OneMoSalah

Wouldnt see him starting there. Not as technically proficient as the likes of Silva, Mahrez, Sterling, De Bruyne, Foden, Gundogan, Torres etc although not to say Pep couldnt of improved him. Would of imagined the City links are the same as the old links we had to every player under the sun because we spent a lot of money, we had big managers and clubs/agents would try drive up the price. Regardless of which position/system Werner played in for Leipzig, we knew he would have to adapt to fit into the team in one way or another be it off the left or upfront and we all thought he would have the quality to do it. I do think the coaching is an issue for the team but theres also got to be a huge emphasis on Timo himself. Same with Kai. There performances really haven’t been good enough for a while. Talking of tactics and flexibility, I seem to remember you being among many complaining about Lampard not trying 433 earlier on in the season to suit Havertz, Kante, Mount, among others. When we played 4231? Now go 442? Or 352? Or whatever? Again, may work, may not but again theres 11 players the system has to suit not just Timo. Right now, I do think the best thing for Timo is going to be a run out the team in all honesty, if he keeps up with this runs of no goals, be it from the left or up top, its going to be additional pressure. The whole method of creating chances by crossing be it from James, Azpiliceuta or Chilwell, doesn’t suit Timo.

His interview with Sky Sports was very weird and confusing. Just said something about Boro beating us when he was a player and still lifting a trophy at the end of the season. Saying they had quality and spirit in dressing room during his time. Is that him saying we don’t have that now? We have just spent 200m so if theres no quality there at least then fuck knows. Then says he wont look at/criticise certain players... I dont know what to make of it.

I really think we do need a change but its tough for selections. I would take Allegri in a heartbeat. As I would have before when Sarri left. Tuchel not bad option but has baggage and is more than likely to continue the trend of his career of few years all good, big falling out then change teams. He has done it at Mainz, Dortmund and now PSG. Sarri back 😂?

I think now seeing Pep say we are a strong team with the quality of our squad and also Klopp, Arteta and Jose have said it beforehand, other teams must be thinking thank fuck Chelsea dont have a much better coach or a more innovative coach. Players may be struggling but the manager is struggling more.

Only 2 passable performances (1 starter 1 sub). Pulisic and Gilmour. Rest poor again. Perhaps Mount also could be in there with a passable performance if I am honest. But again he can do better. Not sure what is up with Werner, he looks a shadow of the player he was at Leipzig. Being used correctly or not, he has to do so much more. He looks disinterested and needs taken out of the team if I am honest. Ziyech is obviously still getting upto speed after being out. Kovacic can do so much more and another game that has passed him by. Lampard again with questionable subs (although Havertz did set up the CHO goal)... the constant crossing to 5 ft 7 attacking players and then continuing to do so without bringing Giroud or Abraham on. Embarrassing. If he survives January and this form continues, we will be finishing between 9th and 14th. 100%. He just said prior to the game he would stick to his ways. Stubborn and out of his depth at the moment. £200m spent and no real progress made. The sentimental value because of what he achieved here as a player and the willingness for people wanting to see him succeed was always going to be an interesting bridge to cross if this inevitably happened but 18 months later since his appointment, no clear style of play, he looks very much subdued on the touchline every time we are behind and often reacts too late to make changes as well as making hugely questionable ones. Its got to be time that people upstairs are worrying. Aston Villa are above us with games in hand. So are Everton. West Ham are equal points. Southampton can jump over us. City just did and still have games in hand. Arsenal who had their worse ever start to a PL season (i think it was that) are 3 points behind us.

Hes not exactly going to give us much based on his contributions in recent months. Where as Giroud and Abraham have been scoring and are more applicable to the hopeful crossing of every attack. Although Havertz is tall.

Why has he not put on Tammy or Giroud but changed out Kovacic for Havertz and Ziyech for CHO (although return from injury bit more understandable). Has no clue what hes doing. Really. With the insistence on crossing youd think Giroud or Tammy on would be the first sub.

The insistence on crossing with nobody in the box is absolutely appalling. Folk need to break their neck to get in that box or we need to do something different.

Hes got to go. De Bruyne scored that first one it would be 4 and every time they come into our half they are in and at the box and he just sits there arms folded motionless on the sidelines. Thank fuck Aguero didnt start too or it would be more as he loves a goal against us. We are 8th now in the table at present. Arsenal 3 points behind us...

Yeah game over now. 2-0. Too easy. Arms folded on the sidelines?

Mendy hand on it again... bit harsh to say but if it were a certain other GK, same point. Silva got done a belter too there, was some bit of play by Gundogan.

outside the box just. Still a foul though.

A lot of shit for Christensen for the goal which I do think is warranted as he should have gotten up for but does nobody think Mendy could have done a lot better for El Ghazi’s goal? Through his legs? Surely? I know El Ghazi is hardly that far out and he’s hardly got a lot of power on it either so I would of thought the GK would of done better? No?

Some cracking goals by Leeds tonight v WBA. Would Bielsa come here and manage us if it came to it 😉?

I didnt mention signing him. I specifically said I doubt we would sign him. Just his ruthless mentality is something this squad misses. Maybe he will get that China move now... money wont be the same though. Then theres Cavani at United who has 5 PL goal involvements in 9 PL matches. I think Costa is done more or less at top top clubs but its not always a cert although I do think he wont get another club like us or Atletico. Thiago Silva is another case here looks very well and playing at a very consistent standard for his age.

I agree in a way but if there is one thing this squad lacks it is a more abrasive, nastier win at all costs attitude that Costa displayed in games for us here under Jose. Also the way he got in Seamus Coleman’s after he scored an OG in that 6-3 game to taunt him, I loved that. Just as Mourinho would also wind people up prior to a game. Also before we got him from Atletico he was one of the only CFs who would go toe to toe with Ramos in every game, who is a nasty cunt, with the same win at all costs mentality. We talk about good character and troublemakers but was he really not a good character or a troublemaker? Ok on the pitch he would go at times but you could argue we have too many boys and not enough men, so to speak. Not expecting to see Mason, Tammy, Timo, Kai or that getting up in someones face about something or giving other boys in the team a kick up the arse. Or as if Frank is going to do anything more than sit with his arms folded. Think hes only ever overstepped (well maybe not overstepped but regretted it was heard on tv as he put it) once and was when he told Klopp or his staff to fuck off. We lack this sort of win at all costs mentality. If Diego could keep it to the point where it gives him that edge and that extra bit of performance, as we seen in that period he was here, he would be an incredible player. Obviously his age now he’s slowing down a lot so doubt we’d go for him but the troublemaker and good character thing, I don’t think he was any of that away from the pitch or in the dressing room. Ok he wanted to leave the previous season and didn’t return the following summer but Conte also pushed him to that with that daft text message. Worked out okay in the end of the fee we got etc but not as if Morata, Higuain, Giroud or Abraham fully improved or have done than him.

Tbf I still think Sarri with these attacking players such as Havertz, Werner, Ziyech, even guys like Mount would have us doing a lot lot better than Frank does just now. It never felt like we were a million miles away we just lacked something extra in attack and midfield in terms of being creative. I think the likes of Havertz and Ziyech would of been so much better suited than Hazard and Willian tbf. Even then, at least you seen the teams identity with Sarri and there was a clear style of play. Just lacked some players to make it work. Hazard was a world class player but never in the same mould as Insigne or Callejon. Willian the same. Pedro was more similar to Callejon which is why he scored all those goals. Probably similar to why Juventus struggled in attack also because Ronaldo and Dybala are more individualistic players than team players. I know Juventus sacked him but Juventus are still far from a much improved or better side. They had/still have ageing players and changing that squad to play in Sarri’s system and his sort of high energy high pressing football was always going to be difficult. Hence why even with Pirlo now your still seeing Juventus do well one game then struggle the next because he is trying to also change them in a way to suit his philosophy. They’ve dropped points at teams you would expect them to win at. Atalanta, Fiorentina, Lazio, Roma, Verona, Benevento....

Yet many thought Atletico was a very good draw. Said it at the time they will have seen our game plan and tactics of fullbacks crossing and been happy as thats their bread and butter, going narrow and defending crosses. Yet many thought na we will be fine.

We are 6th on 26 points after spending 200m on top quality players. 7 wins 5 draws 4 losses. Looks ok until you realise Villa and United have played less games than us and are above us. Tottenham, Man City and Southampton have played less games than us and will likely leapfrog us by the time they catch up. This is the tipping point of the season, for me he has to go and soon if we want to get any chance of making top 4 yet alone pushing for an improvement on last seasons position. If it were any other manager and it would not be acceptable to be outside top 4 with these group of players and to also be sitting wondering how are we going to score goals or create chances.

Hopefully Lampards last game. Piss poor. Dont believe we will finish top 4 with him at all.

More to management than purely recruiting well. Having good players is all well and good but if your team plays predictable football which is orientated around your fullbacks crossing and nothing else, you will come unstuck, I dont care if the name is Frank Lampard, Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola. Even more so with quality players such as Ziyech, Pulisic, Werner, Havertz which we have. The last 2 who look an absolute shadow of the players they were last season in his system. Not completely sold on Tuchel, decent manager but stubborn and abrasive if he doesn’t get his own way. Left Mainz on bad terms. Sackes from Dortmund after being on bad terms with key figures at the club and now has left PSG on bad terms after taking shots at Leonardo.

His failure to adapt his tactics and abrasive nature would be a disaster here. Worse than Conte was. He’s an decent coach yes and ok he won in France, he reached a CL final but a team with Mbappe, Di Maria, Neymar, Icardi, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos... that sort of calibre, that should be the expectation every season. Not celebrated as if it was a major achievement.

Was same last season with Mason and Tammy when they were playing poorly and it only led to folk on here slaughtering them to the death despite the fact they’d probably played about 17 games in a row.

Try tell that to Leeds, Man City, Liverpool, Bayern and countless other teams around Europe who press well. We pressed much much better under Sarri. And you could see what we were trying to do with the ball. Now we are very much a if the fullbacks cant do anything we are fucked side. Pressing is coached. Nothing to do with the players being good at it or not. Look at Aguero at City when Pep came in, considered lazy but a world class player. Look at the difference in him now over last few seasons without the ball. Sterling too. Also whoever posted Allegri did shit at Milan but they want Simeone here? Please. Allegri every day of the week. Simeone good coach no doubt but the squads not mentally tough enough for someone like him.

Come on man its no coincidence he misses a penalty and the get out shit starts 🤣 its a typical knee jerk reaction because of a penalty and its very embarrassing. If you cant see that then I don’t know. Nobody had posted anything in this thread between the West Ham game which was the Monday and the 17th of November. Which further backs my point because he didnt play in many of the games in between. It is an embarrassing overreaction because of a penalty miss in which there were easily 7/8 players who I would think people should be going off on their threads and commenting regarding their performances or whatever. But here we are.