Pizy

Get ready for the massive overreaction in the media when Arsenal slaughter West Ham here. "Arsenal will walk the league!"

There were a couple of times where a ball was played through our CB's if I remember correctly but Gomis was just offside. If there was a better striker (like Agüero next week for example) it could've been ugly.In terms of 1v1's I don't think he had any issue yesterday.

Good point and I agree. If it's Arsenal for example they'll start to struggle when the other competitions start and they have to juggle the CL and PL at the same time. Hope so anyways. I'm more concerned about us having enough firepower to claw back the others if we fall too far behind.

I'm just glad we have this fixture out of the way so early. I'm predicting a boring draw. If we lose this, however, I think we're in for a long and nervy season without some quality additions. Can't afford to start like Arsenal did last season by spotting our rivals an early gap.

His performance was great. Just the one mistake combined with some brilliant attacking play that led to the goal.

This thread makes for some depressing reading over this last page or two. What's worse is that I kind of agree with a lot of what's being said. Many of us called it ages ago that we aren't strong enough to repeat what we did last season. I struggle to blame José here, though. At a time when we should have more money to bolster the squad than ever the purse strings are tightening. Also coincides with a period where our rivals are going crazy in the market. If he was told he could spend a bunch I'm sure he would. I can't believe he's sticking with the exact same team as last season out of his own arrogance and stubbornness. He wouldn't harm his own chances by trying to prove a point, surely?

At his best when he's running with the ball after just receiving it. When he gets the ball from a standing position he's super predictable and easy to defend for the most part. Does the exact same move every time he gets it. He fakes like he's going to go left with a stepover or "wiggle" and then bursts to the right towards the touch line. He needs to vary it up. Like Hazard, when Willian is at full flow and sprinting with the ball not many can keep up with him or take it off of him. If he's not going to score goals he has to at least get assists using his excellent pace and technical ability.

Obviously one of the very best shot stoppers and box dominators in world football, but you have to cringe and pray any time he has to play with his feet.

Cuadrado and Moses out, Reus and Götze German duo in. Baba in at LB, Azpi over to RB. Stones in to rotate with our CB's. ---------------Costa--------------- Hazard------Reus-------Götze --------Matić-------Cesc-------- Baba---Terry---Stones---Azpi --------------Courtois------------- Global domination. Seriously, though. Those moves really wouldn't be THAT hard to pull off.

A huge worry for the season as a whole is that the blueprint to beat or give us an extremely difficult game is out there for every club to see. Just as it was as the season wore on last year. If you press our slow midfield who are both sketchy with the ball at their feet under pressure and constantly run with pace at our defense you'll kill us. And then you see another huge issue- when we do play exciting attacking football like we did at times in that first half it leaves our defense so exposed that teams look like threatening our goal with every attack. I think a new fullback combination would go a long way. If we had Azpi playing in his natural position and signed a natural LB who can also defend at a high level (like Baba) rather than a CB shoehorned in at RB we'd look more comfortable. But everyone knows Ivanovic won't be dropped.

It isn't José who's preventing us from signing players, it's our board.Zero chance José thinks the exact same team as last season is good enough to win the league again without ANY game changing signings. He's being hamstrung by the higher-ups who don't want to spend big.

Not as disastrous as it could've been. But we were destroyed at times by Gomis and Montero. Now we have to deal with Agüero, Sterling, Silva, and Yaya... Begovic isn't the one I'm worried about next week, it's our back 4 and midfield. Ivanovic should be embarrassed. Our only shit performer, really. Hazard went into beast mode as the game went on and we could've won that with 10 men.

And we have City away next weekend...

Jefferson destroying us. He's playing like you'd expect Hazard to play, FFS!

Ivanovic will have to cost us numerous goals in order for José to drop him. Only way. He's one of José's "generals" and is nearly undroppable because of that.

Both Hazard and Cesc look miles off of full sharpness. Misplacing passes left and right. Oscar really the only sharp attacking player. Ivanovic getting skinned over and over. Our entire back 4 other than Azpi and our CM as well just can't handle pace. Same as last season.

Ivanovic raped by Montero again. Recurring theme. We NEED to switch Azpi over there this season and get a proper LB.

Ivanovic is a total liability in defense.

Fuck sake. Injured before we even kick off?

Was having a brilliant game until that goal.

Surely Cuadrado is off, right?

Should be a good match. That Swansea side looks pretty decent.

Let's see if he lasts the 90. I pray he does.

Risky to start Costa, José. Very, very risky.

He doesn't and shouldn't.As ridiculous as this is to say, this is a must win for me with City away next week. The title race may be decided by only a few points this season. Lose this and then lose to City (who always give us a hard time) and we're in trouble already.