Strike

Yes, I agree. Time to be bullish and not consider how Chilwell feels when he's back fit. When Chilwell comes back eventually, he has to earn his place.

Lamptey was good again vs Chelsea. That Marc Cucurella fella looks really composed on the ball. Brighton really have a team full of players comfortable on the ball except the CBs

Way too early.

There is a big difference. We are looking to bridge that gap to the top 2. We wont get there overnight.

Didnt even get 30 mins without Alonso

Lamptey could even play as a winger

I'd be good with a comfortable 2nd/3rd finish. We look competitive over knockout games so another European run looks possible. But we need to make more progress about addressing our issues in attack in the league.

I think experimenting with Maatsen was okay if he was backup to Chilwell. We need a serious upgrade on Alonso to become first choice now. No choice but to go into the market.

City often commits 6-7 players forward - they leave behind only the two CBs and the DM - which is risky because the press could be broken but we need to start taking the risk especially in the league. Even Liverpool play a similar overcommitting approach The caveat here is we don't have the quality, unpredictability of Liverpool or City in attack. But if we were to try something it would be to add a creative player sacrificing one of the CBs.

Hope Digne is not the start and end of the list of available options. Theo, Lucas Hernandez, or young players who could improve - Maehle, Angelino should be approached. Alonso needs replacing when Chilwell is fit anyway. This is a good chance to bring in a second quality LB/LWB

Why is Dest a serious LB option? Didn't know he played this position

Matt Law is saying the sign on fee is making the package for Rudi closer to 300-400k pw We're not matching the wages RM is offering either

Heard RM wages are better but not crazy wages. Sign on fee is the difference

There are 3 goals from the sitting midfielders this season and its a pattern from last season too. They are primarily defensive players than creative players. We dont have the attacking quality of our title rivals but I feel that we dominate possession, territory like a top team now and can add another creative player to help the attack. Our overall xG, shots, shots on goal is closer to Arsenal than it is to City, Liverpool. I find that cautious because we dominate possession, territory much more than Arsenal do. Burnley and Everton were games we were on top and should have won though. You're right that chance conversion was the bigger issue in those games.

The back 3 + 2 DMs + 2 wing backs feels too cautious for games like Burnley or Everton at home and yees - the players suited to a back 4 question is a worry - Alonso, Christensen, T Silva too don't seem like good fits. But Tuchel did have a summer to address this.

Nope. Chalobah has comfortably outplayed Chris at RCB this season. Chris is better suited to the central role.

Even though we won, I find it really weird that in 60 games, Tuchel has more or less stuck to this one 3-4-3 system he devised on the plane to London when he was taking the job. We won the Champions League with it, but it is clear a different tactic is needed in league games. He seems hesitant to try 4 at the back or an attacking approach in league matches against parked buses. Setpieces, penalties, wingbacks and crossing in hope is not going to win us enough games over a season.

God I've missed Kovacic.

Or was this the double jeopardy rule changed?

Red card surely

So many chances. No finish

Aimless long balls. What's happened the last few minutes? Possession less than 25%

Jorgi is ice cool again on pens

Performance hasn't been too bad tbh. Better than recent weeks. But don't know how we can get the goals to turn this. The attacking play is very predictable