robsblubot

have to confess I absolute hate interim managements! I believe in continuity in football and in that sense, interim is just a waste of time.

Blasphemy! Players not giving 100% for a particular manager?!? It has never happened before... Only that it happens all the time! No, they don't have to punch the manager; nor do they have to publicly complain about the manager. They just don't give 100% in training and in games, or even more subtly, give 100% in games, but not in training. The supporters will see that the effort is there, but won't know why it isn't enough. They do it in subtle ways. Sometimes even subconsciously as they tire of the manager's rhetoric.

Players don't need a spine not to play or not to give 100%. Even more subtle: they may give 100% in matches but not in practice or during the breaks, so when it's time to actually give their 100%, they just can't. I think people are mixing things up a bit. Players may have their own agenda and backstab without need to have a strong character. BTW, Simeone would be Jose 2.0: same style just younger and more energy. Perhaps the right manager for this squad, but hardly the best long-term as we will be playing with a low block for the foreseeable future.

I think we have pages and pages explaining clearly why many of us think he's not very useful. Besides, your question applies to every player who gets criticized routinely - should we move over to Oscar's thread now? As a side note, even though you may not agree with the conclusions, there are interesting stats there: http://footballlive.ng/footballnews/9ja-news/wake-up-somebody-tell-mikel-obi-to-pick-his-boots-and-walk/ * Notice that the comparisons are about defending! My take from the stats: 1) people who don't like Matic much should really hate Mikel, because either Matic is amazing or Mikel is terrible. I think Matic IS a great player and Mikel is only decent/mediocre. 2) He's on decline at chelsea. You can go to squawka and play with the stats. hint: don't pick this season.

completely different type of fullbacks though - it's like saying you prefer oranges to apples. Alves is clueless in defense (yes Iva is better) and doesn't know what set pieces are. BTW, Alves is consistently awful for Brazil.

Mostly agree, but unfortunately I think we do have an identity - it's just not a very nice once nor is it compatible with the satature of the club. There was a funny bit on twitter, prob already posted here - goes something like this: Mourinho's seasons: Step 1: buy the bus Step 2: park the bus Step 3: throw the players under the bus I think #3 is actually the other way around, but players do tend to stop doing what Jose asks of them. Is it because he asks too much? Is it style? Work rate? The pattern is there.

Who?! Emenalo?! Our transfer policy is bad and had been bad before Jose. Wrong emphasis and it honestly feels we help certain agents to unload their players.

heh fair enough. Say for a club which has CL ambitions... which sadly and as implied above isn't chelsea. If I do go into my Mikel logic Remy also does not make sense. The fact people around here think he deserves to play (a lot do actually) is irrelevant. The fact that he does not play implies the manager and coaching staff think he's not good enough. in which case, why is he in the roster?

fair enough, but not really rocket science is it? How much did we pay for costa? $25m? $30? For a top striker?! Not a chance! Good luck getting Kane for anything less than 3 times as much - and he's hardly a top striker atm. Most times, market valuation does matter as it is indeed a competitive market with many scouts and agents crunching numbers. Now concerning technique, Kane is leagues ahead of Lukaku. Lukaku is obviously pacier and more powerful, so it's a matter of the type of player you want. I can certainly see technical sides like Bayern and Barca preferring a player like Kane though. Was never a fan of Costa, but I think he's currently unfit as are a number of the players - yes still not at their 100% fitness. That's how bad they were at the beginning of the season. I've said it before, but a number of them were carrying a few extra pounds and that's difficult to fix short term. I don't think they don't want to play for him - they just can't atm. The players, including Costa, are not as poor as they appear to be.

there have been better times to have a brazilian core... like any other time.

People were right in saying that he is probably our best striker right now. And yet, I still don't think he's good enough - actually not nearly good enough for us.

As a manager he holds responsibility in building this inadequate squad. The options or lack thereof is also his fault. I agree that he's not the sole responsible, but he's the manager.

Yes, he did create some changes, but he also botched several plays by putting a low cross or by mis-controlling the football and losing possession. He was interested and did a good job on the running part, but the end product just wasn't there for me. Then again many players played too simple and did not assert themselves as the superior players - which brings to question their much superior wages.

William was fucking awful in my book and the team in general was beyond bad, esp in the first half. Player hitting row z when they should be taking control of the football and asserting themselves as the more technical... well at least the most expensive players. Azpi played too simple game at times. Remy is a good/decent player and is in better form than Diego atm, but we need a better player to challenge Diego. Remy is just not good enough to challenge the first striker (whoever that may be).

you lost me at 'pass' it - we clearly can't do it @Spike when you value strength over technique, or defense over technique when you build your roster, yup it is on the manager.

I think he had glimpses of a top player, like when he destroyed Real in spain, but was mostly potential. That ship has sailed though.

He seems to be injury free and has been for a while, but they have taken their toll: he is no longer the player he once was. Not convinced he belongs at the top anymore.

typical of older players when their legs start to go: takes longer and longer to get to their norm.... until they no longer can.

Definitely tall enough...

Did not say he isn't a good player on his own right, only that I am not entirely sure he is a 21-goal a season striker just yet - because of the many circumstances that led him to achieve that in one season and not in others.Besides, it's not just Suarez, but the fact they played with two strikers in that season, which is rare these days. Again my point isn't that he cannot lead the line for a top club, but rather that I don't share the certainty that others here do. Esp considering his many injuries.

nah even his movement is completely different than mikel's. Mikel stays back even when he is free to move forward. His passing range is different too and he does make runs forward - something mikel never does. I remember a few runs in last game myself. The fact we played without a striker made things worse IMO - multiple players roaming about the same areas. Hazard did exactly the same thing (holding to the ball when he should pass it). Perhaps the players are trying to hard and should been playing the simpler game.

who knows!? maybe because that happened to be the season where he scored 21 goals and he hasn't been able to repeat it. And I wouldn't call it an argument, but rather a consideration. However, I do understand that ignoring pertinent variables to make one's point is routine around here. So, if I acknowledge the fact he scored 21 goals that season, which keeps cropping up here, I feel entitled to mention the circumstances under which that took place.

good point, but I look at the squad and suspect the lack of strength in depth isn't entirely on Jose. I think there a few coaches and scouts there who have certain old-school preferences which also define the way we play. It hasn't really begun with Jose... For example, I don't think a manager can drastically change the way we play - not without drastic changes in the squad. BTW, I am extremely disappointed by his starting lineup against Bournemouth. Is it really surprising we lacked finishing when we start no striker against a bottom 3 side @ the bridge?! If he is unhappy with Costa's performance and/or attitude, then start Remy. If Remy isn't good enough to start against a very poor side then he should not be on the roster! I simply do not understand the reason we have certain senior players on the squad considering that they are seldom used.

he was pretty bad today (Bournemouth)... no excuses for not passing the ball to someone open and then losing possession over and over again. At some point he should be smart enough to mix things up a bit. We can blame the lack of options and strategy on the manager, but some individual performances have been simply unacceptable.