Jase

Our xG today...4.7!!!!!!

Maybe I should have worded it properly but don't get me wrong, I am not making excuses for him and those missed chances. He should have scored a few goals today. We all know it and am sure Werner know it as well. That is that. The wider point, as I mentioned above, is how we are using him. We are using him out wide like a winger and let's face it, he's not a winger. He's not going to consistently dribble at players, dribble past them to create chances like a normal winger would. When we use him out wide, we practically lose that kind of threat from a wide position. We and he might be better served playing as a striker upfront, where he can focus on just doing damage there, instead of having to chase people out wide, run up and down, create chances, score goals etc.

Did I say anything wrong? The miss was shit and he should be scoring that, regardless of where he is played. The point about how he is being used is a wider point.

He played upfront with Poulsen and even when he played on the LW, it was in the back 3 system, with him close to Poulsen. Certainly rarely played as a wide man, if at all with Leipzig.

Can't defend Werner for that miss early in the game because...that was just fucked up but did we buy him only because he scored lots of goals for Leipzig? Because those number looked pretty? He didn't score 90+ goals for Leipzig in the Bundesliga and Champions League by constantly playing out wide like a winger. He is a STRIKER and yet, we are using him like a winger. He doesn't do well out wide because he isn't a winger and then gets slammed for not doing the things that a wide man should be doing.

Ziyech has gotten injured twice this season for us and both times, in front of the fans...

1. That was kinda a shit half. Could have scored 3, 4 goals but we are leveled instead because Zouma went AWOL and Mendy turned into Kepa for a moment. 2. Can't defend Werner for that miss early in the game because...that was just fucked up but did we buy him only because he scored lots of goals for Leipzig? Because those number looked pretty? He didn't score 90+ goals for Leipzig in the Bundesliga and Champions League by constantly playing out wide like a winger. He is a STRIKER and yet, we are using him like a winger. He doesn't do well out wide because he isn't a winger and then gets slammed for not doing the things that a wide man should be doing. 3. Two of our front 3 are in awkward spots right now. Werner is not a winger but is being used like one on the LW while Pulisic is not suited on the RW but he is being played there out of necessity. Pulisic did go to the LW eventually but then, Werner went to the RW, which made things even more awkward. Ironically, the one player who could at least do a decent job out wide on the RW with Ziyech out is not in the matchday squad.

More or less the expected XI...

Looks like Giroud is starting.

Just realized that Lampard is already halfway through his 3-year contract with the club. Am assuming any contract extension discussion will begin in the coming months (assuming things continue on the right track).

Not a slight on him obviously but if someone had a dollar for every "of course" and "yeah" said by Havertz, he or she would be rich right now!

We have PROBLEMS in January 2022... Looks like Pulisic will play World Cup qualifiers with USMNT in January 2022, on top of Mendy's and Ziyech's participation at the African Cup of Nations.

He isn't a defensive coach or a set piece coach per se but he definitely has had input on improving our defending from set pieces.

TBF even before Mendy came in, we already looked less vulnerable from set pieces this season. And IIRC, The Athletic did an article recently about the changes made to our set piece defending and it wasn't just because of Mendy either.

But that Sevilla and United games were the games that provided the defensive foundation for the run that we're on. Also, you previously talked about building the team from the front but Lampard has built from the back instead.

Everyone is fit and available for the game, according to Lampard.

Don't really care who wins it but am assuming they will count those games on Oct 30 and Oct 31 as well since they fell on the same matchday as Nov 1. It's only fair.

We also had a great game against Palace at home last season by the way. And yes, I am aware of all those changes but personnel changes and a change of system can't be the only reasons why we have been better. Like what prompted Lampard to suddenly go defensive against United and Sevilla? Was it because he was stung by the fact our defensive stats at that time was the worst ever under him? Or was it something else? What has changed in our mentality or mindset? Because we have looked more comfortable and do not crack as easily as we did last season.

Am not ignoring it. I just don't agree with it. Hence, the counter argument about Giroud not suited to this particular game. From a tactical point of view, am sure Lampard did not pencil Giroud to start this game because of the way Leeds play under Bielsa but if he is gonna suddenly deviate from that and throw Giroud in because he scored 4 in midweek, then he better make it work and win. Otherwise, questions will be asked. TBF, he was doing fine up until last week. He has been among the goals this season.

The Athletic needs to find out what happened after that Southampton because while there is a long way to go and there will be moments where we have to suffer, everything started to fall into place and click since then. And this isn't just because of the players returning etc either.

Chilwell with the final result tomorrow...

Has been nominated for Premier League Manager of the Month.

It's ironic you said that because if Giroud hadn't scored 4 goals against Sevilla, none of us would be having any discussion about him starting this one. And as I said above, if we had looked at this game tactically from a week or two ago, how many would really go "yeah, I will definitely play Giroud in this one against Leeds, with their high line etc"?