OneMoSalah

Bit contradictory considering midfield is arguably our strongest area for the NT. But again I suppose TT isn’t to know that. I really dont see why Steve Clarke should pick someone not playing ahead of the guys he picks. Plus Steve Clarke has just spoken about moving McTominay back into MF on a podcast - who has made a huge improvement under OGS and plays virtually every week - due to other centre backs doing well. I hope Billy makes the euros squad but its highly unlikely right now considering his lack of minutes and the likes of John McGinn, Scott McTominay, Callum McGregor, Stuart Armstrong and John Fleck all playing regularly. Theres still a slim chance if there are injuries or if he plays virtually every week but he wont at this rate.

Knew someone would suggest it at some point. He’s always been a decent all round player but lets see what like his return is next season, could be a one season wonder in terms of his goals, might not be. He has impressed me but at the same time I always think it is easy to get carried away with these sort of players, look at Teemu Pukki, Amir Zaki, Michu, Roque Santa-Cruz... all one season wonders in terms of their goal returns in their first PL season, yet people probably thought they could play for a higher team yet they never did or were never at the level. Plus why would he come here when he is effectively one of the first names on the Leeds team sheet and was really close to getting in the England team? Would be the stupidest move out there. Everyone always think players want to be back ups and maybe there is a percentage who do but guys who are inching towards their NT squad don’t want to be backups realistically. Which is why Abraham is also probably unhappy with his situation this season since Tuchel’s came in.

Tbf though this is the first season in his 10 seasons in England where it looks like he may struggle to reach 25 appearances in the PL, which even then I think theres still 10 games or so left so he will break 20 appearances surely unless Pep continues with his false 9 system a lot. It appears he has missed 51 games in all competitions in the last 3 seasons according to this (https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/sergio-aguero/verletzungen/spieler/26399) but considering he had a knee injury last season which he was out for 115 days - which equals to 17 of those games and then missed 10 due to contracting covid (which is a one off and hopefully be an avoidable issue for next season with these vaccines and procedures clubs set), only missing 24 games across the last 3 seasons (averaging 7 per season across all competitions in seasons which there are easily 50+ games) due to smaller injuries, its not that bad. It’s actually probably pretty routine to miss a handful of games each season. That knee injury last season is the only big sort of injury that has kept him out for a significant period of time. Would say for someone who is 32 (I think 32 anyway, maybe 33 at a push?) and has been playing most weeks for the best part of 15 years, as well as regularly with his national team at friends, qualifiers and then repeating tournaments like the World Cups and Copa Americas, that is hardly that bad at injury record at club level. It was effectively the same argument when we were linked with Cavani last season. Aguero usually gets around 10-15 PL goals every season as a minimum if he plays in 20-25 games either as a starter/sub. Even then, managed correctly, he would still do the business. 100%. I do think City would be fools to let him go as well in all honesty. Its like PSG with Thiago in the summer also, which was our gain. For me, Aguero is still an elite player, I think it would be mad to not consider him if he is available for a season or two at least on a free. Obviously as well if Haaland goes elsewhere as most imagine, again, top CFs will be hard to come by and if City don’t get Haaland they will in all likelihood try and retain Aguero you would think. But we will see.

No praise tonight? He really really, didnt put a foot wrong, looked more than competent with the ball also despite not having the composure of Silva or Christensen. The competition for our defence is looking very strong if Kurt can play at this level consistently, plus throw in Andreas, Azpi and Rudiger all experiencing huge upturns in performance under Tuchel and throw in Thiago Silva’s class and experience also. Might be harder to pick the defenders than the attackers when everyone’s available.

Regardless, not in his prime or whatever, it would not be a bad move, it would be a very shrewd move for a season or two. He would still be one of the first names on City’s team sheet and in all likelihood would of been more often this season if not for the injuries he’s pocked up this season which has led to Pep experimenting and finding huge success with utilising a false 9. Tend to remember people scoffed at United getting Cavani, due to his age, fitness issues at PSG the season before, the speed and physicality of the PL etc but he has contributed 8 goal involvements in the PL in 925 minutes. For guys like Aguero, Cavani, Ibrahimovich amongst a collective group, which Thiago Silva is also in, the age is irrelevant really because they are still more than capable of delivering the goods.

Its the best system we have at the moment. We changed to a 4 v Leeds and it didn’t work out as well. I think the back three is going to be pretty persistent until the pre-season for the next year, the big games we have played so far have shown that it suits the players and Tuchel’s philosophy.

Did we not go longer with Sarri? Or was that PL only?

Will take Porto or Dortmund. 100%. Weakest teams left. Likely get Bayern or Real Madrid. Although Real hardly the power they were. Also someone said Pulisic’s pass was a bad one for the goal? Looked fine to me, more so Emersons finish 😄

Alonso been great. Again. Get over the line. Love Thiago Silva in the stand as well what a man haha

18 goals this season. Marshalled well last 2 games against us but still plenty life in him. On a unrelated note, Werner, will he ever learn to not get the ball stuck under his feet....ever?

Great counter goal. Oblak surprisingly poor.

Azpilicueta. Lucky as fuck because that is a blatant penalty. Thought the Rudiger one with Suarez had not a lot in it though, looked shoulder to shoulder.

Fuck sake Werner leave that for Ziyech there....positioning was perfect for him to get a shot off.

Have to disagree, whilst he did get fouled a lot the notion that he was booted up and down the park a lot in the period of time he was here and it was an absolute miracle he didn’t sustain any major injuries is simply incorrect. Because thats not football now a days and it never will be ever again. Its not as if he was playing up against the Wimbledon crazy gang every week. Or some of the other teams full of absolute mad cunts. There was a few games which maybe crossed the line in the sand but that happens as we seen in the Spurs game it was a very intense night. V PSG also Verratti could have gone another day. It wasnt every week or every 2/3/4/5th week. Yes Mourinho made a few post match comments saying about protecting Eden, its no different from any other manager wanting protection for their best player. As well as this, all the good wingers accumulate a large collection of fouls. Because it becomes the only way to stop them. It simply doesnt mean they’ve been on the end of a doing every week or season if they have a high foul count. The Spurs and PSG games are two bad ones that stick out but for a world class wide player he probably got the level of treatment they all get. Doubled up on. The odd mistimed tackles. Some 50/50s with guys a good 6 or 7 inches taller and 10kilos heaver than him. All of the above. Sure. He was constantly in top fouled in the PL and Europe. Sure. Does that mean he was unfairly on the end of a couple of horror tackles? Probably. Went through hell? Absolutely not. He didnt fight in a war mate. Hes played in arguably the softest editions of the top division of English football in terms of physicality. Its the same with any other players and winning fouls today, the guys get so much protection now its as if you put your arm out to shield the ball maybe brush your arm on someone and they get a foul. But again football is so much less purely physically orientated than it was 25+ years ago. Maybe he did receive a lot of fouls but in a period where tactical fouls to stop transitioning has been a huge part of world football for the last 10-15 years as teams looked to stifle the whole possession philosophy, that seems to be the norm and we spent a large period of his time here as a team that played on transitions also. Ronaldo for the first few seasons in the PL he was decent but its no secret he was effectively a showboating wee arsehole at times, so he got the living shit kicked out of him. As he did in training apparently also as some ex team mates have said in interviews. People tend to forget it was really only after the 2006 world cup that he fine tuned his game and really started on the huge upward trajectory which has taken him to the heights he has.

Who didnt get kicked that night though? People act as if his career was threatened every week with such comments 😂 he got it a few times in other games but wouldnt say its half as bad as your making out.

Messi and Ronaldo have spent the best part of 20 years getting kicked and booted up and down pitches. You make out as if the PL is some sort of WWE esque league saying he got “slaughtered” but would say that players like this, who compete in a lot of one v ones regardless of the league, get kicked more than others. Wouldn't say it was any different for Eden. Or go as far and say he got slaughtered. The worst game I can actually remember seeing him get kicked a lot was actually a CL game v PSG a few seasons ago. His injury problems are due to bad habits for me, poor trainer then poor trainer now... without working too hard and looking after yourself as you get older, you always risk that happening in elite sports.

Writing him off is stupid yes but he still has got work to do. When he signed it was obvious defensively he wasnt the best but even now his impact in the final third isnt particularly saving him from that criticism either. If he was offering what he was earlier in the season consistently you’d maybe let him off a bit for the defensive side of his game. Regulion will be back at Madrid in a season or two I think, he is very good for me. I think defensively he has improved with Mourinho, positionally he is much better and not just reliant on his speed to get back in and going forward he always offers a threat. Like I said, a season or two more, Madrid will want him back and if Tottenham dont do anything he will go. I am still shocked Man City didnt go for him as he is a Pep Guardiola full back if I have ever seen one, although maybe the fact Zinchenko is perhaps better coming into central areas in midfield like we see most weeks with him and Cancelo as opposed to creating width like fullbacks traditionally do, it is maybe not the worst thing either as I think this is a reason why Mendy also suffers for City as he is better on the outside.

Why? If he isnt going to be fit whats the point? We all know he wasn't an amazing trainer and these things catch up on players, which I would say is hugely whats affecting him now. Unless he takes a serious shake to himself he will continue with this stop start nature. Neymar will also be another one who in 3/4 years will probably have the same issues I would think.

Think all young players should be shown Eden’s career here and then his last 2 seasons with Real. Just shows doesn’t matter how talented you are, if your world class for a period, if you don’t train well or get into bad training routines sooner or later it can catch up to you. He isn’t finished but if next season is the same for him, he’s done as a top top player, although havent heard one mention of it since he went to Madrid anyway so could argue he already is. Hes meant to be in his best years. Wouldnt touch him with a 9 foot barge pole if he was available in the summer .

How? Hes only really played well v Liverpool but thats about it so far with Tuchel. He needs to improve, hes no doubt dropped a level since Frank was in and even towards the end of Frank’s spell here he was very poor compared to how he started for a while. As I said weeks ago, if it was based on performances so far under Tuchel, Alonso is clearly first pick at LWB, seeing as we have utilised the back 3 much more often than a back 4. Something I think we will go back to v Atletico. He still can turn it around, undeniably, and Tuchel’s comments on his potential kind of make me think he sees him as a long term fixture in the team but he also has work to do. As does Ziyech, Pulisic and Werner I feel also. He wasn’t my first choice in the summer, but he started well, at big clubs though you have to keep being consistent and bounce back, like Mount has done, like Jorginho and Kovacic have done, like Christensen, Ruidger and Azpilicueta have done. He has competition for his England starting place now too with Luke Shaw who has been very consistent for Man United now for the best part of a year and a half. If he doesn’t pull the finger out he will be sitting on the bench for us and for England at the Euros. He is also lucky that James Justin is out for the competition by the looks of it with his injury because if he was still playing well for Leicester and Chilly wasn’t playing well/or as often, it may be a totally different outcome.

I think hes probably rested him. I agree, I thought he would of played due to Leeds playing style and maybe Havertz performance v Everton also meant he had to start in some capacity. Plus Mount is virtually undroppable at the moment and deservedly so I would say. But its also time that Pulisic got a chance from the start. I hope we go back to the back 3 v Atletico though, going to a back 4 was odd today.

Chilwell v poor today. Has to do better as said previously after v United. Dont see why we played a back 4, the back 3 was working, lot of work to be done still today was a big chance to get 6 points over West Ham and leapfrog Leicester. Disappointed but was glad to see no Werner today and Pulisic given a chance from the beginning. Atletico next.

Cannot believe people are comparing Cahill to Ampadu and Guehi in a sort of way of saying oh they can play for Chelsea if he could. Cahill had played in the English NT 7 times before we got him in a period where there were genuinely good CBs. He had been long linked with a move for before that season even kicked off, to Arsenal and Spurs before we got him in the January, so its clear the quality was there. Plus his age, his experience, being on the tip of being a regular for the NT.... Guehi and Ampadu are good prospects - dont tell me Ampadu plays for Wales and that is proof he is ready for a top 4 club - but they need to grow a bit still, and a PL loan for Guehi is the next step inevitably. Ampadu I have no clue, but another loan likely.

Morata declined after a pretty decent and consistent 4 months tbf though where he hit the back of the net consistently. I get its not fair to compare the two players as they are different sorts of strikers but ultimately, in the first 4 months even without the goals Morata’s profile and technical skillset gave the team a lot more as any player with that more varied skillset would. Watch that game v Man United where Morata was excellent and then also the game v Stoke where he scored a hattrick. His all round play was excellent. One thing that I think Timo has that is similar to Morata though is that I cant help the feeling that we cannot solely be reliant on him as our main goalscorer. Like Leipzig were. The evidence is there. I don’t know if its a pressure thing or what but he’s going to miss big chances, as someone already pointed out which means we need a top CF who can be reliable every week. He wont get as many clear cut ones as he did in the Bundesliga either as the games are a bit more competitive here and teams tend to sit off us a lot more than RB Leipzig. Obviously Haaland is the pipe dream but difficult. Alternatives need to be found. I mean after those first 14 games I am sure everyone felt that we were overly reliant on Morata already when he came in and needed an alternative/another source of goals. And that was a team that had Hazard, Pedro and Fabregas who all were impressive the season before but adding a regular and reliable goalscorer is paramount this summer. The fouls things yes that was annoying to a different level with Morata but Werner is also prone to going down for “soft fouls”, when you’d hope he would realise that you have to be a bit stronger than that in the PL. Hopefully will come next season. I am a bit surprised because I would of hoped for someone coming from the Bundesliga he would of been anticipating it a bit more and expecting it. Stating that at least Werner “keeps going” is lowering the barometer a bit though. It shouldn’t be something that is by choice and when players aren’t playing well most of them, they tend to keep trying, although this can lead to them over complicating simple things etc so it doesn’t necessarily reflect or mean you will get quality either. When he doesn’t play well yes his running may open up space for others but his final ball is very meh and as we have alluded to before, can he be more aggressive in 1 v 1s if he’s playing odd that left side and create more openings? Or take men on? Also its clear Tuchel was very frustrated with him tactically v Everton, the positional thing that was heard and his general reaction to some of the chances he hasn’t converted already here, I wouldn’t say Tuchel will be fully satisfied with this notion that he at least “keeps trying” so I don’t know. All things being said Morata and Werner will have a pretty long combined sitters compilations video if anyone ever wants to make one 😂

Have to agree with some parts. I really think changing from a back 3 to a back 4 also means the likelihood is that it will either be Mount or Havertz that plays and not the potential for both, which they can in this current system in much more advanced positions. With the current set up we're able to get Hudson Odoi in as a wingback although he’s basically a winger when we have the ball, we can get 3 from Mount/Pulisic/Havertz/Giroud/Ziyech/Werner/Hudson-Odoi also if he’s not at RWB in the team. Also on top of defensively improving us, I think it gives huge flexibility and options in terms of playing with split strikers, a false 9, actually playing with a target man like Giroud or playing again with 2 number 10s off a front man without really affecting the defensive solidarity and structure within the rest of the team. Changing to a back 4 you lose a CB, which if you look at how often Azpi is basically pushed up as a halfback and is involved in our play in the opposition half, its a big loss IMO as this helps overload that right side. You potentially also lose the opportunity for having a free man on the other side as frequently as teams who play a back 3 do because teams tend to struggle with knowing if their fullbacks should be marking or engaging the wingback or marking/tracking the wide attacker in these systems and letting the winger come back with the wingback. Again as we seen tonight the freedom Havertz had in that sort of false 9 role, in other systems I don’t think we can really afford him this luxury and maybe thats another reason why he was struggling before in the 433 Lampard used also. I don’t think theres as massive an amount of work to do playing this current system to go to the next level compared to if we changed and played 433 or 4231. I think potentially with a goalscorer who can get 20-25 goals a season upfront and maybe a left sided CB and evaluate if we can get a good deal on a misfielder, keeping up in the way we have done so far with Tuchel, this team is capable of bridging that gap again. Changing to a 433 or a 4231, then you have other things to solve, whos your best CB pairing, Reece James or Azpilicueta, does Azpilicueta really offer more at RB than as a RCB, who starts out of Mount or Havertz in the hole/most advanced midfield role, does Timo play more as a number 9 or from the left side? What to do we do with the other CBs who dont play or haven’t played as well in a back 4? I think we will maybe be surprised to see this back 3 next season as prominently as we have so far with TT. I think people are more worried about the back 3 because Rudiger, Alonso, Jorginho are playing more frequently but I dont get it because if they come in and do the job and the teams playing well getting results, why change? A lot of the questions people asked about this team under Frank, the structure, the playing style, has already been addressed and then some with this system. Its clear even tonight, 5 changes but still everyone is very familiar with their role and their responsibilities in the team. Thats the sign of a coach having found a good system, that suits a lot of peoples characteristics. When you change a lot of players but still get a high performance. Obviously what TT is doing is also a huge helping hand no doubts but I think even under Conte we looked much better in a back 3 than we had done for most seasons after/before playing a back 4. And arguably the same now with TT also.