OneMoSalah

Well unless he wants to wait a year to join us. I severely doubt it will happen.

Jesus now there comparing a Bundesliga and CL regular in Sancho who has played over 40 games this season to a guy with 4 PL appearances and 11 cup games (having only made 5 starts) all season. Who play in 2 different levels of European competition. Also KdB 2.0? KdB played over 100 games before he was at a big club. CHO is good enough to feature here more regularly but to mention him as KdB 2.0 is naive. Hes nowhere near the level in his development of somebody who played 130 games in 5 seasons. Kevin was on hindsight more than probably ready to be a first team player at Chelsea and it didnt work out for whatever reason (his mentality and application was questioned by the manager, a lack of chances etc) but if anybody expects CHO to play every week here, its naive because the culture of the club in the past has shown that youngsters never feature at 18. Sarri hasnt said he will only feature when hes 22 or 23 either, he obviously means his performance levels will be at a very high level at that age. I agree he could play more but its every week, even when we win, it is getting a bit annoying.

Think its only fair to look at the facts. Wan Bissaka has the most tackles in top 5 leagues in Europe. James is playing championship, although hes excelling its a different level alltogether to the PL. James will be a Chelsea player one day, hes only 18 or 19, we need to give him another year or two playing every week to grow... the same with Mason Mount. Wan Bissaka is more than good enough to play here. Hes better than Zappacosta quite comfortably I would say. Azpi is still a great player but Wan Bissaka could be a good long term investment. City and United sniffing about him too so come the summer he could be on the move.

Yes. VVD is v good but think he is being slightly overrated. He was brilliant today I will agree but as someone who has seen his trajectory from Celtic to Southampton and now Liverpool, he still isn't as good as Laporte for me although its close. Laporte really is for me, the sort of CB we should of signed to play LCB. Seen him play for Bilbao and have been a huge fan of him ever since, only 24 years old, when he hits 27 or 28 he is going to be one of the very best about in Europe, or thats my opinion anyhow. Koulibaly is a better CB than both of them comfortably, the guy is a monster. Fuck playing against him, he is very fast, agile, strong, can play, able to read plays. Perhaps similarly to VVD but think his level isnt as high as either KK or Laportes. Varane is another one whos definitely up there but as youve mentioned hes slumped so hard to judge. Although you can tell hes a special player because he was an absolute monster for Real under Jose when he was 18 or 19, havent seen many CBs at such a big club deliver as often as he did in his position. For me, Silva is one of the most underrated MF players in the PL. He got plaudits under Mancini a lot when he played in 4231 but under Pep he has adjusted to that free 8 role so well, he really is excellent with the ball, barely loses it and always picks the right pass. De Bruyne has maybe overshadowed him for City the last few seasons but I dont think you can say hes not going to be at City next year, he is a huge player for them although his goals and assists are down the last few years with playing deeper. Bernardo Silva will eventually be his heir and rightly so because he is another fantastically talented player who is thriving this year but David Silva is still at a very very good level. David Silva was another player City beat us too back in the day. Alongside Robinho (worked out alright I suppose haha).

If this season and Ousmane Dembele last season has shown me anything, is that these guys need time to adapt and grow into that Barca team. Dembele is the superior talent clearly but his first season was hugely inconsistent before he got injured. Malcom hasnt played a lot but when he has its been wee flashes of his ability. Hes nowhere near ready to start at a club like Barca but can grow into the team there. Roma would of been the more ideal move for him I feel.

No chance. Definitely not the best player in the PL. Probably not even best CB, I think Laporte is genuinely the dogs bollocks in that position. In terms of natural ability the likes of Hazard, Pogba, David Silva, Aguero, Sterling etc are all better than Van Dijk albeit different positions.

Was always gonna be difficult. New manager at any club, yet alone a London based club fighting for relegation, will always bring out a better performance. Fulham made it difficult but we could gave scored more I think. Games likes these are more important for the result as opposed to the performance I feel because we had to win with Spurs and Arsenal drawing.

I think hes shown a lot more personality in the last few matches. We all know there is a good player in there and I know the booing of him and chants regarding Sarris style isnt right but hes responded well, where as when he and the team wasnt playing well he looked a bit shaken. Very good goal today too.

Definitely. I think as a ex player it is more difficult to go to being a good pundit as opposed to a ex manager. Mourinho knows how to analyse games and how to analyse players better than the Redknapp's, Owens, etc who have 0 managerial or coaching experience at the top level. He made some very good points regarding El Classico too, particularly about Ivan Rakitic.

The whole situation before that square off was stupid. I mean what is Luiz doing touching that ball, as soon as he touches it, it is definitely a live ball. Fucking moronic decision.

Thought he was good. Set the tone well, caught on it a few times but hes always going to be marked so it will happen at times.

Kudos to him for adapting and I must say good decision by Sarri because nobody thought he should play that role but recently hes been very good. Hopefully he can keep going because he is key to our team.

8 PL goals now this season. Comfortably his move productive spell here. Great game yesterday.

Was flashes but fatigue maybe a part in why it was only flashes. Think Sarri made right move subbing him.

Maybe but the research can go out the window. The occasion can get to players too. For me, mentality and luck is a bigger factor. Luiz was unlucky for instance. Scoring that would of altered the rest of the shootout. Players are aware that teams look at patterns and can change it up too. It does work the research but even the Munich game, Drogbas equalizier rattled Bayern and I think that and the occasion got to some of them too, especially Schweinsteiger when he took that penalty he never looked confident. Luck does play a massive part in cup finals. Also today, Agueros goal was onside I would say. We got lucky there.

Penalties is all about luck really. Doesnt matter who was in the net, Caballeros record is decent at spot kicks in his career but its hardly going to be the hugely deciding factor. Kepa was unlucky with one and saved another. Different day he saves the other one and Luiz and Jorginho score. If we won it wouldnt be an issue, in fairness we were unlucky in the 120 mins and probably should have won, Kante was really unlucky with his chance and Hazard was onside in that offside call. Agueros goal would of counted another day too. Kepas actions werent great but him staying on didnt cost us anything. Missing penalties did. 100% agree.

Na. Think that's hugely over the top. Or if not, in that regard the same should be said for Jorginho and Luiz missing penaltie. It just wasnt to be unfortunately, knew as soon as Luiz hit the post theyd win.

A proper gutsy performance. Kante desperately unlucky with his chance. Sarri has to get more of this sort of performances more often. Kepa, Kante, Eden, Emerson, Azpi, Luiz, Rudiger, Jorginho all played very very well I thought. Kepa situation is weird but it will be dealt with internally, definitely. If it was a misunderstanding it was a huge one. Also Kepa sort of looks like Josh Segarra who played Adrian Chase in Arrow haha. Although totally football unrelated.

Tbf other than CHO for Willian (even based on tonight not always straight forward, CHO faded in and out of the game a lot which you can expect with young players as well as inconsistencies in performance), Emerson and Giroud are hardly obvious improvements on Alonso and Morata if they are at all (which for me, other than a few games Emerson has done well in patches, is just as bad as Alonso). In all reality, poor squad building has left us in this mess more than anything. Can blame Sarri, Conte, Jose for playing player X over player Y but the one consistent has been that the club has been picking transfer targets 75% of the time for almost the last 8 or 9 years. Back in 2011 we were linked with Cesar Azpilicueta, Andre Schurrle, Antonio Rudiger, Willian under AVB but we ended up signing them under Di Matteo, Mourinho and Conte. If that doesnt explain a lot then I dont know what does. Not to say they havent done well, werent good players or whatever but its obvious the club identifies and recruits the players as opposed to the manager having final say. Weve had the success but it was built on aggresive, counter attacking, low block football. Go through the usual cycle of could be contenders, become champions and then fall off. Improve, hit a good level and then dont build on the success. Constant cycle and poor recruitment is a huge reason.

Its been happening all season. Not just Willian. Morata, Hazard, Kovacic, Giroud, basically everyone has not done it at one time. But the pressing has been shit, whether or not this is through a lack of effort or lack of tactical understanding, I dont know.

Kovacic was sloppy though, taking far too many touches at times, slowing us down.

If they get a favourable draw they are dsrk horses for the whole competiton I reckon. Them and Valencia, who are a hugely solid no thrills but very effective side.

Exactly. Plus everyone still thinks Kante is a 6 and should play there. Kante has shown time and time again why he is better on that right hand side. His ability to drive forward, recover, press higher up and also be more creative. But again, the football das are out in force and see him as something he isnt. A fixed pivot.

Napoli wait and see.

Well needed win. Some glimpses at times of what his style can bring but a long way to go and we have 2 huge games coming up.