OneMoSalah

Hes struggled defensively for a bit and in phases of the season with Frank. Vs Southampton, the 3-3 game, he was particularly all over the place defensively I felt. Said right at the beginning before we signed him defensively he wasn’t brilliant but again, have to be patient and also I think he prefers playing in a back 4 than as a wingback. He had a good start and for 50m you would expect that but even then over 4/5 years or whatever his contract and if he can be a bit smarter defensively and get his final ball more consistent, he will be an excellent player for us. Would probably of still preferred Regulion because he looked very complete in both sides of the game at Seville (and in some of the games for Spurs I have seen, you can see this also) but Chilwell has been a pretty good signing so far. I hope Tuchel can get Chilwell to get his final ball to be better or more consistent because he arrives in the final third a lot as well as his defensive awareness, which can be better.

Be honest the 3 is working don’t see why we should change it regardless of who we play. You can see a structure with it and it really suits Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount, James, Hudson Odoi etc. by the looks of it. Plus Emerson, Alonso, even boys like Ziyech and Havertz, this shape gives them more freedom and less defensive responsibility. I do think the 3 will be what we will use to the season ends barring injuries to be honest. Pre season then he can implement another system cause he will have more time. I still think even under Frank the 3 worked better than 4 at the back. TT also hasn’t had the luxury of a pre season to train different systems or try them out because already in 3 weeks he has 5 games to play so he has had to find a shape that suits the majority of the players and to importantly win as many games as he can.

Just me who thought he played decent last night? Seems that many have made their mind up on him but if he can cut somethings out of his game he can be a very useful player for us still. Won some big headers last night and showed a bit more intent on the ball. Not the most physical CB and if he can bulk up a bit or be more clever for duels in the same way Thiago Silva is, theres no reason why if TT persists with a back 3 he cant be a part of the squad.

Tuchel has already achieved more in his managerial career than Redknapp did. So he has no right to talk. I mean you dont have a reputation like Tuchels if you dont have something about you. The players hes improved, success at Mainz, reviving Dortmund after Klopp and taking PSG to their first ever CL final didnt happen by luck. Also does that mean that Pochettino’s reputation will take a dive in Redknapp’s eyes now hes at PSG?

Unfortunately he’s just someone who people don’t seem to see the value in having someone like him in the team despite his obvious quality at retaining possession and the fact Tuchel is heavy possession orientated. He will be a key cog under Tuchel I feel. No surprise hes recalled him and no surprise we played our best football in the last 2 seasons with him, Kovacic and Mount in the first 11.

I think the fact Zouma is again just back from a wee knock/injury, people are reading too much into it. Rudiger was poor tonight but thought Andreas was alright and Azpi was consistent as usual.

Rudiger...... shite. why did we loan out Tomori?

Rudiger for their goal. How? What the fuck? Unbelievable. Guys a fucking bomb scare.

Great ball. Great finish. Pity HT is 2 mins away. More of this second half please. General build ups been ok just final third letting us down. James and Chilwells final ball been poor and haven’t seen a great deal from front three really bar that goal.

Did you watch the Spurs game? He was everywhere and played very well with Mateo if you ask me. I think anyone who complains at how we are playing has a real cheek tbf. We look 10 times the team we were under Frank for the last however long. Even without a real cutting edge the improvements are easy to see already, theres a clear identity and a structure. I mean give the guy a bit of time this is after what 2 weeks?

Is this based on anything bar 25 minutes v Sheffield United? Or the fact he replaced Frank? Just seems rather knee jerk...

Full back???? Also Timo needs to stop throwing his arms down if he loses the ball/gets beat /fucks it up, sort of thing you'd expect from a petulant little kid in u11s. Grow up and get on with it.

Tuchel wanted to sign him for PSG apparently. So wouldn’t say its a guarantee. Plus I think after 4 games its premature to say anything, 4 games in 2 weeks need to rotate. Plus Kante had an injury didnt he so not rushing him back to starting games isnt a bad idea.

Klopps gone this summer I reckon. Not sacked but think he will walk.

Its almost as if hes reignited his City career this season. He was in and out a lot when they had Silva but hes probably been the catalyst of them coming back and going top alongside Dias and Stones.

Never celebrated a City goal in my life but that was probably as close as it will get 😂 Fuck Liverpool. Gundogan is in some form the last 3 months or so. Foden also. Wow is that fucking Karius 😂😂😂😂😂

I honestly think Pep should be praised for how he has defensively improved City, this is arguably the best defensive team he’s had in his career but aye I have always believed that people have overhyped the quality of games in the PL, its the toughest competition because barely ever does the same team win the league season after season but honestly the standard of big games has been abysmal for the last 2 seasons probably. Wow Liverpool penalty. The fuck is Dias doing there?

Hope he doesn’t play Werner tonight as a CF. Think him off the left with Abraham wouldnt be a bad shout. They play a back 3 so give him a chance to drift left and isolate their right sided CB.

All the big PL games have been shite this season. What has happened?

Jesus talk about pointing out the obvious in this article, my question is why only now? Was that not the plan when we signed him? Or has this guy been asleep the whole time? Or did we just sign him in January? Jesus.

Dybala’s assist for Chiesa’s goal was filthy. Good to see what a bit of invention in the final third looks like, have forgotten watching us.

I think its getting to the point where its much much worse than it was last season after Christmas. I wasn’t convinced with the last half of last season but thought some new players maybe would help him out as the GK and defence was an issue. It got better marginally but again once we stopped scoring from crosses and started conceding, back to how it was. You cannot say this style of football or sitting where we are after buying these level of players is acceptable. You cant. We have new players, yes their new but they are so much better than what we had last season and the guys like Mendy, Thiago Silva, Chilwell, Ziyech, even Werner are all more than experienced enough at good levels in other leagues, be it domestically or in Europe, to come in and hit the ground running in a decent set up or at least manage to bring something different to the team through individual qualities. People would of said if it were Maurizio Sarri or Antonio Conte or Jose Mourinho that the way we limped to 4th place last season even with the squad which was more than decent enough, was bad. I get the give him time but cmon, 18 months in now, £200+ million spent... no progress, no identity, still trying to ram crosses in from the fullbacks with no real interplay or cutting edge in the middle of the pitch or major outputs from other attacking areas with players like Ziyech, Pulisic, Havertz, Werner, Mount, Kovacic, Hudson-Odoi... is that really enough to consider sticking with him? The footballs clearly gone backwards, teams have figured have us out, majority of our play comes from the fullbacks. If a new manager couldn’t come in and improve this team then wow, we are only going to keep going backwards even more. May as well sell the squad off if thats the case and get 25 new players. Or more likely, is it the manager that needs to go? Personally think sticking with him is looking more and more like its going to derail the season even more and I dont think winning at Morecambe is exactly going to make people say ‘oh yeah he’s up to the job and things will get better’. You would expect most managers whatever their level or class to somehow put a team out from this group of players and not only win there but win comprehensively, even if it sounds arrogant. This season is not a yard stick no but any other manager and this league position, this run and particularly this style of play wouldn’t be accepted. The football was better (much better at times) under Sarri yet he was basically hounded out of the club by fans because they thought it was boring or whatever. I wonder how many are sitting there now saying give Frank time when in all realism its much worse. This squad is arguably much better as well than the one that season bar the fact we had Eden Hazard but we have more attacking quality now than we did then in terms if personnel. Aye City and Liverpool may be struggling but their in the top 4 and can turn it on whenever they want because they have got managers who have seen things aren’t working and changed it up or have clearly rattled them. City blew us away and then beat United comfortably. We cannot turn it on for more than 10 minutes in a game. Franks nature on the sideline is near embarrassing, he sits with his arms folded as if he is waiting for someone to put him out of his misery. When we are winning he is more vocal. When we lose he sits there. Doing nothing. No innovative tweaks to systems, his subs are normally late or predictable. His system is always the same. Not flexible. Not experienced or successful enough to say his way works either. If he is still here by the end of January/start of Feb, honestly think top 4 will likely not happen barring a minor miracle. He looks as if hes going through the motions and so do the players quite clearly following on from him.

Football managament isn’t the place to feel sad or sorry for yourself. Its higher pressure than playing I would imagine, its about more than one person, he has to step up or get off its as simple as that.

He doesnt look pissed off in games or look to change things though when hes being out done tactically by virtually every manager we come up against particularly in the last 6 or 7 games at least. Serial winner or not, pissed off after games or not, he simply doesn't do enough during the game to try turn the tide. Be it a sub. Be it tactical. Be it berating someone or getting the boys to take it up a notch. Nothing. Just sits with his arms folded doing fuck all but looking like he wants the ground to swallow him up. Looks like he lacks passion at times on the sidelines, particularly when things are going bad, no passion, no angry streak, nothing. Its rubbing off on the players too clearly because they look exactly the same. Jose hit the nail on the head about Frank after the Spurs game. Everyone probably sees it more now than ever.

He says he wants to wear the no. 10 so I am assuming shirt number as you cant wear a position haha. “My dream will always be to wear the No.10 one day at my club.” He mentions playing as an 8, inside right. And says he is not a classic number 10 which I am guessing is why he prefers playing as an 8.