Sideshow Luiz

His Liverpool stats were outliers for his career. Way up on his AM days. Tailed off at Liverpool before we bought him.

I'd go for this as well. We've switched to 352 to shore up matches in the past few weeks. Need to bring another player in to midfield to make up for Kante's absence.

should have been "or"

Time to step up, Bats. This is where Remy would have been injured.

I didn't know alonso had a FK like that in his locker. A ton of swerve on that

Need to kill this

Should have been booked when he lost the ball and grabbed the Palace player to break up the counter. Lucky boy.

We'll keep Dave and Costa though!!!!!

I certainly don't think he's been particularly good. But, between the 2, I'd say that Willian has been MORE poor.

Yeah. At least Matic is winning the ball and getting himself in positions to receive a pass and keep possession. I have to scan the pitch to look for Willian to make sure he's still out there,

I'd think Fabs for Willian. Go 352. Get Fabs a little protection in the middle and hopefully give him some time on the ball to find the pass.

That was an odd booking. Kante really should have been booked for breaking up a counter. He got a warning. Palace booked (righty) for blocking off Hazard from getting the ball on a 1-2. Costa should have gotten a warning, Kante booked.

No $h!t they're going to want more than £30M. That article can't be serious, there's no way we'd low ball that badly. I know that's what we've been doing lately, but 30 is taking the piss.

Just fantastic build up play, always moving and making himself available. He will need to learn to withstand the physical abuse he'll get in England, but this is a dream signing for me. Griezmann, Dybala, Verratti. In any order.

I didn't say it makes sense, I just think that's what he's done. I do believe that he thinks Karius will come good. But, a week off may have been good for his head.

It means that he agrees, but has to publicly back his player. He'll ba asked about it, and probably give some "He's faced a lot of criticism lately, I just wanted to give him a match off to get his head right" type thing. Utd. did this with De Gea too, when he first got there.

We all do. £60M is stupid money. For once we can be on the right side of that deal. Of course, whoever we buy next will be inflated. (See Pogba--> Higuain)

I fully admit: I questioned his mentality and desire to play for the club last season. I was of the group of people that wouldn't have been bothered if he had left. I'm very happy to be eating my words now.

We can't take anyone lightly. Tough match, especially since we don't have a lot of rotation options. I'd love to be 6 points up, obviously, but I'm certainly not counting any chickens.

I generally don't like the "He's got to go..." etc. stuff that happens in modern football (ie. loyalty is a one way street). But, for that kind of money...Christ, I don't even know what to say. Wrap him up in cotton, make sure nothing happens to him. This deal going through would be amazing. 2 x Kante for 1 Oscar? Okay. AVB was a big Mikel fan too...

I was so happy to get him back. I love having a character like him in the squad. By the time the window was closing, Conte had started to make this team really likeable, and not just in a blue-tinted glasses kind of way. So, to add Luiz was just more icing on the cake. Impossible to not like him. And, if we were going to have some fun this year, Luiz will make the party even better. #geezer

I don't really think that Pep got "found out". His game plan was sound, IMO. City overloaded the (their) right side of the pitch in order to get De Bruyne just inside the flank (right half space, I suppose). Navas out wide and Silva just inside to occupy Alonso and Cahill respectively. So De Bruyne would effectively be able to whip in crosses because there would be some marking issues and he would have time on the ball. This stopped when Hazard dropped deeper to fill the space. In the 343, this is a soft spot, the half spaces. Not wide enough for the WB to mark, but far enough to make the CM late or unsure to get over. Unfortunately, for City, in order for them to do this, they left themselves exposed at the back. City didn't really play a 343 either, it was more like a 3241. The 2 in front of the defence to pick up Hazard and Pedro coming inside. I think it was a sound plan, and on another day, they could have won. However, I also laugh at the "lucky" comments (not necessarily on this forum). Sure, KDB misses and it's a turning point. But, they don't get those chances without committing forward like they did, and thus, leave themselves completely exposed at the back. Their game plan was to either score or get scored on. Didn't score got punished. Those were the only two scenarios that could happen. That's how I read it all, at least. On another note, when Matic was reported as being out, I thought for sure that Conte would go with a 352. Cesc and Chalobah in for Matic and Pedro.

I think some of this is a bit unfair. Yes, he wasn't excellent, but I don't necessarily think he was "targeted" per se. City overloaded the (their) right side of the pitch in order to get De Bruyne just inside the flank (right half space, I suppose). Navas out wide and Silva just inside to occupy Alonso and Cahill respectively. So De Bruyne would effectively be able to whip in crosses because there would be some marking issues and he would have time on the ball. This stopped when Hazard dropped deeper to fill the space. In the 343, this is a soft spot. Unfortunately, for City, in order for them to do this, they left themselves exposed at the back. This is the same reason that I laugh at the "lucky" comments (not necessarily on this forum). Sure, KDB misses and it's a turning point. But, they don't get those chances without committing forward like they did, and thus, leave themselves completely exposed at the back. Didn't score got punished. Those were the only two scenarios that could happen.

4 matches is stupid. That's the normal punishment for a 2nd red card offence. He knows he's going to lose the ball, sees Luiz coming and only has eyes for Luiz's legs. Deliberate and pre-meditated.

Don't forget that he forced the Bayern doctor out a la Jose. http://www.espnfc.us/bayern-munich/story/2403679/bayern-munich-team-doctor-quits-after-getting-blame-for-porto-loss He's a good manager, no doubt. But he's also a massive calculating prick.