Sideshow Luiz

Since we are effectively playing exhibition matches until the end of the season, I wouldn't be against the idea of Conte asking Guus to try a few things out to see if they work and what's missing. The City and Spurs matches are super-important still, but would like them to try and experiment in some of the others.

I like Oscar more than most in this forum. However, he can't ever be mentioned alongside Iniesta.

1. Willian 2. Own Goal (dropped off in the second half) 3. ........

I'm pleased with Conte, but Sampaoli would have had me really excited. That would have been a huge shake-up.

Wednesday was his best "warrior" performance for us.

I hope he is able to turn it around next season. Even if he isn't with us. I'd be happy to keep him, I don't think he is a flash in the pan. If we received 70+M for him, I don't think I'd complain about that either. What I don't want to do, is sell him below his market value because he's been poor this season. We all know that he has it in his locker to be one of the best.

Not even. He was on his way out as soon as Jose got here. It wasn't really 3 months of bad football, he barely got a look.

We already did that. Sold Mata in Jan 2014.

FRAUD!!!!!!

I think he's quality, but I don't see the need.

I think you could play Pjanic and Fabs together, but only in a 433 with a defensive midfielder behind them (not Nainggolan or another box to box, a real defensive midfielder). I like Pjanic. He could also take set-pieces for us. https://www.whoscored.com/News/3hg891ee9ee4ka5mkl7pja/Show/Player-Focus-Messi-Ronaldo-Cant-Compete-Among-Best-Free-Kick-Takers

I didn't include Di Maria because he went for quite a hefty fee. Forgot about Sneijder. After leaving Madrid, Sneijder had a legitimate claim to having the best year of any footballer in 2010. CL winner at Inter, then the WC Final. Just looked up the fees. Ajax -> Madrid 27M EUR. 2 years later, Madrid -> Inter 15M EUR. It was quite a busy 2009 window for Madrid, lot's of in's. The direct replacement would be Kaka though. 65M. They also bought Ronaldo, Benzema, and Alonso. Shipped off Robben that summer too (25M). That is a very busy window for the club shop.

It's great for the rest of football though. Just wait until Madrid offload someone because they bought a replacement they didn't need. Robben, Higuain, Ozil, MAKELELE That's just off the top of my head.

Madrid are the kings of that. They fall in love with the flavour of the month then ask the manager to shoe horn them in.

Doesn't excite me at all. Hope I'm wrong though. Funny, we sold our most Simeone-type player (Ramires), after never fitting in to any manager's system (besides Carlo) since we bought him.

That was my dream scenario too.

Does this mean we can have Mata back?

The Chinese window is open for another few weeks. We wouldn't be able to get a replacement, but we could still sell him. Season's a lost cause, if there were any truth to the rumour, we would have pulled the trigger.

This is why I'd like to see Potchettino as the manager. He's done a great job at both Spurs and Southampton with bringing youth through the ranks. We're absolutely going to have to rely on the academy and shrewd signings for the next few years. It's better long term as well, we're not the biggest spenders in the league anymore, and definitely not in terms of Europe. The faucet has to get turned off sometime. We need to find a way to be successful when that happens (kind of already has, it's not off, but it's not a broken hydrant like before).

That's kind of the issue. It doesn't seem to be that well run. I wouldn't trade our silverware for Arsenal's either. However, the club has obviously changed direction and are trying to fund a new stadium, just like Arsenal did. Jose did a great job getting another trophy out of these guys, but they obviously couldn't sustain the level needed. No one has their wish now. You can't compare our situation to Arsenal's while also making the connection between balancing the books/funding a new stadium and missing out on CL football. Arsenal were able to do that. While 9 years is obviously too long, I could certainly stand a few lean years if it meant that we could fund a new stadium and make the club more sustainable. In order to do that, we have to buy the right kind of players, not just another superstar a la Madrid. In order for this club to remain competitive while the money faucet is off, the purchases will have to be smarter.

This is it. This team is full of square pegs in round holes. It's about roles. New manager, new formation, new style of play, new players needed. 1-2 players get signed, then we start the cycle again. The higher ups need to figure out what they want this team to be, and stick to it, and let that influence the signing of managers and players. We seem to be doing a Madrid, but without the money.

Neat article on Atletico Madrid's defending if anyone is interested: http://statsbomb.com/2016/02/atletico-madrid-without-the-ball/

I'd love to see Sampaoli, as it would be exciting to bring in something completely different. My only concern is that I don't know what he's like in bringing through youth. With the new stadium, I think we'll have to lean on the academy. This is why I slightly favour Potchettino.

I don't think we're going to spend big in the summer. No CL football will have financial repercussions. Hope I'm wrong, of course.

Pelligrini doesn't interest me as I think he's under performed at City. With that squad he should be walking the league. Besides the starting XI, the squad is ridiculously deep. This is the same reason that it's another "kit man" job for Pep.