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Have to say both PK were VERY soft... I don't like these calls for or against us. The second was very clear in the var replay that whatever contact there was, Madueke takes another step and only then dives. That's the definition of not a penalty: the contact wasn't enough to hinder the play. Still very worried about our midfield, but like I wrote earlier their midfield has similar issues controlling the game; can't believe they still play Casemiro, for ex. Guy is retired already. Onana looks like a flop to me. Fact Dalot played for the entire 90min proves that Poch can't possibly be the worst PL manager! 🤣

Some positives from this game: We did not sign Onana. We did not sign Dalot 😆

OK Palmer > officials 🙂

Officials MotM for me. Palmer close second for Chelsea. lol First was never a penalty and the second was extremely soft. Both very much dives in my book.

It can definitely be both: the team does not look organized defensively AND our players make embarrassing passing mistakes.

Definitely, but's it's taking some time... understatement eh. These acts will keep on happening regardless of who is more to blame, or notions of right and wrong. I for one think that if the Israeli people is responsible for the act of their leaders, the same applies to the other side. Of course unelected leaders are harder to influence, but that's a different discussion. I'm pretty confident that an Israel without weapons/US support would cease to exist instantly at this time, which is the reason nothing will change in the foreseeable future.

Yes, that has always been the case, and it wont change at least in the foreseeable future. So, what's the solution? wait for the next [the-next-hammas] attack and Israel response in a decade or two? Will it look any different then?

It's actually very liberating to realize we don't matter a whole lot. Netanyahu is unliked, but Israel response (attack whatever you want to call it) will take place regardless of him. At least unless the ~150 hostages are freed. That's what I've read anyway. Maybe you are.... wouldn't be the first or last. 😃 I know your opinions. My issue was exclusively with the misinformation (if you can call it that) in that post. One was an unprovoked attack, or was it not? you can all ignore what Hamas did, and is doing to the hostages being held still, but that does not change the fact they were attacked... once again in my lifetime. My point is that nothing will change despite what you think -- it hasn't in decades. There are consequences to letting leaders like Hamas act. 15-20 years from now the same will happen... a different named group will attack Israel, Israel will attack back rinse and repeat. IMO, these one-sided takes don't help anyone.

For the record, I don't really give a shit about people disagreeing with my opinions especially know-nothing kids parroting whatever they read on social media. They act as if this conflict is new, which it is not. "Israeli forces have murdered 6,052 Palestinian schoolchildren says ministry" Who? when? where? Are you sure it wasn't 9,105 schoolchildren? and at a renovated Nazi camp? I mean why not go all the way? 😆 Bloody hell indeed... 🙄 BTW, oppressed people, yes, but oppressed not only by the Israeli but also by their own leaders.

Not really, you have every right to be a bigot. 😉 If you don't get what I dislike about that post (which is something I've already discussed before), then nothing I can say will change that.

On skill alone, I agree with you. I know it's controversial, but balance of a team is always FAR more important than individual brilliance in my book. If you have Eden on the left, then you prob don't want palmer on the right. Maybe move him as CAM and get a workhorse like Willian on the right. Might still be too attacking minded to win silverware tho eh. His point about Gallagher still stands tho. I think the issue is more of lack of balance once again: if we had a CAM in the roster (other than moving Palmer there), then Gallagher could drop back a bit where his characteristics are more of a fit. Then we'd have better options in a CM pivot between the 3 who always play and don't provide enough going forward.

Yeah maybe he is. Good players find ways to win big games though... we are missing those. Like drop back, take the ball from one of the Liverpool kids and beat a couple of players to create something--seen it done by less than WC players tbh. Their isolation was too their own fault. Reminder that we've won a freaking Champions League with Di Matteo at the helm... 😃

It's so strange to hear Poch did this or that against Liverpool in the final. The only remotely defensive-minded sub was Challobah for Chilwell, who was prob dead and buried by then given his fitness levels. To balance it out, he replaced Gallagher with Madueke, so we ended up having more attacking players in that extra time. Speaking of which, both Madueke and Mudryk did fuck all against Liverpool kids with acres of space against their high line in those 30 min of extra time. Nkunku was on the pitch as well, and just as ineffective, but that guy has hardly played this season.... injuries.... So, no, the players don't get a pass from me.

Mount was out with a calf injury for 4 months, so he won't start (likely not even come on). Think it's going to be a pretty even game and we have a chance to get points from this. United have better options up front, and have been doing better in D of late. Their mid is lacking in creativity and skill just like ours: a lot of work horses who don't control the game. Poch's low block of late isn't a terrible option against them -- their attackers are very pacy esp Garnacho. Feeling optimistic given their shortcomings.

There is nothing factual about any of that. I’m providing opinions, but I don’t pretend they are factual. 🤷‍♂️ mudryk and Madueke are poor options imo. my opinion remains we have some shit players who will never play for another top club again. We will be proven right or wrong in time. And it will make no difference whatsoever.

I really don't understand how some people disregard options esp in the modern game where there is simply no starting XI anymore and the selected starting XI never ever! play for 90 minutes. 🤷‍♂️ I read your stats very differently: all our goals come from the same players, which is not that great esp because the numbers aren't fantastic. "Mudryk and Madueke have among the best contributions per 90" this has to be the most useless stat in my book, sorry. Both are poor players (linkup, poor first touch etc). I can find better players in pretty much every club in the top half of the PL. "and Caicedo despite people claiming is shit, has better defensive metrics than Rice this season" On the other hand, Rice has 10x better attacking numbers, doesn't he? Caicedo is awful in attack. I happen to rate Rice a lot higher than Caicedo, but that's me. Once again, without considering the injured payers, how do you improve our midfield? How do you make the midfield more creative? Do you think we get enough goals and assists from the mid trio? I like Gallagher, but he's not a skillful or creative player. Enzo, albeit more skillful, isn't that player either. "Go take a trip down memory lane in 2020 and see threads about Rudiger, Christensen, and Kante." I don't care about what someone wrote 4 years ago. I don't have to agree and never did agree with all the criticisms back then. Andreas was always a good ball-playing CB in my book and Ruddier was mostly hindered by injuries. We give opinions: sometimes we are right and sometimes we are wrong about players. I don't see the quality you see in this roster. I think some of these players will never play for another top club in their careers.

You may be right if you consider the full roster, but with the injuries?! Dunno don’t see which players would be getting us points aside from the ones who have been getting us points already. There is also the point of an unbalanced squad. Like poor options on the left side, striker, and poor options to change the shape of the midfield for ex. How does a manager make our middle significantly more creative? Without dropping quality? I think even RLC would’ve been a tremendous option at this time… at least he’s different from our mid trio in characteristics. I disagree regarding Andreas and rudiger. Aside from a few people frustrated with them, the majority thought they were good players. I’ve always rated Andreas for what he is.

It's also very convenient for underperforming players to blame the manager... just saying. It happens a lot too.

Yeah it definitely happens. The obvious hint to know it's happening is when the manager starts criticizing the players publicly. It rarely ever works because that's the people he relies on to make something happen. It can only be a very specific criticism, and even then, only done once at most. On the other hand, I just don't see the skill in this squad. I see power, I see intensity, I see work rate, and see very little actual skill. There is an abundance of it from a player like Palmer, and very rare moments from Enzo, but that's about it. Gusto looks great, but I'm specifically looking for key players who can make things happen up front. I'm especially concerned about Enzo, and I'm afraid it's not just tactics. I think Sterling issue is physical: not to become the great finisher he never was, but to get back to that intense player I used to like.

yes, better managers are really good at motivating players. The best managers are even better at signing players they know can be motivated and have the necessary quality (including aggression) for the task at hand. The best managers are VERY specific in the type of player they go after. I honestly don't see motivation being a problem. I can't point to many players and say they aren't intense enough; quite on the contrary, I see very aggressive and intense players like Caicedo and Gusto. I see players giving the best and trying to participate as much as possible. Someone mentioned Mudryk, but that's just the player he is, as he's clearly limited by his skill (esp first touch). Is Gallagher not motivated and intense?! We have players who lack skill, not desire. Perhaps it is just easier for fans to think the players lack motivation vs that they simply aren't good enough. That gives them hope that a different manager will magically make everything better. That won't work.

I think I disagree with most here, but lean towards @OneMoSalah's take. I don't believe in "desire" alone having that much importance at this level, otherwise let's exclusively sign players from the championship, which would be far cheaper. Desire, conviction, and then confidence come naturally for better players (skill, physical, and mental) who constantly have advantage when competing against their rivals. Palmer and Gusto seem to do just fine despite Poch's tactics. Jackson has been playing well despite Poch (although finishing still lacking). Caicedo has been regular in what he does, which is both what I expected from him and also not impressive. The choice of a low block makes perfect sense to me, esp when you consider how slow Disasi is. It's also protecting a very young goalie who is (surprise!) faltering at the moment. So, although I have no problem with the notion of improving on the manager, I can't see that as the biggest problem with this roster. Especially considering that half of the players are, and have been, injured for most of the season.

Agreed but I also consider that part of the quality bundle: better players seem more likely to find a way to influence games.

There is a simpler explanation: some of the players just aren't that good? I mean, not saying they are shit, but they just don't give you a competitive advantage against smaller teams. The "bad tactics" don't seem to affect Palmer and Gusto for some strange reason.

Lucky to get a point here.

Wrong choice by petrovic… needed tipping over not catching 😞