Jase

Opta stated there "FIRST 11 Premier League games...".

Was just looking at the table and noticed United have the sixth worst defence in the league and this is a Mourinho side! Only Burnley, Southampton, Cardiff, Fulham and Huddersfield have conceded more.

BATE Borisov 0-1 Chelsea PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS 2018/19 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 4 8th November, Thursday, 2018 Borisov Arena 17:55 Kick Off (UK time)

His passing in the first half against Palace...Jesus Christ! Hope all that recent praise hasn't gotten to his head!

Our record WITHOUT Hazard...

Something interesting in the article for those possession nerds out there...

Chelsea 3-1 Crystal Palace PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS 2018/19 Premier League Match 11 4th November, Sunday, 2018 Stamford Bridge 16:00 Kick Off (UK time)

But the point here is about flexibility. Sure, Fergie's United were known for their wing play but it wasn't his do-or-die approach. His team carried threat from midfield as well and there were times when he tweaked it and heck, he even played the diamond midfield system from time-to-time. As for Conte, we all know he likes the back 3 system but at the same time, we all know the severe limitations of that system. When it doesn't work out, as we saw many times last season, he rarely tries to change things around. Not saying Sarri's football has gone to pots that he needs to make a wholesale change but surely, it wouldn't hurt to make some minor tweaks if/when needed, would it?

Someone needs to tell Sarri that the midfield trio of Jorginho/Fabregas-Kovacic-Kante aren't going to create enough chances and provide goalscoring threat.

Shocking is an understatement. That was a stupid pass of the highest order from Cahill. It's like he didn't even read the situation and think whether it's good to pass the ball into traffic (heck, it wasn't even rocket science!) and hell, it's not like Fabregas is someone who is capable of receiving the ball and turning defence into attack in tight spaces like Hazard. Honestly, if he dares to moan about the lack of playing time again, someone needs to show him this pathetic performance!

Not having issue with Sarri's rotation but more so with his player-position selection. To him, it's Jorginho/Fabregas, Kovacic/Barkley/Loftus-Cheek and Kante. We know he wants a deep lying playmaker in his midfield trio but is he THAT rigid that he can't even switch it up some times? Is there really only one way to play Sarriball? Can't he play Kante in DM and Barkley and Kovacic ahead of him. Think I've seen this discussion take place in the forum but feel like his rigidity will cost us games and/or players somewhere down the line.

Wouldn't mind see us getting Ramsey but if we end up signing Kovacic and with a midfield of Jorginho/Kovacic/Kante/Barkley/Loftus-Cheek, where does Ramsey even fit in, especially when Sarri seems to have a rigid player-position selection in the midfield? And that's without even mentioning Mount.

We have shown we can be threatening and win games even without Hazard - remember 4-0 v Burnley just last Sunday - but the problem was, Sarri chose to play a non-threatening midfield trio and stick Loftus-Cheek out wide. It's all good the trio of Jorginho/Fabregas, Kovacic and Kante control the midfield but what's the point of that if there's not even an ounce of goal threat? Feel like Barkley and/or Pedro have/has to play more often, especially if Hazard isn't in the XI.

If anything, I'd point the finger at Sarri's rigidity with the player-position selection. Said Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic and Barkley are all competing one place and to compromise, he decided to stick Ruben out wide, which is not even his best position. Why can't he think differently and play a different kind of midfield at times?

After the match...

Didn't expect an easy game but that performance was so bad!

Look great going forward in what sense? Have barely troubled the Scott Carson and needed two own goals to put ourselves ahead. Too many ball passers in the XI at the moment and not enough goal threat. Right and let's pretend he doesn't go AWOL defensively like he did in that first half.

When we play this kind of starting XI, you really do wonder where the goals are gonna come from. Zero goal threat in that first half and awful defensively.

Have always felt Lampard is an intelligent person, is decisive, someone he knows what he's saying and what he wants etc. But how is he faring at Derby on the tactical side of things, his in-game management etc? Is he just like Harry Redknapp or better?

The plot thickens...