Jase

I'd also keep an eye on United. They are only 8 points behind us and have easy looking games coming up...

Why did you just post the same thing?

Forgot to mention this - I know managers will need the players to adapt to their tactics etc but can't help but look over at Arsenal and see Emery willing to play the kids in the cup games and sometimes even the league games while Sarri, like Conte, like Mourinho, hides behind the 'players need to adapt/they are not ready' excuses.

Not sure if teaching the players how to keep possession - which mind you, we are still bad at it, as seen after conceding today - is gonna keep a manager in the job if there are more bad results down the line...

In the last two games, we started well but then went off the boil after that. Prior to those games, we always started slowly but got better after that. Seriously, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!

But we need more than just being defensively sound or being able to keep possession (you're making this sound like a total positive just because Sarri hasn't gone all Brendan Rodgers on us). I'm looking at our attacking plays. Sarri is supposed to improve us on this but have not seen much difference when compared to Conte/Mourinho's reign. And if I'm being cynical, I'd say Sarri is benefiting from the defensive work that Mourinho/Conte instilled in the team, even with the change in formations.

It's all good saying that we need to back Sarri in the transfer market but you gotta ask, is he giving good reasons for us to do so? I mean, six months into his reign as our manager and we have barely seen the kind of football that he became known for at Napoli. Granted, I'd agree that we have some very average players in the team right now but given that he has had SIX months, shouldn't we be seeing the attacking football, the fluid movement in attacks etc at the very least, even just a tiny bit here and there? We do have some very average players but these are not players from the Conference. They are still decent enough to be playing/executing some kind of attacking football at the very least. But nope, the only major trait we've seen here from Sarri's Napoli side is us dominating possession but very little penetration. There have been times when it felt like Mourinho or Conte was still in charge because the football wasn't very much different at all. Also, Sarri is so rigid with his formation and player selection for certain position. It's 4-3-3 or nothing. It's Jorginho or Fabregas as the deepest midfielder, it's Kovacic or Barkley or Loftus-Cheek as the left center-midfielder. Hell, Sarri has even thrown Loftus-Cheek out wide just to accommodate Kovacic or Barkley in that midfield role. Even Guardiola - arguably the best manager right now at possession/attacking football - is flexible and adaptable enough to change formation from time to time and switch players around within the formation. With Sarri, it's so rigid that it's becoming probably predictable and easy for opponents to deal with us. It also doesn't help that Sarri has been channeling his inner-Mourinho and persisting with players who's out of form etc. And oh, Sarri said after today's game that he doesn't understand why we keep on reacting badly to conceding goals. He's been saying that a lot recently and it's a concern when you keep on hearing your manager say that and no closer to finding out the exact problem...

Last 3 games against Watford... L 1-4 W 4-2 W 4-3

Watford 1-2 Chelsea PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS 2018/19 Premier League Matchweek 19 26th December, Wednesday, 2018 Vicarage Road 19:30 Kick Off (UK time)

Banter performance.

Before we even get to that, we don't exactly create a lot of chances, do we? If we create lots of chances, the goals will come but problem is, we don't even create enough chances. How do you expect us to score when we create chances at a sporadic rate at best?

I thought Sarri is supposed to bring attacking football to the club...

He started in the league this past midweek...

Chelsea 0-1 Leicester PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS 2018/19 Premier League Match 18 22 December, Saturday, 2018 Stamford Bridge 15:00 Kick Off (UK time)

Barcelona have signed Jeison Murillo from Valencia. So, we don't have hear/read anymore of those Barcelona move rumors...

January is gonna be fun! Jan 2 - Southampton (h) Jan 5 - Nottingham Forest (h) Jan 8/9 - Spurs (a) Jan 12 - Newcastle (h) Jan 19 - Arsenal (a) Jan 22/23 - Spurs (h) *Jan 26/27 - FA Cup R4* Jan 29 - Bournemouth (a) Only ONE midweek break...

So, Bellamy said City got Burton in the semis yesterday and that has turned out to be accurate...

Christensen seems to be picking up injuries every time he plays under Sarri...

1. Eden Hazard FC strikes again! 2. Why do we always struggle against Bournemouth at home? 3. Are we ever gonna put in a proper performance for the entire 90 minutes? Started well this time but went off the boil after half time. Opposite of what has been happening! 4. Into the semi finals! Yay. TWO more fixtures in January! Boo.

All the talk about Sarri-ball and the only noteworthy thing we've seen is bossing possession, which isn't saying much. Still yet to really see any kind of fluid, quick movement, attacking football.

Yup. The Norwegian league season has ended but it will start again in March and Solskjaer will only return in May. http://global.espn.com/soccer/manchester-united/story/3731838/manchester-united-name-ole-gunnar-solskjaer-as-caretaker-manager