OneMoSalah

But it was... What is Frank supposed to do. Or you proposing us benching havertz? Okay its maybe harsh to blame it all on Lampard but if he watched the same game we did, he would of seen Southampton dominate it for 60 minutes essentially and he did nothing to change it. We had warnings before half time. He didn’t change his formation or make any adjustments to counteract Southamptons grip on the game. He is the manager so he has to he given some of the flack. Okay he made some subs, I, like everyone else, wanted to see Ziyech play but also removing Werner against a team who play such a high line was a huge error. Even more so when you look at how Pulisic looked shattered. Also as you put it in your words it was a ‘fantastic performance’ which if you think so yes he deserves some flack because if being a team that is not controlling the game against Southampton at home for an hour and ending up drawing 3-3, playing like this defensively is a fantastic performance after being 2-0 up and 3-2 up... then I don’t know. Individual errors or not, theres got to be a root cause we have made far too many individual errors since he came in. Indicating something else has to be contributing also.

Good job Walcott never scored that chance at the end after coming inside and shrugging off Chilwell as if he wasnt there. Again, defensively Chilwell needs to do better at times. Good going forward as mentioned before but needs to really wisen up his side was a weak point they seemed to get a lot or joy down, not all down to him but he contributed a fair bit. We’ve just shot ourselves in the foot. Again. Second ball from from a set play and then horrendous mistakes. What was so fantastic about that? Or the complete fade from how we played first 30 mins to the rest of the game? An hour of that game we were never in control.

Shite. If there results and whole tailing off in games keep happening, Lampards out of the job by Christmas. 100%.

Chilwell man wake up. Not even looking whos around him.

Really? What does Ruben bring to this side? I dont think loaning him out was a mistake he is very much a luxury player.

Yeah despite the horrendous part in the goal at least he didn't bring him down I suppose haha. Last we need is to go to 10 men.

Kepa and Zouma. Yikes. Embarrassing. Great goal Havertz.

Concede and Kepa is blamed when theres literally nothing he could of done 🤣 some of you are blind. Havertz holding onto it for too long. Game on for them now after HT. Chilwell is good going forward but defensively needs to be worked on still.

“Only passes sideway” what an assist, shows what actual movement in front of you can allow you to do.

Totally agree regarding Silva. Even Terry at 34 (think he was 34 the season he won the league with Jose in his second spell?) under Mourinho needed to be rotated every now and then and while we played a low block you seen the effects that playing too much had on JT the next season when we were horrendous (although we did play a higher line and the less said about that season the better). He had been overplayed IMO the previous season and while he had a summer break you need to rotate and watch players at this sort of age as injuries, injury recovery and match fitness is harder to maintain over time. Even more difficult when he plays international games every break as well. At 36, realistically Silva only has a specific amount of games at such a high intensity and high level left in him. Maybe another season on top of this one IMO. Even Jose with Maka here in the first spell, his last season here before he left/sacked/whatever he started phasing him out and using him in bigger games due to his age and needing to play less minutes to maintain his fitness. We have to try incorporate that approach with Silva at times, we cant play him 90 minutes in 3 games in the space of 7,8 or 9 days. No matter how fit he claims to be. Or people think he should be. At 36 most top level CBs are usually finished anyway. Also regarding your second point, yes and no, its hard to tell your top players who are say 65-70% fit not to play and recuperate. I mean Diego Costa played through minor injuries with Jose, Hiddink and Conte here also and while he wasn’t brilliant, I think it depends on one if the medical staff think hes able to play through it without seriously aggravating the injury (as well as the usual painkillers/injections prior to a game etc. you always hear about) and two if the player has the desire to make themselves available for selection. Manager obviously has a say also but I mean your not going to say to a player of that quality who’s maybe at 70% no. Its a weird one because you can see these things having longer consequences but players like Hazard and Costa are guys who I think don't work as hard to maintain their fitness/find it as easy to maintain their fitness, probably don’t help either. Doesnt mean their bad trainers but we seen with Hazard at Real last season he was overweight when he arrived and that season we were horrible he wasnt in great shape either (not solely his fault probably playing at 70% didnt help him) but it does have an effect.

Just down to lack of experience and letting his emotions get the better of him. No idea what was said but at the 94th minute why get involved with that? If it had happened at club level though it would be more frustrating.

He has played on the wing most of the games for us hasn't he though? With little space to run in behind to. Position doesnt suit him as much as it did for Leipzig as they played with much more directness and unpredictability in the final third IMO. Their style of play was much more clear. He basically would come in off the side and almost play as a second striker. Same for Germany in previous times he has played on the left but seems to play centrally more often than not now. Don't think Leipzig play against as many packed defences as we do but when Ziyech comes back and Pulisic we will be able to use him centrally and should have more directness and creativity in our attack. Creating space for him in behind teams is going to be key to maximising his goal scoring ability.

What was it about Gotze that made you never rate him out of curiosity? Still think those 2 seasons at Dortmund where they won the Bundesliga he looked like one of the best youngsters to emerge in a long time. Just looked like he oozed quality in everything he did. Wilshere also, was clear to see at Bolton and that game v Barca he was outstanding for Arsenal. But injuries and continuously not having a designated position ruined him - was he going to ever settle and be either a 6, a 8 or a 10? played in all those roles over a period and never settled in one.

All well and good saying he has size and athleticism but he has clearly regressed since his injury. Mount wont be going anywhere and Havertz is going to be number 1 option in that more advanced midfield role. Look at Ross, has all that things too, size, athleticism but is too inconsistent and lacks the spark he had before his injury trouble. Ruben looks the same. More to football than size and athleticism. He has to do something truly amazing to have a chance of coning back next year. Hes 24 now not a kid. 25 in January. Times running out so he doesnt have the luxury of having a mediocre season and coming back to fight for his place in my eyes.

Real interest to see how he deals with these players that wont feature as often as we failed to offload them. Likes of Rudiger, Emerson, Giroud (didnt try offload him) and Alonso for instance. All these guys are established guys who are international players who will want to be playing, regardless of their relationship with Frank, nobody likes sitting on the bench. Even more so this season where there will be a international tournament at the end of it. The whole situation with Alonso after WBA too might have put extra strain on his relationship with him perhaps. Even more so now as well as Callum seems to pipe up every 5 games if he doesn’t play every week wanting to discuss his future.... keeping squad players happy is always difficult but if he manages it, it is a good sign of his capabilities as a man manager. If they dont exactly play and get frustrated, it isnt good for the group.

Will see plenty minutes in a team that may go down yes but the fact that they try to play good stuff will be beneficial. Not as if hes going to a Burnley or a Southampton of a Palace where they play more directly with less of the ball in counter attacking teams although Southampton do play a high press and think he could do with buying into that to improve his off the ball work.

Fair. I think Rodri is a decent player anyway but the comparisons to Busquets when he played in Spain were a bit far fetched for me. Busquet’s positioning and quality on the ball is much better and was much more key to that system Pep used at Barca than what Rodri is to City now. Rodri maybe a bit more of a physical player who will win more duels compared to Busquets and as you’ve said going from Atletico to City was always going to be a change for him. If Fernandinho was younger there wouldn’t be a starting place for him in Pep’s team in my opinion. Plus he played in 442 teams predominantly with Villarreal and Atletico than 433. For 45m I dont think theres many players as good as Thomas that were available in that sort of position though and felt we maybe missed a trick not considering him as opposed to Declan Rice. I suppose come January or next summer we will be back for him again as it seems to be Frank really wants him and nobody else.

I know its a YouTube video of highlights but I do remember watching the game and thought he was very good.

He still stood out for me individually that night, despite them playing poorly as a team, tidying up in midfield and getting interceptions/tackles in at times. Couldn’t do it all himself though and Liverpool basically ran over the top of them and as you said Oblak was key to them going through but he wasnt poor by any means and played better than the majority of the others. His performance at Anfield was better though (first leg was at Anfield IIRC?) and you got to see much more of his ability on the ball as Atletico were much more effective on the break. Think he will surprise a lot of people in a much more progressive team. £45m is a snip these days as well for a proven player at his age with lots of games in La Liga and CL experience.

If we are so set on getting another defensive minded MF I dont see why we weren't in for him. Top top signing for Arsenal. Performances in both legs of the CL knock out games against Liverpool last season more than enough proof to show he good he is.

Yawn. Surprise party or not he was still there and didn't object to it or tell people to call it off after finding out. Irresponsible. Do these guys think they are above the rules everyone else is following in the country? Obviously theres a minority not following it but when your representing clubs like Chelsea and Dortmund as well as your national team as well as being in the public eye, really really should have more sense. Not as if their brickies, IT consultants, sparkies or whatever that wont end up in the paper for such an event is it?

When will these guys learn? Definitely should be fines. Perhaps dropped from England squad too? Only way to drum it into them. Just because they are young guys who are millionaires doesnt mean they are above the rules everyone else is following. Extremely arrogant and stupid. Sancho has been dropped for Dortmund as he broke covid rules to get a haircut and the next international break after Foden and Greenwood thinking they could get away with inviting girls round, the three of them do this? No wonder people think English footballers are arrogant braindead twats 😂

I think it will be after that. Could argue signs were there v Leeds. Makes it even more maddening that we tried to sit in and didn’t make any real forceful attempt to impose ourselves and go at them in our match prior to going down to 10.

It was more than likely but again Leeds exposed Liverpools defence on their first game and other teams will again. Also still better finishing from Villa and they would of been on 10 goals or plus. Easily. Barkley had decent chances, Grealish also could have sealed his hattrick and then Watkins hit the bar. It was bad enough but imagine it got even worse.

Could have easily scored a hattrick if he was clinical enough. Clear signs of why he is never going to be a key starter for a huge club competing for trophies where these moments are the difference between a top player and a good one. Or winning a big game in a title decider or cup final, or losing it. But promising debut.