OneMoSalah

Aye Bayern fucked mines. Thought Hibs would but was Bayern of all teams. Not long after @Jason said the gap between them and other teams is massive, jinxed my coupon!!!!

Alexander-Arnold conceding a penalty. 2-0 Everton. Things you love to see 🤣 Ancelotti masterclass.

I agree with Werner and for his price and experience the expectations are different from the others but he has struggled. He still has it in him to turn it around and has shown considerable improvement with TT bar today. Although why he couldnt deliver some of the things weve seen such as his assist for Mount v Newcastle under Lampard I dont know because it was good play, in a position he found himself in with Frank out on the left. Chilwell has been poor since the turn of the year, offensively he hasnt been as bad as you make out for me but defensively he has shown weakness in certain games but some of us expected that signing him. I still have no doubts in a flat back 4 he is better than Alonso and Emerson considerably. I think again, he can only improve and up to late November/December people would of been happy with what they seen from him. Believe me, there were people who felt Eden could have done more, particularly when we played bigger teams. Stats are good but also, in the CL he was virtually anonymous the whole campaign and the only really good team we played was Juventus. He was poor in both legs v Shakhtar and only really performed well against Nordsjaelland. Also in the super cup, against another big team, didnt do much. Plus the club world cup final, again, felt he was poor as most were and that Rafa infamous substitution of Ivanovic for Azpi in the latter stages of that game summed it up. Oscar maybe also got the same criticism and although he was less talented, he showed also that after a season, he improved. Eden did have impressive stats overall but lets not forget that stats aren’t exactly everything and as ever, people expected more from him in key moments as he had the talent. Kai will be held in the same regards if not worse due to his price. The point being that it takes time. Writing him off is dangerous as we have seen over the years with KdB and Salah who didnt do much here in a short space of time and were eventually let go. Not saying we would be so daft to let Kai go but sometimes you have to accept there will be teething problems and he may need more time. I always think for players of this talent and age maybe we should give them a season although I have been initially disappointed with the games he did play due to basic things such as giving the ball away too much and running into people. Should really wait until end of the season before writing people off. Maybe even see what happens in the summer because I have no doubts Tuchel will want to make his own additions and its not a well hidden secret that we lack a top clinical CF who would arguably take this team up a notch.

Is this based on the fact two players we signed haven’t settled or got a consistent run in the team? And that Werner has been disappointing? Think Chilwell despite recent struggles has been a good buy, Thiago Silva on a free has been very good, a shrewd move and Mendy has been pretty solid. Worst transfer window in our history is a bit of a stretch. Not even close to the worst window in our last 10 years probably. The season Mourinho got sacked second time round was worse, Baba Rahmann, Papi Djib however you spell it, Falcao, Kenedy, Nathan, Michael Hector, Danilo Pantic etc. Then the January didnt get better, Pato and Matt Miazga. The return hasnt been great but considering Werner, Havertz, Chilwell are all under 25 and theres a huge chance that down the line we will be saying these signings were very good. I still remember folk being slightly frustrated at Hazard in his first season due to his inconsistencies at times. Look how that turned out.

Think it was more just because we wouldn't of had any more CFs on as Giroud was never going to be in on this one I felt and perhaps what you have said also.

I have to be honest, I am not surprised Werner survived the whole game, if Tammy didnt go off injured then maybe he would of made way but I get the feeling TT didnt want to put Oli on so thats why he kept Werner on. He did play very poor though.

All in all, for not playing overly amazing under TT, still unbeaten. Despite this the progress is still clear to see in the shape, in the way we play with the ball and without it. As I said in the Southampton game thread, I get the feeling he’s not hugely impressed with the striking options and the levels that Chilwell, Ziyech and Pulisic (fitness) are at yet also. I think the fact you look at the fact that other than Mount today nobody had a real desire to affect the game. That worries me, not so much from a coaching point of view because TT cannot singlehandedly control every player in the final third, but when I look at James, Alonso, CHO,, I just feel they lack a bit of care with their final ball at times. Mount is also guilty of this at times. Once we get that and a CF of real quality, I think we will be a different team completely.

This is arguably the same thing Frank was concerned about with him also though. Every time he talked about him he mentioned needing to keep working hard for his place. One thing I think we can admire about Tuchel is that he is clearly going to tell people what he thinks. He doesn’t dance around an issue, he didnt at Dortmund or at PSG and already said he isnt here to be liked as much so probably be more used to this. If it is warranted, I really dont mind it. It shows he cares more to be honest in the development of the players and the team. Its up to the players to take it in a positive way but if not it may become a problem. As with CHO, I have been concerned about him mentally since the whole contract situation but again TT has virtually played him every game hes been here.

I think its still premature to judge TT. He maybe got a few selections wrong today but this is the first time we have dropped points since his first game. We dropped points every week for about 2/3 months under Frank. So the improvements in results is already superior. I think hes probably not happy with some of the players levels, such as Chilwell, Ziyech, Pulisic - more fitness wise and striking options right now bar Timo. Should we be annoyed at dropping points v Southampton? Yes. Would we have got back into the game under Frank? Quite frankly, no and unfortunately right now that is the comparison we have to make because this group hasn’t really achieved anything to be held higher to right now. We have bigger games coming up, two legs v Atletico is arguably the toughest games for me. Said when we drew them and people sneered at the quality of them but they are everything our sort of team struggles against; physical, organised, disciplined, with quality in defending and attacking areas. I think the AVB mk 2 comment is a bit OTT also. If anything it would be more appropriate to Lampard no @Muzchap? Seeing as we looked tactically incompetent and Frank lost several of the players...

I think if that happens, I would be very surprised if we dont go on an endless cycle of sacking every manager after 12 games or so.

Think his final ball still leaves a lot to be desired. Be interesting to see what TT says.

Sacked? What drugs are you on?

No word yet but probably be performance related, didnt do a great deal in 30 mins.

Mbappe fantastic. Verratti also.

If you can post the article which says she has advised Tuchel to start him this would save a lot of time? If it even exists with those exact words... which I doubt it does.

You obviously didn’t read my first sentence then. I was saying with regards to Mount’s role in the team, I think Tomo meant his actual function, not stats. You brought the stats in to the conversation, not me, not Tomo but never mind.

True but again if we intend on moving him on at some point which if its financially doable for another team and acceptable for us, he will have to play sometimes to attract interest because when you had the season he had last season, cost what he did and are on what hes on, aint many clubs who can afford to take a gamble that big in the current situation. Cup games and the odd PL game is good enougu for me if he has no howlers. I think the 2 games in a row is good for him also as it gives him more minutes, those 2 clean sheets which would hopefully bring more confidence and maybe makes it a challenge for him to try start more now. Plus TT has spoken pretty well about him where as Lampard was maybe critical in the media with him regarding his save percentage at one point which maybe wasnt overly wise which we also seen with him throwing the team Under the bus a few times also. Although I still think Mendy will be number 1 as TT said but Kepa playing and doing decently, its not the worst thing because he will get sick of being a number 2 eventually and good performances will lead to interest from elsewhere. I still think the decision to sign Cech as a GK this summer would of shattered what little confidence he had left after last season also. I mean I know it didnt turn out that Cech has played or even made a squad yet but must be pretty detrimental if you see that happening considering the guy retired 2 years ago. Never mind him, Willy also got a raw deal, demoted to 3rd choice after the deal to get Mendy.

He didnt mean the stats, he meant his function more in a team, which I mean under Tuchel already you can see how important he is at linking the midfield and attack, bringing the likes of other players such Callum and Timo into the game. Even his stats last year, considering Lampard played him for about 7 or 8 weeks in a row when he was playing poorly and probably burnt him out a bit in terms of lack of rotation didn’t help, they aren’t that bad for a first season in the PL. I get there was a long period he didnt score or assist but again, overplayed and not taken out of the firing line which those games from that period has probably given the impression hes a “poor footballer” or “not good enough” to some people. And even then, I mean comparing someones stats who was arguably a world class player or as close to one without being one in his peak years (Pedro), in one of the best teams in football history full of genuine world class players, would be unfair to anyone. Yet alone Mason who’s only playing his second season of PL football. Would never stand a chance. Be may as well comparing him to Messi when he scored the 90 odd goals just to make it fairer...

Mate. Shes a businesswomen. At top level football clubs and even in businesses these things happen from time to time. They are called disagreements. Same with Frank and the board clashing over no signings last January and wanting to pursue Declan Rice. Thats by no means her laying down the law saying Lampard has to play Kepa or even have him on the bench. She doesn’t pick those things. Which is heavily what you implied by saying when shes involved in footballing decisions. Shes involved in business decisions, the clubs operations, the financial side of things (which player recruitment and sales come into but not to the extent where shes hand picking signings or making ultimatums about giving people a chance) etc. You’ve misconstrued that whole situation I think. Do you think she went to Lampard’s office and said you have got to give this guy a chance because if not we will look very stupid having spent 71m on him to be sitting on the bench? No. Do you think she went and said your not getting the funds to sign a new keeper you have a 71m one on the bench? Also no because they sanctioned a deal to bring in Mendy, who was signed on Cech’s recommendation. Do you think she went to Lmpards office last season when he was playing Caballero ahead of Kepa in certain games? Again, no. And even then if so, if you disagree with that, lets look at this from a business point of view. You have a race horse, it hasn’t raced well in a while but you try to sell it. Thing is the price you want for it is too unrealistic because it hasn’t raced in a while and in terms of what it would cost to maintain the horse, it is also a large amount of money. So how do you drum up interest in it? Also in a global pandemic, where expensive race horses with high maintenance costs are not what most people want to buy. Some people may want to loan it but aren’t in a financial position to do so due to the price and other costs. It was never going to be easy with the whole Kepa situation global pandemic or not but ultimately, I think if it came to it and we got an acceptable offer in the summer in the eyes of the club, Marina would of sanctioned it also if it suited all parties. But we didnt. So Kepa stayed and ultimately again, unlike Drinkwater, Moses, Alonso for a while and whoever else, if Frank didn’t actually fancy him he would of probably done something similar, left him out or tried to isolate him from the group but he didnt. Maybe in the financial side, Marina would be more inclined to see a return on the investment the club made considering it was a hefty one and she is a leading business women. I mean if there was any rumblings about Marina blocking any moves for Kepa because of that, then aye your point would make sense sort of, but there weren’t. So I really dont get it.

When has she ever been involved in the actual football side of things? This is absolute nonsense if I am honest. She doesnt pick the team or pick the transfer targets or pick who marks who at set plays etc contrary to belief 🤣 Emenalo was also accused of the same.

He played well but this is why I am concerned that he was struggling to put those sort of performances out under Frank. His role has changed a good bit but he is still predominantly playing from the left side and the amount of times he was on the outside whilst Alonso was inside the box shows this. His assist for Giroud’s goal was the sort of thing I was expecting more when he played under Frank as a winger also which is what I had meant in previous discussions we have had about affecting games in other ways and adapting to his position. Not as if he wasn’t capable of that months ago, taking people on, slowing them down and then accelerating past them. Although confidence maybe didn’t help him but still felt he could have done more (most could have though to be fair). Its not exactly unfair to have expected more when you see his performances in the last few games where he still has a lot of actions coming in from the left hand side. There is more of a structure in place to get the ball from our defence into attacking positions so I hope this is the kick start of his season for him now and fingers crossed it is as his goals and other contributions will be vital to how our season goes I feel. Still needs to be more clinical though he could have scored before his goal from Alonso’s header, he should be anticipating where that is going better and being much better positioned, the likes of Kane, Aguero, Cavani, Salah, Mane etc if they were in the same situation they’d of been in a slightly better position where they didnt have to stretch and it would of been a goal IMO. Now, with Tammy injured by the looks of it, perhaps he will play more centrally for a while as I cant see us relying on Giroud every week. Also Timo needs to be a bit more street smart physically he isn’t necessarily going to get every little foul like the Lewis one where he’s taken the ball off him and caught him by accident with his arm but I would imagine next season he will be more used to it. Last night not the first game, he needs to get on with it at times when he doesn’t get the decision. And aye anyone calling him Morata/Torres its a lazy comparison, although he has missed big chances but unlike them he has constantly been trying to keep getting into good positions and doing other things.

Meh I think Southampton pressing us is a blessing in all honesty, the space it will leave for guys like Werner, Mount, CHO... nobody has considered that. Can play better as I said but wouldn’t be panicking yet. We are capable of playing through a press also. Just need to maintain it for a full game.

Worried? It would be 4 or 5-0 if we were more clinical or our final ball was better.... jeez. Aye didnt play anywhere near as well second half but were solid enough.

Another guy who if he added goals to his game, would be a frightening player. Busy in between both boxes, wins the ball back and has quality on the ball under pressure but not enough goals and assists to go with that skill set.

True most would save it but I mean is it really the point now where even if he makes a decent save people will just go ah anyone could of saved that, or that it wasn’t a decent save? I do suppose thats just peoples feelings on him now after last season and its fair to not get too carried anyway but nobody is saying hes playing like a world class GK or that... just that he made a decent save...