robsblubot

The answer is above... the players are too young and don't yet know how to read the plays in order to react in the best way in defensive situations. Like when to anticipate and go for the tackle, versus close down the run/space. It's all part of experience and quality, but say even if Colwill will become a great CB/(D)FB one day, he'd still need to develop that aspect.

Maatsen has pace, which is why he started. Almost scored, but lacked quality. Lavia looked pretty average to me, but early days. Nkunku just needs to remain healthy... 🤞 Mudryk needs some consistency before becoming a 90min player. The second half wasn't cool... w/ heavy touches and in and out of the match.

Playing a CB as FB is the oldest trick in the book pretty much done everywhere! Azpi was a FB who played in CB occasionally. It's his prerogative to make the FB more defensive or attacking. Giving minutes to attacking FBs in attack is also very common, and current;y being done at my home town team Gremio, with a new talented 20yo called "Cuiabano" and he's actually pretty physical (still has trouble defending and reading the game).

absolutely and I have a problem with both: 1. Folks complain about Pochetinno, which is silly and expecting immediate results ignoring the club's strategy 2. The club strategy is a wild bet at this level and I doubt it can work -- Chelsea is not a feeder club

This Yeah that's Pochetinno's fault evidently. Overpaying for players DOES NOT improve their game... nor does it make them ready for the PL.

Because the manager thinks the team is crap. and I 100% agree with him. We are no different than CP with the exception that our players are younger and less experienced. We need to grind wins like this esp missing our better players.

All I have to say to you is that the next manager will do exactly the same as Pochetinno. The only difference is that he will win a couple of games with the "new manager" factor and then we go back to the norm. Developing players this young takes a lot longer in real life than on Football Manager. BTW, Mudryk is looking much better lately.

Madueke is a project like every other youngster in the squad... 🙄 What's this love for players who done fuck nothing in the game?! Let him develop and we will see how far he goes. Right now very little difference between Maatsen and Madueke. We actually looked much better in the first half, IMO.

If you think playing for Brighton vs Chelsea is the same thing, I rest my case. Nice you cite the exception, btw. 😉 The team is VERY inexperienced PL wise... I thought this was well-known.

😆 former clubs?! Did they all play in top clubs in the PL or did they come from completely different leagues, teams, circumstances? WTF man... either PL is a good league or it isn't. GOal!!!!

tackle looked bad... Madueke's leg look odd. 😟

no it's not acceptable, but why do you talk about the manager when the club id what the club did? Signed a U23 team from scratch to play the PL. 🤷‍♂️

I disagree 100% Poch does not put on boots and play. These average players the club signed do.

yup and what an amazing first touch by Broja, but the finish wasn't up to the same standard. It was a difficult finish tho... from a long ball and all.

Did we find a goalie?!

Match between equals! make no mistake... this is our level.

"1 - Chelsea have named their youngest ever Premier League starting XI (23 years, 21 days); it's the youngest XI named by a Premier League team since Man Utd vs Crystal Palace in May 2017 (22y 284d) and the eighth youngest ever by any side in Premier League history."

Mudryk was electric in the first half: goal aside, he was playing well. Though he went back to poor mode in the second half, which hurt our attack. I liked the first half strategy a lot. The subs were bad, but not a whole lot of options tbf. Lavia looks pretty average to be... hope it's just the first game. Jackson looks offside to me.

Fair enough, but I used Enzo just as one example... more will follow.

Another goal by Mudryk -- is there a good player in there? Brilliant strategy with all the pace in attack. Credit to the manager whatever the outcome is.

best position for Maatsen at this time is attack where we can make use of his pace. Can't defend to save his life.

Players get paid however they perform or not. I'm not saying that they will go vacation-lite and screw the club, but some might. Imagine that what we see today lasts for a couple of years... can you imagine Enzo staying? I can't. Clubs need good relationship with agents, esp the super agents, otherwise they won't have a chance to sign the best players. If one these agent's player is stuck and unhappy at a club, they will act and protect their asset, the player. You see that happen a lot these days: unhappy players get their wanted move quickly in most cases. Evidently I'd like this strategy to work and work well, but I don't think it's feasible nowadays with the amount of money pouring in.

Except in rare cases of managerial blindness, starters are starters for a reason. Those are simply our best players only good players--unless Nkunku is ready to play the 90, it's going to be a tough one.

Bakayoko was also king at Monaco... apparently first touch isn't a requirement over there. 😆 Frankly, he struggled in the PL and then dropped a tier or two to find his game. Oldest tale in football. BTW, contrary to Bakayoko his skill was good, but he was so so slow... no surprise he'd struggle in the PL.

Yeah there are many risks here: not building a competitive foundation of winners for one. Then actually losing key players, for not being competitive. Honestly, I see more money in football not less. Our successful players will see their counterparts making twice as much elsewhere, and they will force their exists. Contracts mean little these days... player power, or should I say, agent's power dictate where players go.