OneMoSalah

True but I think that Pulisic is maybe also in the team for the same reason and then CHOs on the bench. Either way, at least we have some pace in the front line as Mount and Havertz, whilst aren’t slow aren’t necessarily that fast. Then again, CHO can come in too.

Klopp not even there cause he has COVID and still going on about him….

In terms of making an impact, that was arguably the game he was most effective in based on the minutes he played that night. Was also one of the worst defensive performances under FL in his 18 months here and that says a lot.

I would imagine the wide CBs will help at times like we have seen in the past because those 2 love coming narrow to give room to their fullbacks. Particularly Rudiger on Salah, he has had a good few games where he has played well against him. Wouldn’t say they were overly impressive last game either.

True, Inter may struggle to buy him and who says they will even try to if they continue being successful with Dzeko and Martinez? I really think he may find himself on the chopping block in the summer though, Tuchel dropping him as you’ve said, points towards their discussion not going well at all. I suppose it will become more evident in the coming weeks but that interview, it strikes me as something that will be a black mark towards him from here until the end of the season unless he proves himself significantly. Why try and cosy up to the Inter fans though months later about how you left with comments that would clearly affect the manager, teammates and fans of your current club?

He had COVID IIRC and Tuchel said he was struggling despite returning to training. Plus not like we can really count on him. We have had a lot of games, a lot of injuries/covid/changes. Today’s team looks a lot more familiar to close to being our best bar James & Chilly really. And possibly Jorgi but he needs a rest. We can definitely get something as long as we show up, I really don’t think that Liverpool side barring their front 3 are that much better than us. They’re missing Robertson, Matip, Alisson and Thiago in there.

Don’t be so daft, Conte may have binned Costa for Morata but he isn’t stupid enough to swap Kane for Lukaku.

Aye thats it. Leicester game is actually the perfect example, they were very depleted against a full strength Liverpool but showed that it just takes a lot of grit and that bit of quality in the final third to beat them. I tend to remember us showing that grit at Anfield with 10 men at the beginning of the season when we had arguably the toughest start of the any top 6 side.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a couple of good results in these games and then its “our title challenge is back on” from all the doom and gloom “we will struggle to make top 4 playing like this” merchants. Wouldn't put it past us to taken points from either Liverpool today or City when we play them. Just have a feeling.

When we signed Rom a lot of people complained about Serie A’s standards of defenders so is going for another CF who plays in Serie A necessarily a great idea? Or is just a matter of anybody but Romelu? Like it is for Alonso also re the links with Digne? Its hard to judge because he has had a fantastic 18 months or so but Lukaku also scored 64 goals for Inter in 2 seasons. Yes he’s younger but I just seem to get a sort of Stevan Jovic vibe off him right now. I don’t buy that all of a sudden a lot of people have went from bashing Serie A standards and defenders when we were trying to buy/signed Rom to all off a sudden thinking its an incredible/much better standard now theres links to Vlahovic. I do think Lukaku’s is in hot water though and could be expendable come the summer.

I don’t think he has to do this to prove who’s in charge as he’s already shown on a couple of occasions he is the man making the decisions and had made some big ones. He is doing it to purely make a point to Lukaku and anyone else who might be thick enough to do anything similar, to the same way he also harshly subbed CHO on then off v Southampton last season for ‘not being happy with his counter pressing’ and then he subbed Mount off at HT v Spurs a few months back, although IIRC he did say he could have brought many off and then talked about energy levels, second balls etc. I think the fact he’s done this sort of things before, the squad will 100% back his decision and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the senior pros have also had a go at Rom.

I just think those sort of comments, the timing as well as Tuchel’s reaction will be very detrimental if I am honest. I mean a bad patch of form and he does an interview like that? He effectively said he wishes he got a new contract and stayed at Inter. Why wouldn’t it be odd to assume that he might end up a victim of his own comments? We all know the club and Tuchel aren’t fools Not exactly the same as Costa under Conte but remember he got that bid lost his head and ultimately wanted out?

Aye I would expect the summer. Tuchel isn’t impressed by the comments and ultimately he hasn’t exactly helped his case with his performances at times (although he has had injuries as well as continuously playing with other attackers and not a fixed combination) so if he still feels that way, I’d guess that there will be some sort of plan hatched. Also yeah he could potentially kill a bit of morale around the place, the manager and perhaps even some of the senior players like Azpi, Jorginho, Thiago Silva (same sort of player Rom’s meant to be in terms of leadership and experience in the group) have to get a hold of him and say “WTF is this interview about and are you committed or not” and try and get him committed to even the end of the season if he’s on about a return to Inter. For such an ‘educated man’ who speaks X amount of languages, is apparently very intelligent, he is thick as fuck.

Would say his Chelsea career is as good as close to over, when has the club ever kept unhappy players? Its funny though the video of the interview, he talks about Inter but now their probably doing just as well/better without him and their ultras clearly couldn’t care less.

Also but again, why is it another Belgian Chelsea player talking utter nonsense to the foreign press? Hazard and Tibo were also notoriously bad for it. It blows my mind.

The irony of this is were you not saying Tuchel could get sacked and comparing him to Di Matteo like 2/3 weeks ago? Seems a sudden change of heart……

Mad hes said those comments. He has divided a lot since his arrival but those comments are 100% pure idiotic comments. Tuchel wont be happy either

Shit I forgot that. Aye not got a clue how much of an effect it can have, Havertz big example of it last season 100%.

Sorry but what does that even mean? Obviously finishing 2nd isn’t an achievement in itself as ultimately you want to win trophies as a team but if people think we should just focus on domestic cups after a wee sticky spell - then what is the point? And even then this run of results - remember City’s start last season? Worst one in however long yet they ended up strolling the league. Worst start to a season of Pep‘s career. Written off by everyone. Not saying we will win the league but I honestly think we just need a run of 5/6/7 easy games without a lot of injuries/covid incidents. 100% agree, more points = more wins which ultimately means less losses. Which either means your doing things right or in Utds case last season, the standards poorer than expected. This year City and Liverpool are the standard but we are definitely closer this season even with this blip run.

Jorginho has played 315 minutes in the last 13 days though, he is clearly fatigued which isn’t ideal. You can see that in the performance. It’s different for Kovacic - he hasn’t played 90 minutes since the cup game v Southampton 2 months ago and after getting 72 minutes prior to tonight in the last 6 days or so v Villa and Brentford, he should be much sharper but it really was the opposite. I would go as far as saying it looked as if he was trying to work out how to play football for the first time at times tonight for 75% of the game. People were looking forward to him coming back and giving us another body and a boost in this period but he was terrible and even as bad as Jorgi played, I really don’t think he played much worse than Kovacic. Kante coming in got us a bit more of a foothold in there but even then bar a few moments, Kante didn’t severely alter the game either for me. We were just too poor and relying on Brighton leaving room to counter than actually getting real control of the game

They were all shit tonight bar Lukaku really in terms of quality and Chalobah did alright but honestly think Kovacic was the worst player on the pitch. It is almost as if he was playing for Brighton, must of been 8 or 9 times he gave them the ball. Sort of level he showed whilst under Sarri. Worried with Liverpool next we are so depleted.

Chalobah and Lukaku only ones who have really contributed something meaningful all game. Well deserved goal for Brighton. Fucking knew it would be Welbeck when he came on. Graham Potter celebrating like they’ve won the league.

Yep drag one of the attackers for Kante or drag Kovacic. One of the worst individual midfield performances of his since the Sarri days. Nobody doing great though. Also CHO what was that

All good providing legs and energy but if your giving the ball away every time though you’re not going to help much. Another very poor one there from a basic situation…. Our best MF 2 has always been Kante and Jorginho under Tuchel.

Possession stats poor and MF getting dominated but take off Jorginho? Why? Kovacic has been so so much worse and so sloppy on the ball, a few of their transitions have come directly from Kovacic’s getting caught on it.