OneMoSalah

Zola tainted because of Sarri? Lmfao who writes this shite? His coaching/managerial career has been fucking terrible bar one season at Watford 😂 If anything being assistant coach at Chelsea is probably the highlight of his coaching career so far. Yes he was a top top player here and considered one of the very best but hes here as a assistant manager/coach, his career as a first team coach/manager was already bad enough, based on his actual coaching career he isnt someone who stands out as exceptional in a coaching regard. For me, Basing any coachs capacity or reputation on their playing career is ridiculously stupid as weve seen with Neville, Henry, whoever else it doesnt necessarily mean they will be a success at both. Zola is probably here more because of his presence around the club than what he actually can offer as a coach. This is a typically lazy way to try and discredit Sarri as per fucking usual, which is becoming a common thing from so called fans, hes here to the end of the season now definitely (potentially longer which I think he will get), get behind him and the team. Sarri tainting Zola. Get real. Zola probably wouldnt be here in a coaching capacity if it werent for us appointing Sarri.

Think Zenit would be a good move for him. Hes got the make up of a good player but a lack of goals, key passes and assists at a top club for a more attacking midfielder is shocking.

Its ok haha, it was tosh in fairness.

So weve been linked with Javi Gracia a day or two after I said in another post if we sacked Sarri would it be him, Nuno or Eddie Howe from the PL we would probably need to look at due to the high level coaches you'd normally associate with a big club are in jobs and this board, I just have no idea what to expect at times anymore. It is being reported by the sun, metro, 90min, 101greatgoal and many other unreliable outlets regarding Javi Gracia but honestly after being linked with David Wagner and the former Fulham manager Jokanovic last year I wouldnt be surprised. If this is true then what on earth is going on, no disrespect to the guy but if Sarri is out of his depth or binned for whatever other reasons then a guy who hasnt ever managed a squad of big players at a huge club has a very slim chance from the offset, considering weve also binned the likes of Jose, Conte and Carlo with 0 hesitation. I think hes done very good for Watford and they are overachieving this season yess, as well as Nuno and Howe having done good jobs with Wolves and Bournemouth respectively over their spells there but this job is a step too high for them at present. The pressure here would be huge for any manager despite the mixed seasons and I generally think that while Watfords season has gone well theres no huge expectation, nobody expecting them to do so well. We always expect to get top 4 and compete for trophies or a trophy. Lets not forget we are looking at losing Hazard, sold Cesc, the likes of Luiz (talk of a new deal but until its signed it means nothing) and Cahill (all 4 were hugely experienced players who have been there and done it with the club) among other uncertain scenarios with the likes of CHO, Christensen perhaps who had offers in January from Schalke Im sure as well as public complaints about playing time and if Higuain, Giroud and Kovacic are staying or going. If Sarri is replaced in the summer, which would be a bit daft, the next guy is gonna definitely need time (argubaly more than 1 full season) to steady the ship a bit and refresh the squad as theres gonna be players going and also an impending transfer ban. Fair enough weve been off the pace hugely but if we go and appoint a guy whos had a good 15 months in the PL at Watford... Id be questioning the clubs ambition, they went tooth and nail to get Sarri (mediocre first season or not although I didnt expect it to be plain sailing, which I think some people did....), people also forget the club had been hellbent on sacking Conte to replace him with Sarri for months.... it just seems all very stupid.

Forgive me I was reading wrong stats obviously well thats debunked that theory haha.

Paredes has barely played. Based on YouTube videos I will admit, he looked decent technically but again thats always the risk with judging players soley on youtube, he obviously isnt half the player many believed. I mean PSG wanted a 6 in the summer, didnt get one meaning they played a CB there for a while, Paredes has rarely gotten a game and considering PSG have effectively frozen out Adrien Rabiot ages ago after crying out for MF reinforcements in the summer.. says a lot regarding the fact hes barely started any games for them. Hes a box to box player, he would he incredibly wasted as a 6 in my opinion. From what I have seen, he is very tenacious, very good at recovering the ball, carrying it and the games I have seen with Italy and Cagliari, he doesnt play as a sitter, he has actually played as an attacking midfielder for Cagliari this season.

He has not only improved Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum but probably used them a lot more than any of our past managers would (even if CHO hasnt played as much as wed have hoped but lets be realisitc start of the season he was undoubtedly 4th choice on the wings regardless considering pre season). And going from the circulating rumours regarding us considering using Reece James in the squad next, another I think after a while will prove to Sarri he can be depended on. Even including Emerson, who is by no means a great player or even a young player, using him and both RLC and CHO in a game against Liverpool is extremely encouraging. Rubens development under Sarri is never brought up but hes no doubt 10 times more effective as he ever was here beforehand and even at Palace. Hes added end product and goals to his game. That comes through maturing as a player through playing and coaching. Considering Edens goal and assist return is considerably the best be has had here as well you cant say he hasnt improved any other players or got them to try and maiximize their output. Hazard, Luiz for a while, Barkley for a while, Callum, Ruben, there has been improvements. In fits and bursts. The whole play CHO situation and England playing him first before he made a PL start was just odd but I cant help but feel because we werent doing well, those guys uptop were not playing well that it again stemmed slightly from frustration. Could be argued throwing a young guy in a struggling team wouldnt help either. I did agree he could have played more but its almost as if some people were pinning saving our season on him at times lol. Its not been plain sailing and I get why people are frustrated but theres more a foot than just Sarri being stubborn and playing this brand of football that when not played quick enough isnt effective but thats what going through this process was gonna be like at some point. A manager who wants to implement his own ideas, which were completely against the grain of what the last 4 managers before him, will obviously be stubborn to get things in his image. You mentioned Benitez not being the right man in the long run yeard ago but Jose Mourinho was leaving Real and Rafa already confirmed he wouldnt be staying so yes in that regard it was the right move. Sarri isn't an exceptional manager by any means but its hardly like Mourinho is lined up to come back is it? Or A Klopp/Pep level coach who could come in and get an instance improvenent as well as managing to sign the likes of Ederson, Alisson, van Dijk, Laporte, Sane, Bernardo Silva, top quality level players because we need a few in areas. Or will we change and then wait and see how the likes of a Nuno (yes doing well at Wolves but shown at Valencia, Porto, two bigger clubs in their leagues where he achieved nothing), Eddie Howe, Javi Gracia, or the other managers to have a good season in the PL at a recently promoted team do when they will just be as out of their depth as the likes of what many on here probably percieve Sarri is. Realistically all the other top managers are in jobs. Sarri is basically the Quique Setién (although hes an older guy and Betis actually play some fantastic football) or whatever up and coming "in demand" manager of a few years ago. Before he got here everyone, particularly Italian journalists and pundits heavily highlighted his "issues", lack of rotation even in cup games, preference to use and burn out many out of only say 13 or 14 players in the same system over the course of a season and a lack of integration of young players (not that we did that anyway). Even the bloody Napoli president, be it through spite or a warning... It baffles me how some people are reacting as if no other manager done any of this in the past either. Conte for instance flogging Alonso after signing Emerson in January and also not deviating from 343 in the same season after a brief experiment using 352. Jose flogging Matic and Azpi, using that same low block even against smaller teams. I think we needed to change and go for someone like Sarri with a more offensive idea of football. If Sarri is to be sacked a manager in a similar mould has to be appointed. The whole sucking fun out of football thing with his style... lets be honest almost every season regardless of manager, the players... the style at this club is always brought up and could always be like some other clubs.... its a reoccuring theme here, get the idea some people will never be happy regardless.

Zappacosta has to go if it means this guy gets his chance next season. I was of the opinion he needed a PL loan but Ive seen him a few times now since then and he really looks like he could make a smoother transition than I first expected. Physically hes at a decent level. Technically too. Hopefully Sarri sees him in pre season and includes him in the squad next season.

Personally think starting CHO and no striker was a mistake. Would of rather seen CHO come on as a sub when there where more spaces in that period in the second half than the first when we played deeper. Harsh or not, Hazard fuckd 2 really big chances that you would expect the likes of Sterling, Mane, Salah, to score - one hit the post and one Alisson saved but personally I expected him to score both - and Willian also had a half chance in the first half that he totally made wrong choice and should have shot earlier on his left side. As someone mentioned above they only played really really well for 15 minutes and we didnt play too badly. But 'Sarri out" will be floating about twitter along with the "we dont deserve Eden this team is so shit" garbage that in my eyes, just shows the make up some so called fans. Realisitcally we lost because we failed to score 2 big chances and they scored 2 goals in their wee period. End of story. We built up well enough until we got to the final third again, where it was ponderous.

If we going to lose Hazard and not get a transfer ban, Lorenzo Insigne has recently just stated he could leave Napoli apparently, tough to get him with the connection and after the Sarri saga but he would be an unbelievably good signing for us I think. Fits Sarri ball, in his peak years, wont be on an astronomical wage but fee will be high though unfortunately. Toby Alderwereild also avaliable for 25m in the summer, bit older or not, proven player and definitely worth 25m for what say 2 or 3 good seasons compared to what we have. Rudiger, Christensen and Luiz yes are all good but Alderweireld is an excellent player and even for 25m aged 29 or however old he is, would be a very good move. But the ban won't get overturned so probably not even worth attempting it haha

We were sloppy but in the first half they pressed us quite well. Anyway, bad performance but clean sheet and a away goal. Performance not always most valuable thing in these tough obscure double headers, it was always gonna be a tough game because they showed beforehand they know how to make life tough for good teams so least the away leg is done.

These are the sort of games you never know what could happen tbf. Sarri has picked a relatively strong team which helps but still, need to show up and perform.

Miroslav Stoch goal anybody?

If either Barca or Madrid want him, he's off to Spain. That is true I suppose not many would say no.

Barca under Valverde are really good at being solid. Taken a bit from what Enrique gave them in terms of sitting a bit deeper and playing more cohesively without the ball and adding even more to it. I suppose in an away match, clean sheet, getting a away goal, it worked. Theyve got a lot of experience too, bringing on the likes of Arturo Vidal and Sergi Roberto for Coutinho and Artur Melo is a luxury a lot of teams dont have. I dont know if we would of managed much better than we did the last year against Barca tbf but because as we seen they can turn it on when they need to or when theres a mistake. Id like to see us go toe to toe with a Barca, Real, Juve or whatever under Sarri, it would be really intriguing to see we would cope playing as we do now.

Kepa Zappa Andreas Luiz Alonso Kante Kovacic Barkley Willian Giroud/Higuain Pedro

True but I still think his general hold up play would of still added to our team and even his finishing prowess, he would definitely have scored chances the likes of Morata and Higuain have missed. But as you said a lack of a quality replacement was more of an issue (still disappointed Morata couldnt build on his first 15 games here and ultimately flopped, was a huge fan of his at Real for both spells and at Juve). Also, I know Costas goals havent been as regular as before in his career but that supercup game where Atletico beat Real at the start of the season, it was quite a incredible performance from him, when he plays like that goals or not, he is unplayable.

True but again, Kovac worked with Jovic at Frankfurt, if he was to be made available along with Werner I wouldnt be surprised if they went for both. I think the Bayern always try to sign the most exciting young German players, such as Goretzka, Gotze, Arp, and wouldnt be surprised if Werner was an addition they go for too but I also think theyd go for Jovic.

Glad to see him publically say this regarding Sarri. Maybe because hes said some people will soften up on Sarri a bit.

I still think Bayern will sign him and give him back to Frankfurt for a season. Hes going to be a top player. Benfica will be kicking themselves too because he will easily cost 40-60m.

Selling him, as bad as it was at the time, looks well justified now.

I still think if he goes there, huge fee, superstar wages the lot, he will be seen as a direct replacement for Ronaldo. And yes he will struggle to make such an impact as Ronaldo managed to. I see him making a similar impact to Bale more than anybody else tbf and to be honest Bale has done reasonbly well for Real so wouldnt be all too bad but I really think their fans and the Spanish media will see him as a Ronaldo replacement and expect him to try and make the difference up. Even Bale who has done very well there, having a goal every 2nd game basically, scoring in finals, winning a lot has endured a mixed reaction from their fans and the media so it wont be plain sailing. Its 100% happening though, although I wonder if Barca would be willing to rival them for him I think hed suit them better.

Spain, Barca, Real Madrid and Man City are all proof you can. While I agree some teams can still bully some teams but you definitely can go far in European competitions, which are also far less physical than English football as referees are stricter, with those sort of teams made up of more technical players. Even now Barca are still doing it with guys like Artur, Alba, Semedo, Roberto, Messi, Dembele, Coutinho, Alena etc. Regarding Matic there were times where he was very poor and left Cesc struggling too. That game he got subbed om and subbed off basically summed him up that season. Although Cesc wasnt hugely impressive that year either but one thing I would disagree about is that he could definitely keep the ball under pressure and would want to get the ball whenever he could take it unlike many others in our team in that period who just stood around waiting for shit to happen.

Nah Ronaldo scored like 90 goals in all comps in his last 3 seasons at United (66 PL goals out of those). His numbers were already improving and they did so more at Real. Even at Real his first season was 33 goals in 35 games. Then the next 6 seasons he scored over 50. I think he would of managed to score 30-40 in the PL if he stayed still. I dont think Eden will ever be that prolific.

Good move for him. I am surprised Bayern maybe didnt consider a move either with Ribery and Robben both leaving this summer. They are normally keeping an eye all over German football for the better players.