robsblubot

because you only (want to) see his attacking contribution. I also want to see him on the pitch because he can create, but he hasn't been creating enough and he is part of the defensive problem we have - all players are. What I see is that all progress Hazard had made concerning his (sometimes lacking) defensive game seems to have gone down the drain this season. It's a matter of time until Jose starts criticizing him again for being lazy on the pitch and I'd have to agree with Jose on this one. Teams cannot have prima donnas anymore and every player needs to work hard. Hazard should be enjoying even less freedom this season because of pedro. That's IMO one of the reasons for the imbalance we see today.

I am not of of his biggest fans - remember TPTB and I concerned about how weak he has historically been (even for arsenal). Obviously Fabregas is a good player with lots of technique and vision. However, in that CM position he demands a lot of protection, which he did enjoy last season. Ironically, now with his buddy Pedro, he's enjoying a lot less protection from the attacking players - along with Oscar's injuries and Hazard's terrible form - lack of fitness IMO. In this current situation, with Pedro, I also think the formation is wrong and did not quite understand our transfer window movement or lack thereof. No I don't think Mikel should be anywhere near the starting XI - please don't mention macabbi as he also played against everton - so that leaves us with Ramires and RLC. I love RLC but was concerned about reports he ends up matches a bit tired, which could be a problem at this level so I assume he isn't quite ready for a starter position. That leaves us with a single solution (or at least a way to improve things): Ramires. Any way I look at it, not good enough. So I find it much easier to criticise Jose about the transfer window posture than what he does now. And there might be other variables we don't know about - board... owner... stadium... etc.

Fair enough, but that was not the point I made. Oscar did have a poor showing and did not step up. Though I find it funny that Hazard gets no criticism and he's been consistently one of the poorest performers this season.

agree - attacking play was as bad or worse than defending. But Remy's poor showing did not help either - he was terrible every time he got the ball. Some poor touches too whcih was actually surprising to me - I don't rate him as highly as people around here but still think he's a good player with decent technique.

Being fair... since some players are getting a lot of flack around here. Against Newcastle, Remy was a strong contender as worst player on the pitch.

Sorry but that's not a valid conclusion. You are making a direct connection between oscar and balance and that's just not right. Especially some that is related to every single playey with a possible exception of the gk. Oscar had a poor game - he tried things and they did not work. Others were as bad or worse. Oscar does improve the balance but the balance isn't right. I thought the lineup was a bit too attacking for this game tbh. Pedro is an attacker.

We finally agree on something.. I'd be fine with that too but the point being is that to get results at this time he needs the senior players to get their shit together and another coach under same pressure would do the same. It's still likely they will improve enough to get a top 4 but we are indeed wasting time with certain players who are over the hill. Too late now though as you need to fix that in the transfer window.

I agree about the attacking players being poor defensively - add that hazard and spec Pedro. Though I disagree that ivanovic has been as bad as people here say he's been. The same way you say lack of defending up front hurts Matic the defense is also affected.Hazards form is far worse and so is fabregas' Besides this is not tennis - replace ivanovic and nothing will change. Remy would still have been a zero up front for example. No wide plays etc. Pedro has been worse than Iva. The team is just off. Jose needs to address the overall team play and the terrible form of certain players-ivanovic is just the scapegoat which would change nothing esp because we don't really have better option on the roster.

Say Jose goes... Would you expect a lot of changes from the next manager? I bet a very similar line up - yes with ivanovic in the starting XI - will be employed. You heard it here first... Will bookmark this one.

Had a decent game but was at fault for first Newcastle goal. Bad protection still make defense like look exposed because they are. Nine of them look comfortable at the moment.

there were a lot of players far far worse than ivanovic - even Matic had a bad game.

When I play against shitty players - a lot worse than I - my passing is fantastic! Seriously, I can make the ball spin to you or from you... I can lob and hit any player anywhere in a 7x7 pitch... Now as soon as I've got tighter marking on me and I have no time on the ball, all that beautiful passing goes down the drain. That's why in tight marking situations, I drop deeper to have more time on the ball, but my passing becomes bureaucratic - simple. When I was younger and quicker, I could still hold my own up front. No I am not Mikel, but the tale is so very common that sometimes I think people here don't really play football, which is sad - it's a lot of fun to play. Mikel would be Walsal's star player - highest paid and #10... Mikel would do well for many clubs and many leagues - just not Chelsea and not the EPL. Because even Epl smaller sides have much better players (eg Sotons victor).

She is going to get a lot of money in court for sure - should be taken from Jose's pay. Don't know the real reasons, but that was anything but "managing."

Our best defender already by a fair margin. If we had been playing with a low block like last year, then Terry and Cahill would still top him, but that's no longer the case. As our defense line moves up the pitch, having a pacy defender like Zouma is simply mandatory. Ive always disliked Terry and Cahill partnership because they are the same player in characteristics - either one will complement Zouma's game well enough. Terry sill has better technique, but his legs make him pretty immobile to play in a high block. Perhaps he will get fitter along the way - happens with older players. However, in the future, if we want to improve our squad we need a defender with technique, who with a couple of touches can hit a long ball launching a quick counter or join up the middle with quality (can pick up a pass). That I feel is Zouma's shortcoming and you fix that via team/partner.

All this from poor refereeing - Reactive and card happy. Gabriel in my view did not deserve red and neither does Costa a ban. The incidents were minor! Will Costa get a ban for being annoying now?!

Agreed Not Young though! He even runs ... Wrong...

always does ... always does... Wenger is such a romantic.

He did not have a decent game, but a good game. And Arsenal tried to exploit that side for sure - always go for the attacking fullback side. They could not do it because he played well - defended better - and was helped by more work from the attacking players. Helped too by Oscars presence. Pedro and hazard don't do that naturally like Oscar, so we are a bit softer this season.

Perhaps the cms did not have to chase butterflies this time, since the attacking players were a bit more interested in helping out today - plus Oscar does that naturally. But yes better midfield play for sure.

It cannot have been a problem for over two years like you say.It may be something you dislike, but it is something more than one manager appreciated. You talk about characteristics as if they were flaws. He's an attacking fb who's great at set pieces - that's what he's always been as a rb . Teams no longer play with defensive fullbacks anymore. Some do the 3rd defender thing, but not both fbs. If Iva were as much a liability as ppl claim his own teammates would should have rallied around him and helped him. The fact that they did not means that they couldn't. also don't forget conceding goals is not the o my prob we have: our attack numbers are way down. I agree concerning cover btw, but that a choice (defensive fullback) not a necessity. * from phone

I understand what you wrote just fine, but it's not the same as others have written.I see the entire defense getting overwhelmed - Iva s poor form makes him a bit easier target but imo not as bad as people make it out to be. If crosses keep on coming ... If players infiltrate from center, we will lose all the same. People asked for Mikel-a case for Mikel He played and nothing changed because he's poor and got overwhelmed like the rest. When it looks as if the opposition have more players then we have a problem that goes far beyond this or that player.

easy match it seems... Just replace Iva with that random kid who hasn't really played any decent opposition and we we'll beat them... 11 play, but it's binary according to this board Bool win() { return Iva ? False : true; } Should def sell the above complex algorithm to the bookies...

He did and he was right in doing so - they are the same type of player. Obviously Mata has achieved far more, but characteristics wise they are very similar - read slow. Now, Ganso hasn't been always this slow; he had a pretty bad year with multiple injuries (knee?) which I believe costed him the little bit of pace he had originally.

Agree for the most part, except KDB and Mata being better than Oscar. Mata I am sure is not, as I think he lacks in strength and pace departments (you gotta have at least one of these). He hits very short-lived stretches of form for united and then goes missing for the rest and then has embarrassing performances like the last one in the CL where he miscontrolled the foobtall inside the small box. He only has technique and that is rarely enough, especially these days. KDB, I will go by your own assessment of the strength of the PL. So, what you said about Coutinho can be said about Oscar - esp considering Oscar plays for a better team which is actually competing for silverware. On the other hand, KDB hasn't really proven anything in the PL yet, so I will pass judgement once he does or doesn't. This inconsistency that Oscar and Coutinho show are typical of younger players developing and learning the right pace for long leagues and games. BTW, Dunga is the first manager that has looked at coutinho. In Brazil, the overall idea is that Oscar is way ahead in development. Coutinho may improve obviously, but I happen to agree with the overall opinion over there - and people do love a flamboyant player there.

Fair enough, but this is the oldest discussion in the book - the flamboyant vs the more pragmatic. Modern football gives precedence to the latter. Right now Coutinho won't get a start because of his low body strength, low work rate, and most importantly, lack of tactical discipline. Dunga is very much like Jose in his philosophy and Coutinho will have a hard time playing for him. Also, he and Thiago Silva were terrible int he last copa america - Thiago Silva hasn't been called since. Oscar is second only to Neymar in Brazil. BTW, I do watch liverpool matches and Coutinho does go missing often. I remember clearly him failing to track back our player which resulted in our goal last season - was subbed off right after that.