really seem arsed. Not long ago when I pointed out that we were doing as good as we can with the squad we have someone pointed out "we're Chelsea we shouldn't be settling for this" which was just too much tunnel vision in my eyes, to expect this squad to have sustained a title challenge because of who we are is the exact same type of unrealistic expectations and arrogance we use to scold Liverpool fans for having. The comparison to Arsenal would be accurate if we were still aiming solely for top 4 when RJ, CHO, Mount, Pulisic etc hit their peak but at this point when you consider the obstacles we've faced since we sacked Conte, changing to a complex style of play, effectively losing 4 world class players (2 to departure and 2 to decline/not suiting the new system as well, lost 1 the previous year to that aswell) and rebuilding with young players we've done about as good as can realistically asked in the last couple of season's, if not overachieved.

I'm not sure, I mean if we had the cup final in midweek then goes without saying but I'm not comfortable with our players having a whole week and a half without match practice before a big final.

In many ways it going to the final game will help us in the cup final (although I'd obviously rather not chance it if given the choice). We will still be 'in the zone' as far as playing for something in the league whereas Arsenal are practically playing freindlies at this point. You would think that would bring the extra competitive sharpness.

It's still pretty manic everywhere bar Europe and Oceania. Been looking at the travel index and outside Europe there's about 10 countries open for tourism.

I'd rather sign Kepa to a lifelong contract and bring Turnbull back as back up.

All the big six (plus Wolves and Leicester) beaten atleast once but no potential of being a top coach apparently.