Superblue

Man City away in Carabao Cup On the law of averages, that should mean an easy draw in the Champions League group tomorrow (one can wish)

I would have to agree. I'm a big advocate for our club to start being 'better' with transfers with regards to identifying targets before they make that middle step. So as an example with some of the players we've been linked with or bought this summer - Kounde was at Bordeaux a couple of years ago, Raphinha at Rennes, Fofana at Saint Etienne, Cucurella at Getafe. Not going to bag them all at that stage but we need to be doing more to get a couple of these much earlier in the cycle to be saving 2 - 3x on their transfer fee in 2 or 3 years time. But in Gordon's situation the fee is already so high, I'd agree with you in that situation it's probably worthwhile more to see him reach that level first and pay the £20-30m extra.

Harry Maguire is one that goes completely beyond whether he is good enough or not. His experience at United has been that torrid and such a mockery on him as a player, person, captain that for his own sanity, I don't see how leaving one big club in a pressure environment to perform for another big club in a pressure environment to perform is going to do him any favours. If he came here, the first slight mistake he'd make I think he'd have the crowd on his back in the same way he gets at United. He needs a move, whether loan or permanent, to a mid table team and rebuild his confidence without the pressure cooker environment he is currently struggling under. He was never an £80m player, but he was at one point a player that both United and City were interested in buying, and his aim should be to go back and find that.

I don't think he will cost £60m 2 - 3 years later if he realises his potential. If he developed and became one of the more sought after players outside of the big 6 in the league he'll be comfortably within the £80-100m bracket. You only have to look at what the likes of Van Dijk, Maguire and Grealish have gone for in recent seasons and the amounts that have or are currently being asked for the likes of Zaha, Fofana and Rice. This will boil down to whether the club truly believes he will elevate his game to reach that level whereby he's being sought after for that sort of figure. This isn't a £20-30m gamble on someone's potential, this is a deal that has to work.

The biggest problem is that you can have as much talent as you want in a team and all individually there are arguments for what some of the players can possibly be, but it feels there was no real plan in our recruitment and how these players might mesh together into a cohesive unit. Ultimately this goes hand in hand with the flip-flop nature of managerial appointments we've had because it's not just a conveyor belt of managers, but there's been no plan seemingly with their appointments either. We'll see in the future, but I believe when its time for Klopp and Pep to go that Liverpool and City won't rip up what has been built there but look to bring in a manager with similar values, philosophies, etc in the hope that it'll sync well with the squad they are inheriting. For years now, we've had an imbalanced squad bought under a multitude of different managers with different styles and formations and our attack is no different in this regard. At the very least now having someone that has been here for longer than a cup of coffee and a bit more stroke around the place like Tuchel seems to currently have, we are starting to move players on who should have been moved on years ago. That's not a process that is going to just take this summer, and there's a good possibility some players like Barkley just sit on the last year of their contracts here but I believe by next summer we'll have largely rid ourselves of a bloated squad and streamlined it. I don't see all of these links happening before the window closes, and I don't think the club should panic. It's a much shortened period before the January window with the World Cup in December. There's plenty of time to revisit moves for Fofana and Gordon if the club still wish to pursue them, but we should definitely be standing our ground with regards to bids on these players rather than just accepting the inevitable and agreeing to the seller club demands because the window is closing. If Tuchel is genuinely getting the backing from the new ownership and being given an extension, he has to buy into a longer term plan of thinking and that may involve waiting for certain players and as a result having to make do with what he has currently. Liverpool did the same with Van Dijk, City didn't panic buy last summer when they couldn't get Kane. We have to start operating in the same way. As an example, IF Rice is the one the club and Tuchel want for the midfield then wait for him instead of deviating away and picking up someone inferior because they're available now. We've done that far too many times before, just as recently as Lukaku last summer, and it never ends well. I actually quite like parts of Anthony Gordon's game and I do see the potential there whereby he could become a very good player in the future and with young, flair players like that it's sometimes difficult to assess their ceiling right now but he certainly has the mentality and work rate to go far. The problem is the price being quoted stops it being a buy where you're taking a chance on what he can become, and instead you're having to assess what he is right now and he isn't a £60m player currently.

I have to disagree with Pulisic. He had a period post covid lockdown where he was superb, easily our best player and arguably the biggest factor in the team to push us to top 4. But he's been here for over 3 years now across two managers and that 8-10 game period is the only sustained bit of form he has managed to hold up. At present, it can't be seen as anything more than a run of form or hot streak as opposed to that is his actual level. Plenty of players have had similar periods in their career, not just at Chelsea and then petered back down to a level or two below that and I can't help but feel that Pulisic might fall into that category. This is someone who didn't really put up that impressive numbers in the Bundesliga which it seems most players do these days (and you'd assume he'd thrive in that environment where far more teams play a higher line and more open style of football than you get over here). The number of muscular injuries he suffered earlier on may have had an impact too as he looks nowhere near as explosive anymore and can be bullied far too easily off the ball now. I don't think Tuchel can be completely absolved of blame because he does have to try and find a way to make it work and there does have to be question marks over the players we're looking to bring in. Ultimately Tuchel will fall on his sword if one or two come in and aren't a success, in a similar way that he must take responsibility for Sterling, Koulibaly and Cucurella if they don't work out. But I do believe also that the players we've bought aren't what we thought they would be and that goes far beyond this crop of attackers. Our signings over the last decade or so have been incredibly hit and miss and I think bigger question marks need to be asked of the scouting and recruitment at the club which has had a far longer period across multiple managers of shitting the bed. I read a report the other day that suggested the new ownership were astounded at how little data is used and stored at the club under the previous regime, and that Tuchel has been using an outside source himself for data analysis. I'll always be eternally grateful to Roman who took this club places I thought I'd never see it reach, but for a while it had felt that the club had run stale and not looking to evolve, we were just going back to a well which had been kind to us for a long time but the water had long dried up. If the above is true, you have to question the analytics being driven on some of these signings we've made. It feels like we've just gone for the most part with the current flavour of the month at the time with little thought of how they might excel in our club, our system, our league. Werner is a perfect case in point. I was really stoked about him joining because you just look at the simple stats of his goal scoring and watch a couple of YouTube videos and think this guy is going to bang goals for a team that lacks them. But it didn't take long to unravel with him and when you watch a few more videos of his all round game in the Bundesliga you realise how technically limited he is if he doesn't get the space and high lines he was afforded in Germany. Data analytics is there for a reason and its now a crucial part of many teams scouting and recruitment processes. With Werner I'm sure it would have identified these potential issues with being able to replicate what he's achieved in Germany. On reflection I struggle to believe that we 'beat' Liverpool for him at the time. I think there was interest from Liverpool but ultimately they didn't pursue it, and ended up signing Jota for not dissimilar money that summer. There has been plenty of rumours doing the rounds of players Klopp has wanted, and being talked around to a different player from the scouting and data departments at Liverpool and if this is indeed true, then you have to believe that Werner is another case of this.

I think Cucurella will play LCB in Koulibaly's absence so for the balance of the defence I'd expect Azpi or Trev at RCB and Reece at wing back against Leicester.

So basically dodging the question. I'm all for Tuchel to be questioned and criticised, and I'm pro for sticking with him. But he's not bullet proof, no one is. But when you're spamming this forum with constant moaning and negativity but offering absolutely nothing by way of solutions, alternatives, etc you'll very quickly find you'll just end up being ignored for the most part.

He already made suggestions the other day - Eddie Howe and Poch. One got relegated in his last job despite huge amounts of money being spent and the other managed a Spurs side we heard endlessly at the time from the English media was an incredible team and his biggest achievement was putting some pressure on. They sound like two absolute guarantees of success!

He seemed to operate more from the left against Leeds, I think he's better suited from either side than directly through the centre to be honest.

Sterling, Mount, Pulisic, Hudson Odoi.......

Pretty clear we'd be playing catch up this window. Teams had already started announcing deals before Boehly/Clearlake even had the keys in hand, and the situation was exacerbated further with Marina leaving. It's part of the reason why I don't want us to panic buy now. I feel there may be more movement in January than normal once the World Cup is done. That break for a few weeks just before it actually gives clubs time to work on potential deals. We may find ourselves in a better position then to get things done.

Given how little time is left in the window I wouldn't be surprised if Chalobah's name is proposed to move to Leicester in his place on loan for this season.

Feel like we'd have more luck with Fofana to be honest. Brighton have already sold Bissouma and Cucurella this summer they have no need to sell more players this summer that they want to keep.

The funny thing is I can see why so many top teams have taken that chance with Morata. He has so many attributes people look for in a forward, he just simply lacks the mentality to cope and deal with the pressures of that role. His composure in front of goal probably would fit in pretty well here to be honest. At least he'd feel better within himself he's not the only one those misses are happening to!

He does seem a square peg at present. Until we get a midfielder that is defensively strong to act as a base we won't be playing a back 4 anytime soon, so you do have to question where there's a role for him in the side. I wonder whether it would be a better idea for Tuchel to employ more of a 3-5-2 formation that would allow someone to play centrally as a bit of a hybrid number 8 / 10. This role feels most suited to Gallagher and the same goes for Mount too, so you can have the pair competing for that spot. We can then have more of a forward partnership between two which at present would probably be between Sterling, Pulisic, Havertz, Broja plus maybe one other if we buy someone. Our forwards don't attack the box anywhere near as much as they should. It's too easy at times to drift and seek space which is usually out wide or dropping deeper. Pulisic probably does it best out of all of them but even he doesn't do it enough. You can just in the first three games see the difference with Sterling compared to our attackers. With or without the ball he's always looking and seeking the box. It sounds simplistic and that's because it is, it's really not rocket science, I've seen Pep before getting animated at half time or on the touchline because City's players aren't attacking the box and we do the same thing but Tuchel doesn't seem to force it enough. Maybe having two centrally in attack and another sat in behind would push that notion that they should be operating most and their best work within those lines of the penalty area and not outside of it.

From what I saw in reports, we did enquire about him but he felt his situation here would be similar to that of City where he'd be part of the squad whereas at Arsenal he'd be undisputed first choice striker. It's disappointing as I think him alongside Sterling would have significantly changed the outlook of our attack.

Poch is quite possibly the most overrated manager of this generation. He's nowhere near top level, and a Spurs mentality to boot.

Yeah I know that's why I mentioned it as a further example of the big teams perhaps not getting it their own way as much this season but knowing that the game isn't finished and City could still come back yet.

Still have to see what happens today in the Newcastle game as might seem a little premature but regardless of the outcome in that one, I do think today's result won't be a one off for both ourselves and the other 'big 6' teams this season. There does feel a bit more of a shift in mentality from teams just trying to dig and hold in against the big boys to actually having a go against them, especially when playing at home. I do feel there will be a number of surprise results this season. Especially from the likes of teams like Leeds and Brighton because of the way in which they play. Importantly for us, we need to build a run together which it feels we haven't done since the start of last December. The next 3 home to Leicester and West Ham and away to Southampton we need to build some points and momentum. Easier said than done after today's performance firmly in minds, but on paper it's three very winnable and seemingly favourable games which would put us in a much better all round position. Clear our heads and focus on Leicester, that's must win and at present they're there for the taking. About time we faced a team in that position and put them to the sword.

Can't use that as an excuse, we've had a week since that to clear our heads. They all know facing Leeds away they are in for an intense match and will need to work hard and be sharp and they've completely failed in that regard. We played a team that wanted it more today and there's simply no excuse for that. But, the mistakes this group makes time and again is beyond frustrating. Just look at Spurs yesterday, abysmal for most of their game but what they made sure was they were solid and held firm so that if a chance came for them they could nick it. We had done the hard work in this regard and then just threw it away with Mendy's mistake and a similar trait is this team doesn't react well to set backs. 2 minutes later we concede a poor goal from a set piece and it's done.

To be fair it's not on Tuchel that the players haven't put the required effort in today. They've been out battled. Compare this to the application last week where we were all round superb and it's frustrating because last week should be the benchmark to where our standards should be week in week out. I was always concerned that was a home vs Spurs performance and we wouldn't match that intensity and we didn't. Too many inconsistent performers at the club who will look incredible one week and amateur the following week and it's what has caused us problems for a number of years now with being able to remain consistent and mount a title challenge. When we get out battled we always seem to gift teams an opening and it's happened again today. The mentality of the squad as a whole is questionable. We had ridden the initial storm well and should have been able to keep the game tight going into half time and build upon that but we've gifted Leeds an opening and in a similar question to the mentality of the group, we've conceded again almost immediately after and it's as good as game over from that point onwards against a team who won't start running and a crowd that will spur them on.

Been out run and out fought today which is quite frankly unforgiveable and a number of these players need to take a long hard look at themselves. You can have poor games, but the application and effort today has been pathetic.

Mendy is becoming a more regular problem with these errors. There's no shame to just launch that ball out for a throw in and reset. He isn't technically good enough to be doing things like that and it's completely turned a game where we had ridden the initial storm. By no means have we played well but we keep getting punished time and again for stupid errors. It happened with alarming regularity last season and is no different again today. And it was something I felt when watching him last pre season before he went to Palace and I still feel is true, Gallagher isn't technically good enough to be playing in midfield for us, particularly in a 2. He's far too slow and not composed enough on the ball. I was worried today about him playing in there and so far he's just confirmed my concerns with him. Personally feel we should have started RLC in there and brought Azpilicueta or Chalobah into the defence but hindsight is wonderful.