Tomo

If we win on Saturday Mason Mount will have beaten Mourinho more times than Arsenal have.

I don't know how it's gone from one extreme to the other so quickly. Iirc in the Conte title we didn't create much half the time but always scored when the chances arrived. Not even swapping Costa for Morata should have resulted in such a drastic switch, maybe the fact we tend to concede any chance we allow results in anxiety from the forwards? City were even more wasteful during the Claudio Bravo banter season then as soon as Ederson was in their conversion rate shot up.

Looks like lessons haven't been learned from the reverse fixture. Could be a fair number of people hanging their heads in shame again.

I'm happy with solid shape first everything else second when it had us in contention for major titles, but I don't think it will again. Outside shot at CL maybe (but even Atletico for all their big game heroics still haven't done it yet) but I don't think pragmatic tactics will work against the super consistent attacking/pressing teams who's tactics blow the middle to lesser sides away (Simeone ball would drop too many points in those games). I think Diego came an era too late, I reckon the 00s he would have won a shit load of titles (hypothetically allowing his Leti squads into a time machine) even against Reals Galaticos and Dinho's Barca, but in this era it just isn't enough on a week by week basis.

Two years ago this would have been catastrophic, now I think being forced to revert to Jorgi, Kova, Mason will inadvertedly turn our fortunes around somewhat. If we go back to dominating games with them three (especially if one of those games is Bayern) and Kante walks back in then.....

We played really bad for half a season and were constantly bailed out by Courtois and Hazard (can't think of a single game post Swansea 5-0 that didn't have a match defining moment by one of them often both) while the rest of the team fell off a cliff. We had to sort it out or eventually results would have caught up, we didn't and they did, watching pre season that summer it was very obvious we were in serious trouble.

This isn't about being glass half full or whatever (I ruled out any chance of the title last season, this season and already for next so if I'm regarded as a glass half full poster that says more about this site than it does me) in pretty much every successful side during the building/rebuilding process they go through a phase of having to look at the bigger picture while not getting the results they desire, it's reality, teams a lot less handicapped than us (losing our match winner with no chance of replacing) have needed 1-3 season's to construct the side they desire, even Fergie wrote season's off while constructing his great team with Ronaldo, Rooney, Vidic etc in it. Jose coming in and building a title winning side at the click of his fingers was the exception not the norm. Regarding that United game, we were all thrilled with the result and the upcoming title but iirc on that match thread there was a widespread acceptance that that performance wasn't sustainable and to say that turned out to be spot on would be a massively misguided understatement.

We dominated before we went down to ten aswell. Ofcourse in terms of the match result it's meaningless but you can always look at game situations win, draw or lose and see potential signs going forward. For example in reverse, the 2015 title season, it was great to win the league but it was obvious to anyone with a set of eyes (or not in denial) we were close to big big trouble, and so it proved. Well considering Burnley went on to beat Leicester and United after that (not to mention only lose 1 in 4 at The Bridge under Dyche before that game) I would say it was a pretty good result and performance. The James and Callum combination especially was a really exciting part of that match. Regarding Arsenal, look back at a post of mine around the end of January and I've sent a video link of Hudson Odoi alone creating about 4 good chances and that didn't even include his assist.

I still think we've had some good games during this poor run. Outplaying Tottenham, Arsenal away (after half hour), Burnley home (should have been 6), Arsenal home (yes it was a fucking ball ache to blow two points Vs ten men but we absolutely dominated the game in terms of terrortory that was probably the most dominant we've ever been against Arsenal at home bar the 6-0). There has to be season by season progression (ie if next season is the same results and especially performance wise I will have no defense against calls for his sacking infact I'd likely be on that train myself) but I think overall we've been given enough encouragement to go on despite a wretched run of late.

The start of the season, people took the piss out of our squad, laughed at any thought of even a top four challenge and claimed we'll be lucky for top half (with most saying/implying they would be quite content with that aslong as youth were playing and there were some signs of encouragement to build on, a vow which has surprise surprise turned out to be bullshit).

Course he did, he may not have had a transfer window but he still had enough experienced players to play ahead of the young boys if he really wanted too.

I can't see it, even if the new manager wanted to discard them they're on first team wages now so it won't be easy to find a club willing to pay them. And furthermore they've got the experience of PL football now so they won't be seen as a "risk", even Jose who's not exactly known for his youth development went to United and kept Rashford in the fold after LVG did the hard part. However given the talent we have coming through if the worst happened with Lamps it would be vital to appoint a manager who values youth development, what's got me through a lot of these last two season's is the hope we're eventually building something sustainable, would be depressing to discard all that now and revert back to type.

His finishing was his only saving grace and now he's not even doing that. Thankyou for West Brom and to an extent Ajax but it's time to go.

As I just pointed out on the match thread as sad as I am for Kante to be injured I'm very excited to see that midfield once more. If it stands up and has us dictating the game against Bayern (even if they ultimately have too much for us) the same way it did in Amsterdam there's surely no way Kante could walk back in.

Although I'm very sad for Kante on a personal level i am excited to see the Jorgi, Kova, Mount midfield for an extended period once again. Against Spurs and especially Bayern we will get a clearer indication on how sustainable a midfield it is in the long run.

I was actually hoping this was going to be Tottenham's first game after their winter break. Would have given us a huge advantage match fitness wise.

Reece too, his pace prevented Martial from going clean through just after half time.

In Serie A under a man that makes Levy look a great backer of his managers against a powerhouse who poached his best player. And he's been proven right with Emerson, he was first choice from March till December last calender year and done absolutely nothing (apart from a decent cross in Baku and a good half in a match we lost 4-0) to show he was even better than Marcos, let alone good enough to be a long term starter for Chelsea.

Should be starting every game for the foreseeable future baring injury, suspension or fatigue.

What "CV" did Dortmund have to go on during Klopp's initial struggle? What "CV" did Levy have to go on when Pochettino struggled initially? By your logic we should have just brought back Jose cause "he's got the CV innit". And, like I said, last season we had a manager proven in constructing a title challenging side playing great football and surprise surprise that wasn't enough for you.

Likewise with Klopp ,he only had one team built to go on.

He came in after 8 games, hence the "a season is 16 games" question. I could be wrong but I think they were actually 8th when he took over which by your very logic isn't progress as he took them from 8th to 8th.

Sarri was "proven" in building a side to challenge for the title, something we are trying to build to but even that wasn't enough evidence for you he could have in time built one here.

The season only 16 games long these days?

The ironic thing is, last season we actually had a manager proven in building a title challenging side playing the football we're trying to build to and even then you constantly pulled out the "CV" line after every bad result.