Sideshow Luiz

I know what you meant. I was just overstating how shit that was by picking our lonaees as MOTM.

I thought you meant our players. Those were the only 2 that did anything. Tomori for us, Mount for his team.

I'd say Mount or Tomori.

Wow, this is some shit football on display.

Um, I was late tuning in, WTH happened? 1-1 already?

I've liked this, but I don't like this. If that makes sense.

CHO on the bench? RLC, Kante, Fabregas, and Kovacic? What?

It's gotten better, and I certainly don't think he's at his peak yet, in this role. He has the technical ability and the brain to be able to. He's not as good as Kovacic in an attacking sense, though. Like I've said, different tools for different jobs. the way things are balanced right now, I like it, it's a swiss army midfield.

Not a lot of pace, but he looks like he's got a bit of Pedro's game in him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm totally on board with Kovacic + Barkley against teams that want to sit back. Kante's ability to win the ball back becomes less important when we have 70% of the possession.

I think it depends on the opposition. I think that midfield isn't defensively solid enough against a team like City or Liverpool. In matches like that, it's Kovacic and Kante, for me. Right tools for the right job. Nice to have a hammer and a screwdriver in the tool box.

I keep forgetting that we even have Drinkwater.

I totally get why they are playing (I'm less convinced that any of them are useful on the wing). But, part of why they are playing right now is our schedule. Against top sides, it still has to be Kovacic and Kante, IMO. Against parked busses, I'd go with Barkley and Kovacic right now. Somewhere in the middle is the Barkley + Kante pairing. We'll see what RLC's defensive contribution is like by the end of the season, but as of now, having these 4 makes our midfield very versatile. Cesc may well be gone next summer, so we're looking at these 4 plus Jorginho to take up the 3 starting positions and 2 bench spots which is great, IMO.

Kovacic is the only one out of the 4 midfielders (Kovacic, Kante, Barkley, RLC) that can play both midfield spots (not counting our DLP). If anything, he's kind of the most important piece because he can be on the bench and sub for anyone (probably including Jorginho), or start in either of the 2 advanced midfield spots and the other 3 rotate around him.

If Hazard doesn't renew by January, we should really try to make this happen.

Chelsea's set pieces: https://statsbomb.com/2018/10/examining-chelseas-set-piece-routines/

Stacked. Bosman ruling messed that club up. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4533326/Ajax-1995-Champions-League-Bosman-dismay.html I knew that they lost some key players due to that, but by 99 they had lost everyone. Davids, Reiziger, Kluivert, Bogarde all gone for free.

He was excellent today. He's a different player playing on the LW.

I think he's going to be successful at Madrid (if this is what happens).

Don't let LVG's last season with Man Utd colour your perspective of him either.

I understand, it's more of a 343 like LVG's Ajax side or Cruyff's Barcelona team. Pep lines up with that from time to time: http://www.zonalmarking.net/2011/08/29/barcelona-5-0-villarreal-tactics/ But only really against specific formations. Pep got it from Cruyff, but there's still a playmaker at the base of the diamond: https://spielverlagerung.com/2016/03/25/retro-analysis-1992-european-cup-final-barcelona-10-sampdoria/ Same with LVG: https://spielverlagerung.com/2015/12/29/1995-cl-final-afc-ajax-ac-milan-10/

Yeah, but I think he' at his worst when tryin to decide whether he should rush out of goal. He needs some minutes though. I think that the League Cup is his with Kepa obviously taking the PL and EL.

CHO Giroud Depends on Pedro's status RLC Kovacic Fabs Emerson AC Cahill Zap Willy

Conte will be successful at Madrid, and I wish him all the best there. But, selfishly, if Conte can go to Madrid, and we keep Hazard. AND, Jardim goes to AC Milan and gets the best out of Bakayoko and they keep him, that would really be ideal.

Suarez vs Courtois penalty. Who do you cheer for? Can the penalty area blow up for some reason, and both players are left with non life threatening injuries but massive damage to their private bits?