robsblubot

About time

Fantastic news! Finally! Wages are CHO and Chelsea’s problem - couldn’t care less. Hope the club learned something from this tho.

I mostly agree with that, except that, teams with too many youngsters never win anything, including the Ajax you just mentioned. The Ajax that did win things had lots of experienced player (deBoers, overnars, etc). Exceptions are exceptions, nothing more. the interesting thing is that you are the one saying that certain players are past it. My answer to that is that even if you are right, that some players are past it, their alternatives are not there yet and may never be. So you are really exchange a “past it” with “not good enough yet”. and by “not good enough yet” I mean players who aren’t consistent, who don’t know how to defend set pieces and struggle against different styles in different competitions, and get bullied once in a while by stronger more experienced players. well, because they are learning. haha I guess all I’m really saying is that we need balance.

Agree and disagree with that. They are players of completely different characteristics - reckon Rashford is the more sought after for being skillful, therefore, the more valuable of the two - even if Tammy becomes a consistent goal scorer. In an off-day, Rashford will always be more likely to contribute even if not scoring. (will be good for England to have both tho) And I'm writing this after Tammy struggled against valencia. It's OK and it will happen again (many times).

It’s actually a good time to play them. Yes, they are the better side, with better players in most positions, but it’s still early season and they are not yet very competitive.

I’m sure that’s going to be the “excuse” when hazard ends up producing about the same (good performances) as he did here. I suspect Madrid bought eden expecting him to be the type of player to make it the right time, and not the other way around.

wow! What a simplistic view of the game. Sounds like faith-based as you have to pretty much ignore the realities all around you - including the opposition. Starting to think we should field the u21 instead! They will definitely dominate in CL... Pulisic? Sure he's going to be a good player some day, he hasn't done shit yet. Today I was watching men influence tough CL matches. No place for fucking teenagers. Our best player, by far, is 28yo Kante. Not Tammy, who struggled today, nor Mount. Much less Pulisic or CHO. Regarding your comment about defending, I've got a simple one for you: how many of our players were "defending" when Valencia scored from the set piece? I hope you don't think it's only the defenders, who according to you are shit.

Lol Yeah perhaps you may prefer, like I do, a taller more dominant in the box goalie. on the other hand, I do agree that kepa is not playing particularly well and some of the shots that went in were stoppable.

Valencia has a very different style of play (and tempo) than what our young folks are used to in the PL. That’s why frank may have opted for the more experienced players. Tho pulisic has played quite a few CL matches afaik. this will happen and they will struggle and learn from these experiences. Pretty crazy that some folks don’t get that Pedro and willian are more used to these different styles and conditions than a young player who only played championship until this season. Alonso free-kicks and willian runs were pretty much the best we had. Alonso was also good defensively and passing. Wingback really seems to help his game. Folks don’t value set pieces around here for some strange reason, but our opponents don’t care. Tammy lost his player and that player scored. It happens and they are learning, but that’s how it’s going to be with young players.

Thought of pedro there. Would have given us a bit more attacking ambition from the start.

Don’t expect willian to become, now at 31, the player he never was. he’s always been a headless chicken. Can expect good runs, good work rate, and the occasional shot when he’s on his day (in a blue moon), but that’s pretty much it. he was hardly the worst attacker today against Valencia however frustrating his decisions may be.

Set pieces is the entire teams responsibility. When the opposition puts 8-9 players in our box to attack set prices all our players are defending. that has been my point all along. In that set piece Tammy was defending and did not do that very well. He had a poor game and that’s ok and will happen again. it is hard to defend set pieces with any players esp younger inexperienced ones. The players also need to learn when it is important to hold the ball and pass it around versus trying to beat their marker, esp in CL.

He’s a good player who is a poor pk taker. It happens... should refrain from taking them. Problem solved.

Had a good game against Valencia. Put in many good crosses, esp first half, but our attackers were not very sharp today, including Tammy who had a poor game. Caveat, not crazy about azpi as a wingback either. When playing 3 at the back, he should be one of the 3.

Yeah except a moment a ago a bit distracted and leaving attacker onside for Alonso clearance.

Basics? He’s consistently dribbling past 2-3 players... his finishing is not there, but that never stopped folks from loving hazard all the same. Seriously, I don’t expect willian to become the player he never was at 31, but he is doing more than his peers in this game.

Ross instead of Pedro for mount and Pedro wingback instead of azpi, who should be playing cb instead of zouma. the team is a bit too defensive atm considering the quality of the opposition. willian had a good game so far - don’t understand the hate today. tomori looks 10x than zouma yet again.

Thanks. Yeah was discussing that with a colleague, who’s an arsenal fan. He said about 2 shots every 2 minutes. sometimes I think managers have the easiest job on earth. Was emeri asleep during the second half? Haha

Perhaps, but dont think we are solid enough to start switching formations. It demands a lot of time and prep.

Yeah I saw that as well, the bullying part mentioned by Xhaka, who’s a pretty average player in a very average midfield. Xhaka is a bit heavier than the others, and more physical, but too many lightweights in that side. the one thing that struck me is that the players did not seem to be running much. Are they playing for the manager? Manager looks clueless to be sure... does not read the game and does not adjust. Despite all that and Sokratis mistake, which was prob the worst I’ve seen a defender make, folks are talking about Luiz’ silly pk. Poor Luiz will have a very long season with the British media on him. We all know how well he does when exposed. And very exposed he will be.

Did not know he had injured his signing hand as well.

A guy who can shoot from afar does not need to penetrate the opposition defense in a low block, because he can shoot before the opposition defense can apply pressure. Same with key passes and assists from afar. Courinho made a career just doing exactly that (and not much else). sorry I completely disagree. For me hazard thrives in counter attacking situations with lots of spaces for his runs and dribbling. Seen way too many times low block making him pretty ineffective. KDB is the far more complete and versatile player in my book.

I disagree. It’s the characteristics. Kdb is far superior at passing and shooting, while hazard relies exclusively on dribbling. If you move the defense line deeper, that helps blocking Hazard with defenders in proximity, but does little against a player like Kdb. Hazard is poor at long-range shooting and pretty mediocre passer for his overall quality. His passing distinctly lacks range. like I said, at least to my eyes, kdb is usually the key player when Belgium wins against any tough opponent. but then again, I’m not a hazard fan. He’s overrated for me.

Well, my unpopular opinion around Here has always been that he’s Belgium’s best player, not hazard. hazard is more easily contained, still not easy obviously, but teams can give him the side and contain his influence. Kevin plays in the centre and has a huge passing rage, which means that he can be dangerous even still far away from opposition goal, which means away from the contested areas. and then if he does get close to the opposition goal, he can still both assist and score from afar. That’s a lot to worry about when playing against him. Therefore a team who wants anything from playing Belgium needs to stop Kevin, imo.

Just luiz being luiz. That’s not the story tho...Watford had 24 shots in the second half... got bullied for sure. Watching it now. then again, it’s just arsenal being arsenal.