BlueLyon

Very nice first half

How was this not a pen? Arnautovic went full body check without any intention to get the ball.

Instead of playing his ideal creative DM, he opted to stick with Fernandinho due to his tenacity, work rate, defensive ability etc. Basicaly in another reality, he could play Kante in that position. Meanwhile Sarri wanted at all cost Jorginho type DM and stated Kante cant play there due to technical limitations. Thats the difference. In PL you need strong, dynamic DM. Pep realised that and adjusted to it. Sarri didnt and now we play with Jorginho who gets overrun on number of times. Fernandinho is getting old thats why he is going to be replaced soon. But if he was younger, he would be Pep's key player for quite a while.

I agree with this. Maybe Sarri can figure it out. However we wont give him as much funds to build his team and Sarri definately has way bigger issues than just figuring demands of PL. Rotation, subs, playing youth are also something he has to figure out. Id compare us with Klopp pool that looked awful at the start, but had glimpses, just like us. The difference again is that Pool absolutely nailed number of perfect transfers. Salah, Dijk, Robertson,...and integration of TAA. Meanwhile we are about to lose Hazard and board making average deals for years now. Its going to be hard either way.

Pep wanted to bring creative DM and it was said Fernandinho wont have key role in his team due to his style. He always wanted to bring someone technical that can pass long balls and control play. He was rumoured with bunch of players from Jorginho, Rodri, Neves etc. But due to circumstances he was sort of forced to change his idea of DM because Fernandinho work rate was irreplacable (evident in many games city played without him), Pep realised how important he is for his team and because Pep ideal DM target move didnt materialize (Jorginho). Pep always wanted technical, intelligent DM ala Busquets in his system. Fernandinho, while very allround and better than expected was always rumoured to be replaced. But Pep was partly forced to play him because he didnt have anyone else available for that role and in the mean time he realized that such player is simply crucial in PL. He adjusted his system with PL demands and he created a machine. As for fullbacks, I completely agree and even we need to do the same. We need faster, more dynamic set to create width and participate in build up. However when it comes to midfield options, Sarri had more options to make us more suited to PL, yet he wanted exactly the same thing as he did in napoli. As if Jorginho was the only player with required skill set. He wasnt. Pep didnt bring anyone from barca in bayern, nor did he bring anyone from bayern to city. He build new team with players that suit his style, but also PL.

Yeah but current state of this club, we will do the post RVP Arsenal rather than post Suarez Pool. Everything is pointing in that direction. I know we will move on from Hazard, eventualy it will be done, but honestly I think right now we dont have any sort of quality to build a post Hazard team. There is bigger chance we will be midtable team for couple years than top3 team, nevermind winning the title. We are increasingly showing less and less ambition, throwing less money, having lesser quality squad every year and our board doesnt have skill or capacity to build a young fresh team. People say we will replace Costa, but we never did. Hazard money will be invested in Pulisic and some sort of deal for Kovacic as soon we can buy again. Thats not going to get us anywhere near top and will never replace what Hazard offered to this team. It will have same effect like replacing Costa with Morata. Id have no problem selling Hazard if we went after the likes of Jovic, Pepe,...but the club will settle for way more inferior players, I dont buy that crap we will be better team after Hazard leaves.

Yeah but even Guardiola adapted his style to fit the PL with Fernandinho for example who is more of destroyer than creator, something Guardiola always demanded from his DM. Because thats what you have to have in PL. We play with Jorginho and our DM/CBs look like joke when we are countered. My point was that Sarri develops a team that will fit his style but also PL. Jorginho for example simply isnt suited best for that DM role because you have to be physical. We should have went for someone ala Rodri who is also good in defence and good distributor. But Sarri wanted to do the exact same thing with Jorginho in PL that he did in Serie A. He didnt consider the fact this is way more phyisical and faster league. Pep honestly dodged a bullet here.

Sarris biggest mistake was trying to change players to fit his Sarriball instead of adapting his Sarriball to fit the players at his disposal.

Arsenal drops points, Chelsea drops points. You know the drill... Better not fuck up this one for once.

This guy looked like the midfield version of Hazard in dribbling and ball control back at Inter or Real, but he looks worse than Oscar here. Side pass merchant and doesnt even try to take on players. Dont know if he is instructed by coach or cant do it in PL, but he turned to be a massive dissapointment for me.

And he is much better defender compared to most CBs we have, so when we are being countered, we wouldnt look like a fucking joke every single time.

As long as we play Sarriball I think he wont suit us. He is made for counter football with his speed and finishing. But he is very average in link up and hold up which are crucial in Sarriball.

Yall realy think about Pool too much. Surely they are rivals and even I want them to lose as many games, but the only thing I care is that we qualify for the CL next year. Spuds losing to Pool gave us much bigger chance to overlap them in top 4 finish, yet many here were dissapointed to see pool win over spuds. You want Pool to lose the title or Chelsea to end in top 4? Only thing connected with Pool I wish for is that we rape them in upcoming match and gain 3points. If it dents their title chances on the way, even sweeter.

Yeah I should word myself better. He has big status at the club and for the fans, but I dont see him being viewed by our current team as legend/idol like Terry or Lamps or Didi would be. He played in completely different football era. Pele is massive legend for example too, but Zidane and similar players hold much bigger status for current generation to learn from.

In all the time I have been watching chelsea, I havent seen a manager so distanced from the players. Sarri is here to do his job and manage the team and there is where it ends for him. He doesnt have fans connection, nor player management. Jose for example surely spoken in portuguese ocassionaly, but he was very connected to most players at the club on personal level. Maybe I said it wrong by pointing out Sarri and Zola language alone, because obviously they talk english to the players when instructing them. But my point should be that their language is definately one of many reasons why they are not as connected to the team. They dont have quality player management and they dont share same culture, its hard to connect with the squad then other than being a part of the job. But in the end, that wont make you a champion. Conte created great spirit (at least for a while), so did Jose or Zidane, Pep, Klopp. Obviously they dont speak in one language all the time, but they have other qualities to connect with players. Sarri and Zola looked cut from the rest of the team on many occassions. For that reason, someone in the middle like Terry would be better suited to connect the team and managing staff, since Sarri definately isnt player manager type. That was my main point, I just worded it wrong. And as for Zola, I agree he was a massive player (I remember him play very briefly, but I have seen many highlights of his games), he is a big legend. I didnt mean he doesnt have a status here. Obviously he is beloved by fans and the club. But what I think is that he doesnt have that power to inspire, motivate or lead the players like Terry, Lamps or Drogba could. Despite he isnt that old, I just dont see him as someone that this new generation of players would appreciate as much as someone like Terry or Zidane at Real. Surely Zola has big status at the club, but I dont see the players giving him that same respect tbh. They know he was good player, but I dont think they would take him as serious inspiration. Times nowdays have changed big time compared to Zola prime. Thats obviously just my opinion, but so far from what we have seen on the pitch, its clear Sarri and Zola are doing bad job in motivating the players, player management, consistency and many other things. The players dont look comfortable. From the starters to the bench. I dont think that Im that wrong with my observation, althrough I wish I was. That said I already mentioned Zola commenting on Odoi and thats the one thing I was realy dissapointed. Zola being club legend and apparently the one to connect with fans went on to talk about CHO but it turned out to be a bunch of shite just to back Sarri. From a club legend you would expect some honesty or club-benefiting thinking, because CHO being massive prospect, you would expect Zola to comment on him in order to "make" Sarri play him more, but it turned out he was just trying to back Sarri comments, while knowing the kid wont play much. Both are full of shit mate.

IMO Terry would have much bigger presence compared to Zola. He just doesnt strike me as someone that can make entire team listen to what he says and then transform that on the pitch. Even at half-times for example. I can imagine Terry shouting to the team, firing them up and considering his status in PL, everyone would appreciate his talks. Zola not so much on the other hand, he doesnt have that motivational power. For example, he looked completely hopeless in that Kepa situation in final. I almost felt sorry for the lad trying to be relevant in that situation and shout at Kepa, but to no good. Also, his comments about CHO were realy bad for his reputation, because now I (and many others) dont believe anything he says. He is just Sarri yes man. Zola was magnificent player for us, but he simply doesnt have that massive status at the club. Terry here is like Zidane at Real, when these legends who won it all talk, everyone listens and tries to be like them. Regarding language, they obviously know English, but they certainly talk in italian about stuff that is more complex because they can easier discuss about it in italian.

We probably cant loan them to a new club, but we can loan them back to their current club since they are already registered there. There could be also pre-agreement/pre-contract done. So definately options to "buy" players exist. And on practical level, I think there is a bunch of players who would be ready to spend another season at their current club to develop more and at same time have a guaranteed move to a bigger one next summer. The competition will be huge, but there are quite a few quality players that will be moving soon.

One dimensional player and his wife agent trouble aint worth it. Great poacher but thats about it. Real is probably looking for a more versatile and dynamic striker.

As much I like Zola, I think we made mistake by appointing him as Sarri assistant. Neither has strong experience with english system. And both being italians, I dont think they can connect with the team. They probably talk italian about certain stuff which definatelyputs non italian speakers in odd situation. IMO it should be Morris in similar role to Holland with Conte. Integration of youth would be also better IMO. But it is what it is. I wish Terry joins the group soon because his presence, passion and knowledge about club is much required. He can also talk to players and share his experiences at club.

Thats why he needs to play. Give him the same amount of playtime that Willian or Pedro get and he will be twice the player. People forget he is 18, english and our own academy and that could not only give us a winger for next 10+ years, but a player that will actualy fight for us like Lamps or Terry did unlike Pedro or Willian who had many games when they didnt give a flying fuck about this club. Money doesnt give you trophies. Just look at psg. But passion and desire to defend the crest you are wearing are. And we dont have many players right now that could be described like that. The club has ideal chance to make a generation of blue blood with CHO, RLC, Christensen, James, Ampadu,...maybe others forming core of the team. But I dont think anyone at the club sees long term sadly.

There is bigger chance Messi will be starting that game.

Emerson and RLC play and we win comfortably and play cool. But wait next game Sarri throws Barkley and Alonso back in and we will play like crap.

I like lineup alot. Hopefuly Emerson, Odoi and RLC deliver.

We can sign players but we cant register them. At least that was case with Costa and Atletico or Arda and Barca. Technically we could sign Jovic or whoever and keep him in training for entire season but he wouldnt be able to play matches.

I think its actualy very possible we sign someone this summer and loan them back for the season.