OneMoSalah

Have really enjoyed watching Atalanta this season. Real fun to watch, score lots of goals. A team that is made up of a lot of players who aren’t necessarily superstars but understand each other very well and are willing to put the work in.

He is a goal threat... left foot... right foot... bla bla bla, he has scored 1 fucking PL goal this season. Okay he has 4 in the cups but 2 of them were against Grimsby and Forrest. The other two Liverpool and Leicester. He may be a ‘great soldier’ or show a good attitude but you need other things to be a top player at a top end club.

Its not a matter of what Jose or Pep did in their first clubs or what theyve done here/at other clubs. Or Sarri or AVB or Scolari or Conte or whoever. Its a matter of where we are at now and how the same themes have been recurring throughout the season time and time again. Be it players looking good one game and not looking interested in the next few, conceding goals from set plays and transitions far too often, general defensive play or in game management throughout. The top 4 is in sight still and we are in knockouts stages of the CL (although we are 9/10s out bar a minor miracle) and a cup semi final (against a team we haven't beat under OGS) but dont let that paper over some of the cracks that have been recurring all season. The players can take the blame for some of it, absolutely, but firstly, look at today and several other games against these lesser sides all throughout the season. We have lost 11 games this season. Here are who we have lost against Sheffield United, West Ham x2, Newcastle, Southampton, Bournemouth, Everton, Man United x2, Liverpool, Man City. Okay City, Liverpool, United, lets be honest their much better teams than the others and are further along but lets not kid ourselves and say if we finish top 4 that it has been all hunky dory either. The top 4 should have been sealed long long ago imo considering the gap we gave ourselves between United, Spurs and Arsenal so if we lose out, it is probably not good enough. Even more so when you look at the fact Frank maybe overplayed some of the boys and sidelined others who could have made a difference when others were faultering. Also it wouldnt matter if FL was arguably our clubs best ever player or not, he is here as a manager and people shouldn’t let his playing career cloud their judgement at all IMO. Okay its great he has been at the club as a player and has a real connection with the fans but football management is result based. We didnt lose or concede as many as we have under Frank under Sarri and people were ten times as harsh so lets not kid around here and say its harsh or cant believe people are turning against him. Its hardly turning, its just stating facts which if you look at these 11 loses where 7 of them really shouldn’t be happening as well as some of the draws we have had against the same sort of “lesser sides” if you will, with the manner of how these games have went, there is clearly a basis to why people have the right to say that he hasnt exactly inspired huge confidence this season. When you look at his Derby team as well, even here with a higher quality of player, the traits are similar: conceding too many goals and not scoring enough. For me, even with the arrivals of Werner and Ziyech there is still a huge red flag defensively and with some of these games as well as Frank’s persistence with continuing to use average or out of form footballers, these decisions will ultimately reflect on him. Thats the reality. I think we will still concede too many chances next season and its not just down to the quality of players, you can see when we play teams, particularly lesser teams so to speak, they just expect they are going to get chances from transitions and set plays and that is not good regardless of who the manager is. Frank has to learn fast because there is a clear history at this club, where the people upstairs look at situations that havent completely arisen and act decisively before they do. Many lost faith in Sarri for less IMO and while I doubt Frank will get sacked, there is plenty there that if it were someone else without his connection to the club, there would be many many more posts or worse than what we are seeing on here. Its a harsh reality where guys like Allegri and Pochettino are unemployed and both better managers than Frank. Its not as if the club hasnt had a interest in Allegri before or potentially thought about Pochettino either.

If we dont win this game, man.... Norwich have nothing to play for. Absolutely nothing.

Coaching? Motivation?

Usual story. Pathetic performance again. Cant believe with the amount of stories there was about OGS being mooted for an exit Lampard hasnt had the same pressure/stories this season. If this keeps happening to end of season I would very much like to see if the club consider approaching Max Allegri or Mauricio Pochettino who are out there and available. You can put it down to the players at times but the naive management in certain games we have seen throughout this season hasnt filled me with confidence that Frank is going to get it right on a consistent enough basis. For instance, beating City only to get beat by West Ham and Sheffield United on top of the amount of dropped points throughout this season is a huge red flag for me. Yes some of the players aren't good enough but it isn't all just down to them also: we have been over things time and time again this season about consistency, organisation, defensive set plays, being caught on transitions etc far too often. Plus if he cannot motivate these guys to get top 4, how is he going to motivate a group of these guys who will stay to compete for a title?

He is a very strange but wonderful player, Thomas Muller. He has no real singular outstanding quality but can cover several positions and does many things well. He has come off a season where has had the most assists he has ever had too.

Cant wait to see him get started. Really excited to see him more than Werner tbf, although both are excellent investments.

There is some talk half the squad haven't bought fully into his methods due to a lack of trust/confidence (article Tomo posted further up), which is surprisingly odd as I thought Inters players would be desperate to be successful again. Its an odd situation you wouldn't have thought this before the lockdown as they were flying. There is still some deadweight there and regardless of if its Allegri or Conte or anyone theyll probably shift a few if they can to close the gap. If Juve keep Sarri as well they will be closer next season because Juve are aging throughout their squad. He is intense and it would be a shame to see him leave Inter after one season as I said in my other post, they have got huge potential. If they get Tonali on top of Hakimi who has already arrived they will be even stronger again plus Sensi, Barella and Bastoni will be another year older and experienced at a higher level. Youd think those other players would raise their standards to try fight their cases if they believe they are vulnerable and potentially could be offloaded too? Maybe it just sums Inter up though more as a whole, theyve had far too many average players coming in since the last period since Mourinho left. Its a culture and mentality thing they need to change as much as anything imo.

I think if Inter and Conte were to part ways so soon it would be a mistake. On both their behalves. I would say their squad is 3 players off being really competitive and stronger in depth. Allegri would probably walk in there, make a few signings to build on what they have and be able to push Juventus. As Conte would be able to next season IMO. Personally I do feel with these rumours, it is more a move to get the players to pull the finger out, raise their standards and maybe again, encourage the club to get a couple of more signings in who are at the level that say Lukaku, Hakimi, Sensi, Eriksen and Barella are. I think 4th isnt great but Conte could finish 2nd and still not be completely satisfied either regardless. You wouldn’t necessarily say that Inter have got options upfront if they lose either Lukaku or Lautaro either which obviously makes them predictable at times. If he and Icardi could have turned the tide, he would of been a huge plus for them but his stupid agent/his wife has played an enormous part in fucking that up for a few seasons. I really think they've taken the foot off the gas since the turn of the year but you look his coaching style, the fact his coaching is hugely effective (as we seen here with no CL his first season) when he can spend as often with the players as possible, perhaps with COVID meaning all football and training was suspended for a period I think that may have taken their eye of the ball a bit. Also with the lineup changes he hasn't made compared to other teams from the article on the previous page, compared to Juventus who’s squad is littered with multiple title winners, world cup winners, CL winners plus Ronaldo, they were never ever going to be able to sustain this for a whole season IMO. Even then it isnt losses that have affected them, they have the same losses as Juventus but have 8 draws, most in top 8 in Serie A, which indicates struggling to finish teams off or keep them out. If you look at the squad Conte assembled in Turin during his time there he had real depth and players of different characteristics in key positions: in MF and upfront especially. Plus for Inter this season, Stefano Sensi really has been a big big miss for them in the middle of the park. Sanchez hasn't exactly had a fair crack due to injuries but he could have given them another proven, experienced option upfront as well instead of him having to call on those youngsters due to his injury. Also I think while Young and Moses were obviously short term signings they haven’t necessarily worked in a way he would have hoped (shock, didn't think Moses would suit a slower league regardless as he tends to overcomplicate things when he has time to really think about it as opposed to just doing something naturally in faster paced games where he can maybe get away with it and honestly thought Young would be a rotational player anyway who could be solid enough over there because he has got quality in terms of his delivery). I am also not sure if Godin was or wasn't his signing but he really has struggled when they've played with a back 3. I think if he was to throw the towel in now or if Inter were to consider binning him it would be a mistake. As I said there Inter aren't that far off, next season with the correct signings they will be expected to be close or win Serie A I think. Suppose regardless of coach it will be their ambition and if Hakimi is a sign of the quality of players to arrive, they will be right up there.

Offer them £70m and a player such as Emerson, Batshuayi or hell take a risk and go with van Ginkel (who Peter Bosz worked with at Vitesse); surely bound to be a compromise somewhere.

Maybe get a start next match? Showed his quality with his assist to Tammy. Better than Barkley.

If we can get him for 70-80m, do it, very good longterm buy but I am concerned if we spend all of our budget on attackers and dont address the elephant in the room: LB and CB.

Don’t know if he is really better than Kepa. This season maybe but last season Kepa was much better. I think he'd be an excellent back up though who could really push Kepa or our number 1 if we replace him, similar to what we thought Begovic should have done here. Doubt Brighton would sell him they are building something with Graham Potter.

Not sure if we are going to continue to build on what we've done this season and try close the gap for next, that signing a championship player is the best step for us. He might be a talented boy, he looks it in some of what I have seen but I think that he is a risky signing for a club with our aspirations and would be uninspiring in comparison to Werner and Ziyech. For me I see this potential move in 2 different ways. I look at Adel Taraabt who lit up the championship and couldn't make a real dent in the PL and then I look at Dan James who was United’s real stand out at the beginning of the season after a decent season with Swansea.

Yeah totally agree. Madness. To be honest and I know this could seem hugely controversial but at the rate he is going and with his willingness to run in off the wing to more central areas, I think he will end up scoring more goals per season than Eden’s highest total in a league season here in the next 2 seasons. He has that real desire to get into the box and get shots off as quickly as he can, as we seen for his goal tonight. He sucked Ward in and as soon as he made that half yard, buried it. How often have we seen Willian do that then piss about with it? Or Eden at times in the past? Or other wingers? He looks like he can be ruthless. Not to the levels of the two who have been running the show forever but he strikes me as someone who when hes on the left and gets inside near the box or inside it, he has the same desire as an Arjen Robben or someone to try get a shot off early if he can make the space. Obviously he can also create not saying he cant but I think he can be seen more as a goalscoring winger with a few more tweaks and continuous improvement. I still think he can get another 3 or 4 goals before the seasons finished easily too. What has impressed me even more is his variation of finishing and with both feet too, tonights goal was more power, the goal v City was much more of a controlled finished. His goals v Burnley etc too were all different and he has scored off both feet this season and also with his head. These sort of traits in a wide player are extremely good. As I said up there mentioning Robben or someone in that mould. Not saying hes at that level yet no but he has a great future and will be his own type of player regardless. His all round game is potentially very complete.

Wheres the poster who was saying “only signed for marketing purposes” now? 😂

I would be more inclined to say the club should give him that if they want to keep him. Lets be honest he has what 14 PL goals this season? He has been out on loan several times, has made more appearances and done more for the first team than what Callum has done who is on that or more if you take bonuses into account. As I and many others have posted before, the scenario with Callum’s contract and the figures involved were always going to potentially cause scenarios like this. I could understand if it was someone who hadn’t featured as prominently, who hadn’t scored 14 goals in the PL, who hasn’t featured as the number 1 striker for a good chunk of the season but the harsh reality is where would we be without those goals? If the club want him to stay make a pretty good compromise or give him that wage. Simple as. They didnt have a huge issue with giving somebody with only 15 club appearances that sort of wage in the summer so dont see why its an issue with Tammy.

Hopefully but I think as earlier in the season this playing two RBs shit isnt helping the team. Azpi and a left back has to start. This is Jose Mourinho-esque from Frank just to accommodate a player who he favourites, who has been poor since the restart. Lets be honest he done it earlier in the season with James again, under similar circumstances, playing 2 right fullbacks. I have no doubt he will come good but he needs time, as do the others but this just shows he has a long way to come. Many were saying he was going to immediately replace Azpilicueta after 1 season in the championship. Many also said he was a better fullback than Aaron Wan Bissaka as well who has been hugely impressive since playing in the PL. It was hugely unrealistic expectations and now he is in a bad spell which as you've said is to be expected with the step up and him being young. On a positive note, Mason Mount has really picked up well since the restart and has had the best season out of our younger players from the academy, as Tammy has faded a lot. Mason can still improve his G + A but he has rounded his game and is adding more to the team.

Has to be starting every game to the end of the season now please. If not something terribly wrong. Losing control in games is an issue and we all seen the difference he made tonight, always wanting the ball, always making space to receive it, always making the right pass. If FL didnt notice the difference tonight then he never will.

Him and Willian have been carrying us for a few games now. Rest need to take a leaf out their books.

Yeah if Jorginho and one of Alonso/Emerson don't come in to replace James and Billy (maybe harsh hut seen the immediate difference when subbed off in terms of control), there is going be obvious question marks. Reece James hasnt impressed me since the restart and while Billy wasnt that poor tonight, Jorginho showed his class and what he can bring when he came on. FL has no excuse now.

Bit gutted that Frank hasnt gone with Ruben instead of Barkley for this one although I suppose he has had to make 1 change to the MF from the last match.

Your forgetting Boga only got a chance due to injuries/suspensions in that game and the club was always looking to move him on regardless. He was never ever going to be a member of the squad because Conte had wanted Kyle Walker who he didnt get and ended up getting Zappacosta eventually to give him options at RWB. Plus if that red card never happened Andreas would probably never have gotten the opportunity to play as soon, where he eventually ended up cementing himself as a first team regular for the first half of the season putting in very good performances. Also anyone who expected Sarri to play CHO regularly at the start had to be out of their minds. He was only playing so much in pre season because Eden and Willian both weren't there as they were at the WC then got an extended break. He even used Piazon and Moses in pre season as we were short of wide options.

Jorginho is gone. Ridiculous if you ask me. Hopefully get a good result tonight regardless. Set pieces will be an issue though.