robsblubot

Yeah. The dictating tempo bit is often forgotten: in possession systems, it is defending. if we are going away from a possession system, I will see what the fuck will Jorginho do?

The solid England cbs rarely made mistakes in the many WCs I’ve watched. They were still beaten and goals scored against their teams. The importance of solidity is misrepresented esp these days where most teams employ a variation of total football of the past. Sorry, but I just can’t see how losing another important player during the window we can’t sign players as a positive esp considering we are in the UCL.

Not great timing tho. while he’s definitely on the finicky side, he’s also excellent on the ball which does help implement possession styles. This might indicate a real change in play style under Lampard, but even then it is a bit unnerving given Luiz importance in the last seasons. andreas would be only CB in the squad with any skill esp passing ability. Well he would still be in London, so the business with willian should remain about the same.

You are not wrong, but then I have to remind myself that both KDB AND Salah were at our club. IMO if City keeps KDB healthy, they are contenders for pretty much everything.

While preseason does not tell you what works, it does tell you what doesn’t. Eg if bakayoko can’t control the football in a preseason match...

There is no reset button regarding drive and dedication between preseason, practice sessions, and actual games. It’s the same individual. This is hardly the first time. Wasn’t it the same in the second Jose season? like I’ve written before, this will always hold him back, but now I’m wondering whether it may also shorten his career as a top player.

I'm not so sure he is (better than what we have). He's in a smaller team in a free role having the entire team play for him. He produces a lot because he gets a lot of touches, which is the team strategy. He also enjoys a lot of counter attacking with all that pace he has - reminds me of Lukaku at everton (remember pointing that out back then). His defensive game is pretty much a big zero: does not track back or tackle anyway. So, at the very least, both Willian and Pedro are better in that so important defensive side at the top level. I'm not saying he's bad player. He's got good technique, good dribbling, and finishing. But I'm also not sure at all how he'd fare against stronger opposition in Europe. One could say there is only one way to find out, but it's an expensive bet. You can accuse me of bias, and you might be right, but the other Arsenal target, Everton (Soares) looks more ready even though he's younger and cheaper. Now, just read the post below and as a striker/false 9, then it might actually work.

Don’t read too much into it. Friendlies, even against stronger opposition, are for preparation only. Tackles are very light (to nonexistent) and players have a lot more time on the ball. players who are doing ok now may struggle at the real thing. It serves well to show what does Not work tho.

agreed. Risky, but necessary. Begs to question were they asleep? I don't necessarily mean last season, but even before. If the kid is being considered for the first team, why hasn't someone approached him for a new deal? If they had, and they refused, then 1) it was done too late 2) if done early enough, just keep him away from the first team. Weird situation either way. On top of the blunder above, how much does the "ban effect" must have increased his wages?

Well that’s the result of going into a negotiation not only without any leverage, but also with a hint of desperation.

Has he signed? BBC says that, “he’s set to sign a new contract before the start of the season.” Dunno if it’s just poorly written, or bad info, but I don’t read that he has signed.

A giant who happens to drive a mini. underrated player considering how much of a fucking nightmare must be to play against him. Wouldn’t wish that to anyone ... ok that last bit was a lie.

These guys were a much stronger opponent esp for a friendly this early. Damião not long ago was starting for Brazil and rightfully so. However, echoing what has been said, it is disappointing to see DD and esp bakayoko, doubly esp together in our midfield. perhaps we think a buyer will show up if we play them, but why?!

Will Neymar play?

I did not mean he can’t do it, just he can’t do it well enough for the level we are and wages reported. Very different to be able to pull off goals consistently against stronger opposition where defenders know what they are doing and systems are more robust. Imo the difference being a good player like Douglas costa vs a top player like salah, is the quality of the cutting inside move. Salah wins games with that move, while costa does not. at this time I’m just not sure what his ceiling is, but reaching that top tier is the hardest thing there is.

Agreed. self-inflicted I’m afraid. im not really certain cho will become a top player. He is likely to be very good, but his end product is still very raw with mostly crosses once getting into position. His movement, skill, and pace are reassuring tho. he needs to add cutting inside and finishing to his repertoire. And that final step happens to be the hardest.

Jealous of that actually. as a gremio supporter (originally from POA), think he’s a cracking player. Good dribbler, pacy, and hard worker (strong mentality). But the one thing that makes him a nightmare to play against is his shooting ability. Can score from anywhere. And 40m makes it a steal.

This is great news! Well hope for a good destination, but the kid needs to play and play a lot. he needs to develop his reading of the game a lot as a cb because he’s not the most powerful guy. In midfield he will need a lot of things, so can’t go wrong going on loan. hes just not ready and a bit part could be detrimental to his development.

True and Kenedy can’t play football. however, even with adequate insurance, cho will be coming back from a serious injury and worries about his contract will be in his mind. 6mo in he can sign a deal (w any club) and then play with more confidence, but I’d not count on him unless he’s signed.

Good point. He might start, even if subconsciously, avoiding hard tackles. either way, situation is not great. Would have been much easier if this was taking place a year ago.

That’s one risky move Some employers have a policy as to not hold people who at some point wanted to leave. It’s a policy around commitment and whatnot. Glad it paid off. CHOs hard stance looks like a risky move as well. Say he would reinjury his Achilles in the first 6 months into the last year of his deal... not a good place to be.

#1 has always been BS. That was the reason the player and agent gave to the press for not wanting to sign. Strategic, nothing else. There is only one reason a promising 18yo, who's breaking into the the starting XI, would refuse signing a new deal: he's weighting his options and may choose to walk away as a free agent. It has been my point from the beginning that promising youngsters, who are not under long-term deals, should not be allowed anywhere near the first team. Getting to the first team should be the greatest motivator to signing new deals. Not being allowed in the first team should be a deterrent to rebellious behavior in the squad.

Agreed. I’m not expecting him to become lothar Matthaus any time soon, or ever, who btw would often say you can’t score or create a rebound, without shooting and on goal. Kovacic’s already a good player. Adding a little bit in the final third would just make him even better!

I heard you need to shoot to score goals, but not sure. heh if lamps can’t improve that side of his game nobody else will. my 2cp, kova often loses his balance when attempting to shoot, which might be a good place to start.

At a minimum. Once you go up a level, a striker needs more than just tap-ins esp today. thats why lukaku will have a hard time starting for a top club. regarding creating the chance, I would not read too much from it. Altidore flopped everywhere he played. He vanishes in tougher matches because he lacks skill. His participation is low too as he does not get involved often enough. There is only so much power gives you - like I said, still need to be able to play footy. He’s just not very good in tight spaces. puslic belongs in a different tier. The choice to join us was very smart imo. He has everything to develop and become a great player. He will always have a hard time in the us team, well at least until a new set of players is given a shot, and deliver.