Tomo

All of them delivered in clutch moments in the second biggest competition in football (possibly biggest if you factor the decline or international football). Havertz especially moved in the middle of a pandemic, caught the thing (badly) and spent half the season under a manager who didn't know how to utilize him. And out of interest who is your ideal striker option if (as is looking likely) we can't sign Haaland? And did they score more than Kai and Timo the year before they joined us?

Funny thing is I remember at the end of Mourinho and Conte's title winning season's when we were playing poorly but getting results due to Hazard coming clutch you were at pains to tell us all that our luck would eventually run out and ofcourse you were right. So why (in your opinion) can't that work in reverse?

So losing finals doesn't make you shit then? Make your mind up!

That reminds me of when Klopp was a bad manager because he lost a few finals. Good times!

Top 4 maybe, but there's enough sample size already to see he'll bottle it if they somehow get into the title picture. I'm not really saying it out of blind hope, I wrote off the title before a ball was kicked last three season's, this is the first time I've believed there to be a chance since 2017. With our players settled into the league and the confidence of not only getting their first trophy (as a new team) but the biggest one of all I feel if we will at worst be comfortable top 4. It doesn't always work out so simple but Lampard achieved it with a vastly inferior team and Kepa in goal, hard to forsee TT failing. Also apart from Haaland who would even be a guaranteed goal scorer out there? I'd be willing to bet most if not all (bar Haaland) even semi realistic options scored less than Kai and Werner the year before they came here.

I'd say we've recovered relitevely well all things considered. Liverpool took 7 years and a genius manager to fully recover from Dalglish's hatchet job, United are still feeling the effects of the Moyes era and Arsenal likely won't recover from the final years of Wenger for a decade minimum.

I'm relaxed purely because I believe we have a good enough squad and more importantly an elite coach. The factors that had us down in 4th last season were almost as unique as the factors that has us down 10th in 2016. Our CL run shown the true quality of this squad and coach, very very few teams win it without relying on some luck at some point (even 2011 Barca were a better Bentdner touch away from going out). United on the other hand can sign whoever they like, Ole won't be outsmarting all of Klopp, Tuchel and Pep over 38 games.

Shittest thing is it could happen again on matchday 2 as they have most of their players back early while a lot of ours at the Euro's so will come back late.

And he can pretty much cover all the positions around the midfield and top, possibly fullback too at a push (Fabian Delph style). Fergie use to always have 2/3 players of that type in his squad.

Modric gave them one big final season despite wanting out, likewise Hazard us, Ronaldo United etc. The majority just get on with it.

A bit different a situation as Cech was well and truly in decline at that point, Edou by comparison has just come off a brilliant debut season.

Yep, I find it pretty bewildering that some people are closing their minds to not even one of the attackers improving given most of the obstacles they faced last season (broken pre season, poorly coached for half of It and in Kai's case a really bad dose of the virus that shut down the world). I imagine they felt the same avout Rudi and Chris in January. Not to mention getting a striker in isn't anymore the safe bet it's being portrayed as (as we of all supporters should know). Infact outside of Haaland has any of our even semi realistic options scored more laat season than what Kai and Timo did the year before they joined us?

Levy will price Kane out and he's only got himself to blame signing that big deal knowing the formers reputation, he can't claim to be blindsided like Modric was.

I think we won't have to worry about that much next season, the sheer volume of games combined with an intense season and a bit previous means almost everyone will have a big role. Personally I believe RJ is better in RCB in that formation, even at right back in a back four he likes to drift inside a lot and he will have a lot of good opportunities to cross and possibly even shoot in the half spaces like Azpi did/does in that position.

I'm hoping he see's James as the RCB and CHO as a wingback. I think he has got plans for CHO, although he didn't play him in the clutch games his tactical lecture after the City game alone shows he sees something in him. That said I'm hoping with a little more time on the training ground we will see different formations to suit particular opponents more next term, maybe 3atb for the big games and 4 for the games against teams we're expected to beat, bit like how England did it at the Euro's.

Same happens with Keylor Navas, even after all he's won people still think he was carried by his team mates and just got into the right place at the right time. As we found out the hard way you can't carry a keeper especially at the very top level.

Apart from penalties what exactly has been his flaws?

There's no easy solution, Tuchel is paid the big bucks to hopefully find a way. However, we of all supporters should know signing strikers because they "guarantee goals" is a dangerous game, even more so if we're overhauling a promising system to accommodate them. The biggest case in point, Haaland aside, does any of our realistic targets actually have more goals last season than Kai and Werner did in 19/20?

I really wish it was as simple as that but part of the reason we create so many chances is because everyone is involved in not only the build up but the pressing to force opposition errors in dangerous areas. A fox in the box striker to "finish what we create" sounds good in theory but it could quite easily go the other way where our chance creation goes through the floor and we're relying on said player to finish almost every chance he gets.

I actually said it should be used as a more accurate way to judge creativity than the assist stat. You can make the best through pass of all time but are still relying on the player at the other end to do his job for it to go on the assist chart but on the flip side whoever passed to Maradona before that goal against England or Henry before that goal against Spurs got an "assist".

What makes this more impressive is the other four have their entire teams systems built around getting the (creative) best out of them.

Examples from the Euros would be Sterling's hesitation and Kane's sitter vs Croatia.

Well a month ago he made one that won us the second biggest prize in football, to kick on from scoring the clincer in the semi, for one. Assists are subjective, Mount has been robbed of many assists this past season and in this tournament by poor finishing, the other end of the scale would be Matic in 16/17 who stat padded assists by happening to the one passing to Hazard just before a wonder goal. Unless they do it a ridicolous rate like KDB or Fabregas then the quality of assists need looking deeper into. And where was Grealish at Mount's age? Playing in the Championship not long off being part of the worst PL team in years and breaking a record for the longest personal run without a win. Willian had little competition at the start of his career here and as soon as much as one capable player (Pedro) came to compete with him he was relegated to third choice winger within a year. Mount gets picked by every manager he's played for in the face of intense competition and not only that other managers are saying they would also be picking him if he was their player, Mourinho and Sarri the most recent pair. Actually I would say a fair comparison to Mount would be Pedro, not the 'star' player himself but sure knows how to coexist with them.

I actually blame Lampard more for Kante's problems (and I said as much even when I was largely content with his work early on). He was shoehorning him into every single game he was available for despite the fact we were playing well in his absence (especially vs the lesser sides) and not only was it bad for Kante it buggered our momentum three times. I know Tuchel has utilised a formation better suited to his strengths but I think adequete rotation based on opponents has played just as big a part in his revival, if not more so.

The noises are we will do a January 2020 as opposed to Summer 2017. If we can't get the top or atleast a suitable target we will look elsewhere.