robsblubot

The point is always the same: *I* remember... where *I* live... 🤷‍♂️ Disregard science for a second here and ask, who does benefit from the idea that Climate Change isn't a problem? Who does benefit from the idea that it is. The former includes (all) the oil industry. We've been through that in a discussion recently:

When players sound like politicians: asked one thing and answer with something else.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13209713/ballon-dor-englands-harry-kane-jude-bellingham-phil-foden-bukayo-saka-declan-rice-and-cole-palmer-nominated Definitely not his year, but still pretty cool and well deserved!

I'd say nothing short of Rodri: a player who distribute and control tempo. I like Bruno, but he's not that player; he's a competent b2b, but he's not skillful enough to control tempo.

Podcast in Portuguese by Brazilian journalists about Chelsea (since Abramovich times) as well as the new wall street-like approach (which is what they call it). What's interesting is how much they talk about the stuff we've discussed here: 1. if players become stars would they have to leave to get top wages? 2. what if players lose the ambition due to the long contracts 3. motivate players with large squads (that group thing already addressed by Maresca to a degree) 4. young squad and missing experienced players--that some of the players who won the CL are still young and could still be at the club The one thing they touch and that I don't think we've addressed is the differences in competitiveness between American sports and international football. If you ever watch both sports live (I have multiple times), it's really difficult to compare. I'd describe American sports on the stands as a party, while international football has a much more serious tone. I've been told college American Football would be closer to Int Football, but even if you have more passion on display (than NFL), it's still a party IMO. Baseball takes it to a different level as it feels more like a family and friends reunion on the stands. So, they question how the points listed above would affect, or not, our ability to build a strong and resilient team capable of facing highly competitive opposition, which is what we find in the PL. I am really curious about that myself.

Don't think we can play with a DMF *and* Caicedo (ball-winning mid). That'd be too defensive unless the DMF is also a maestro. Aren't we covered there esp when Lavia eventually becomes available?

Was never a fan of the player--good physical player with incredible acceleration and power--but not really my cup of tea. Still, something seems off with him, and/or his agent. Maybe I don't know the whole story, but did he not sign a new deal not that long ago (in 23)?

This is just another nail in the coffin of the decaying US justice system. Alex Jones, my vocabulary (in any language) fails me here, is another obvious case of how some people are simply untouchable these days. It just seems easier than it used to be to avoid real consequences, so we will be seeing more of that unfortunately. I don't expect anything to go through against Trump; he has incriminated himself so many times... out of the so many lies he tells, as well as his crazy hyperbolic nonsense, the one thing he was right about was, "I Could ... Shoot Somebody, And I Wouldn't Lose Any Voters" except that he wouldn't go to prison either.

Don’t think you are too far off from what we have seen so far. It was definitely an expensive signing considering where from. I just hope it’s the shock of facing much better, as well as more physical, opposition and he will have to up his game. Well, if he can’t do it, hardly the first expensive flop we had. regarding Carney… so let know what to think right now.

I’m counting on that actually… I mean Neto not Felix. Think Neto can do Mount’s role (pulled back winger) in his own way of course, but the key part is to solidify the midfield. I saw carney do that too when deployed on the left (think it was when injured his knee), but I have no idea about his fitness these days; feels like the club has lost faith in him atm. of course Maresca may have other ideas like projecting the defense line forward, but we are not sure we have the quality in the cbs for that. Maybe even Maresca does not yet know how to get this team clicking just yet. We will find out soon.

yup noticed that and it was reassuring; just hope he keeps fit and he should improve... along with the team mechanics. It's been too long for him to play regularly like this, so it should take some time.

yeah good point, something which Pep is particularly a master of. Worse than changing managers often is to also change the philosophy, so the signed players under the previous manager aren't a good fit under the new one.

Subbing Neto was definitely a mistake in my book, not only for the quality part but also tactically. This is what I alluded to in my heat map suggestion above: Neto will have to learn how to do what Mount used to do for us, which is to drop back and join the linkup with the CMs (he did that very well in the CL run). I think Neto has both the quality as well as the work rate for that, while Mudryk does not. I'm unsure where Madueke can do that work; he plays so direct that he's either hot or cold, but he does not help the middle of the park a whole lot. Noni was actually both hot and cold during the match. The CBs (entire D line) will also have to step up to make the lines more compact, which will also help the middle of the park. Poch simply played a low block, which fits his style, but it's going to be a lot different with Maresca. I sadly remember Arteta's first year at Arsenal -- hope it's not the same. Heh Palmer is a star and everybody knows it; he will have to deal with that and the manager try to find ways for him to get the ball in good positions. I'm amazed he's still playing so well despite the tight marking. I was totally expecting some stutter and am not surprised one bit. I wrote I few times before that expecting a continuation from last season would be a mistake given the philosophy change and that some players, who were thriving under Poch, may struggle under the new system.

I’d point to a single tool to showcase my point about the CM pairing: heat map. please take a team like city or arsenal, or a even Liverpool, and check the heat map of most players. Notice how many times during a match they operate in the center midfield area despite not being CMs. That’s a good team at work.

Well, I’ve never thought of our CMs as the best in england, much less in the world, but it’s way too much focus on a small cog vs the entire machine. It’s a team sport after all. Disagree. There is very little that won’t change. Poch and Maresca’s idea about how to play football couldn’t be any more different… Which is the reason he was hired. Low block to high line. Traditional direct and quick transitions to positional game. there is no fucking way this is done quickly.

Couldn't agree more. Flamengo actually has the best striker in teh country, Pedro, who flopped in Europe (Fiorentina), but is still better than what the other sides have there. He is recovering from a hammy, but should be back soon. So, it's likely Deivid wouldn't be starting too many matches.

As I wrote in the Chelsea x Crystal game thread, I disagree. It's teamwork problem at the moment; clear as day when the opposition always has a 3rd or 4th man available to receive a pass in midfield. Enzo and Caicedo were often the piggy in the middle. I simply can't see how replacing one or another player would made a whole lot of difference today. The wingers in particular were too focused on beating their man than making the team click. That will have to be adjusted. One could actually make an argument of making a more possession-able pairing, but I won't suggest that here -- people do love tackles around here. I honestly don't understand what people expected from a brand new team with way too many changes from last year: both in personal as well as strategy/philosophy.

Disagree. For me it was team problem, rather than a player problem. The team is still too spaced out and that can and will be exploited by the opposition. You could see that clearly in the second half: Caicedo and Enzo were outnumbered often as there was always a 3rd open man to receive a pass. You simply cannot defend in that situation as the game "piggy in the middle" proves. It's easy to point fingers to individuals as many did not have outstanding games, which is also an indication it was a teamwork issue. Many of us warned that a start from scratch would have a cost no matter the players. The good teams who have been playing together for years are flying high, which is not really surprising.

Agree about Duran, but "People on here" is a lot of people with different takes. Assume you are referring to VO fans. eh just saw the reply above.

Yeah. It’s a loan with obligation to buy depending on triggers, right? (Sancho) as one who was never impressed by him, hope he improves and becomes a good player under Maresca. Chilwell is apparently on over 200k weekly wages… no wonder it’s hard to get rid of. Apparently loan to turkey and we will need to chip in for a while.

Not very different from the ongoing deal with Gabriel Mec from Gremio. He has a hard time playing against U20 as a 16yo.

Totally unfair that haaland gets to play against schoolchildren… well that’s what he made whu defense looks like today. incidentally the tall whu cb? Had a free shot from inside the box to tie the game and he applied a ridiculous weak finish wide.

I know right after winning all this silverware I feel like taking a shower and never criticize the board again. 😅 It’s way too early… Funny is that the same folks who told us over and over that everything was perfect last season are now acting as if they’ve been right all along. That roster of last season was one of the worst I’ve seen at this club: just not enough quality up front which is entirely changed now.

I disagree. It's far more likely it's the club's decision and Maresca has their full backing on this. Sterling has already played, and well, in a very similar positional system at city. He'd be one of the few players who'd get what the manager asks right away. IMO the club sees what we see: the player is no longer putting a shift in and he's on high wages. Every employee is a yes-man, esp managers with a very thin resume like Maresca.

Think players can still be sold during a transfer ban; the ban is simply a ban on registering new players. So, technically you can still buy players, just can't field them... should not affect the business of buying every youngster on the planet.