robsblubot

They still have to convert... but so far they deserve a goal.

not a great start

very attacking starting lineup... surprisingly so. Going for the win for sure.

Exactly. We need to know what we bought. Yes, he was expensive (hardly his fault), but we bought a project, and a project he is. I did not expect an immediate impact from him, so I'm not one bit disappointed. We need to show patience with these young players, especially the very young, like Caicedo.

Right, not quite an Enzo and you cited a single player. That's typical of smaller clubs: the top players don't linger for too long. I'm sure he used to watch Sterling and Silva play when he was a kid. 😆 Do you think that Gallagher does not qualify in the example I gave? I think he does. Not only because he's very dynamic, but having been at the club for a long time would make him a leader. So, all these dynamics would affect a *very* young player coming in. Of course the expectations do play a part, but at this level, and at a big club, expectation would always be high. The price tag only makes it worse. So, I don't it's an "OR" here, but rather a number of different things combined which will make it hard for him esp the first season.

His numbers were sure impressive, which is the reason we went for him, but please forget last season. This step from smaller club to big club can be a tough one to take. Playing for a smaller club can be very different from playing for a powerhouse like Chelsea. I will make an analogy, because it is something that has happened a number of times, and in Brazil we have a saying, "he's a club player." That's a simplification, of course, but each position, each move has its own challenges. For ex, midfielder does really well for his club (in Brazil or elsewhere) and gets called up. He's a quality player--the center of the team. Everything goes through him and he's everywhere for his team. Now, for Brazil tho, he has to hold position. That's because to his right there is another mid just as good and energetic. Behind him, there is a ball-playing defender who likes to carry the ball. And right in front of him, roams the maestro of the team who demands the football. So, at the very least, there is a period of adaptation. That's yet another reason I did not believe this team would deliver a whole lot this season.

Once again we compare current level vs potential, which has been a problem from day one of last transfer window. Rice and Caicedo aren't comparable because they are at very different stages in their careers. Rice is twice the player at the moment... honestly, don't think that's controversial. He has even been winning matches for Arsenal, which is a side of the game I did not think he had. Caicedo is a project atm. He may yet become a very good player, but right now he looks remarkably average to my eyes.

hmm you are right, he wasn't. Announcers were on and on about it. 😕 That makes it shocking he did not get carded, but also explains his rash tackles at the time. Still think the PK was super soft tho. 😅

Reassuring that we are not Brighton just yet. 😆 He's just young. Buying them that young, 21, has a cost. He was very very lucky to not have seen a second yellow a min 57 and 59 against Brighton. Ref turned a blind eye twice and handed a yellow to a Brighton player for asking for the yellow.

Good fighting spirit and defending for the most part. Surprised by folks complaining about the officials, because everything went our way. I mean they were pretty bad, maybe a case of very homey officials? Soft penalty on Mudryk after his heavy touch, which is debatable yes, but went our way. Caicedo should've been given a second yellow for either one of the 2 challenges at around 58'. In the first one, he was lucky the player did not go down and refs are bad like that -- going down on contact is rewarded by the officials. Got all 3 points, so that's the important part. Enzo finding the back of the net, in a big way, was also reassuring. My 2 cents on Conor: it was a very poor decision and one which that could've costed us the match. I think he's a good player and that's about it: neither the headless chicken he looked to be early on, nor "the new Kante".

Not under the radar yet, but 18yo Nathan Fernandes from Gremio (Brazil) looks like a real promising winger/attacker. He's been getting minutes, but yesterday started the game and played until the 88'. He will be in all the big clubs' radar very soon IMO. No, he's no Endrik -- who now has now just started showing what he's capable of -- but looks like a top prospect still.

As someone who rates Mount for what he can, and has provided in the past, his form does not suggest he'd be doing anything useful for us atm. He is a player who relies on his physique, his fitness, and these routine niggling injuries must be taking a toll. I don't know if he's been working less off-pitch, if it's genetics, or he's just been unlucky, but he's been struggling with fitness at united.

Yeah, all signs that he's done at this level are there...does not even manage to get himself into the worst Brazil squad in recent years. He makes point-costing mistakes every other match and can no longer make forward runs, which was once the staple of his game. No, he was never (crazy) David Luiz in that, but he used to be able to contribute with quick transition into attack. With that out of the way, he does not pick himself for the starting XI. Had the squad been a bit less rebuilt, and included more senior players, maybe he'd be sitting on the bench already. Although Disasi does not look that much faster than Thiago, and both Colwill and Badiashile play on the left... so 🤷‍♂️ Like I said, this squad needs an iteration or two in the transfer market in order to get back to being what the club needs. The squad simply isn't good enough; we do see moments of quality from some of these players, and then they go quiet in the following match; that's exactly what most young players do.

I'd start with (dropping) Silva tbh, but having so many kids in the roster helps his case, unfortunately. My point was more about team balance than defense line tho. Yes, better defenders can defend better when unprotected, but in the modern game, the big clubs will just overwhelm your defense line in numbers if you don't have a strategy to defend, and players capable of doing that in almost every position.

How do we tighten up "the defense" if we don't have a single winger who can defend? Sterling used to do some of that work at City, but he'd be wasted doing that work in this squad. That's why I think Poch tried Chilwell there. Maybe he will try someone else to fill that gap for tough away games? This is a home game, so need to play somewhat attacking to get all the points.

Like I said above, while I think we need to get James fit again, it was indeed a bit weird to start 2 players who are severely lacking match fitness in a game like this. It's easy now to look back in hindsight, but it was pretty obvious this match was going to be intense and physical.

Nothing new here tbh. There isn't enough quality on the pitch to fight for top four. Team struggled for the entire match: could not control the ball well enough, and players got bullied at times. They were just so much better! The team rise to the occasion when facing strong opposition, but you simply can't do that for the entire season. Aside from Sterling, there isn't another reliable (as in ready) attacking player in the squad. Pretty crazy when we consider the amount spent. Regarding James, that is normal. A returning player has a cost, but it's one we need to pay to get him fit again.

Just scored the 89' winner against Brеntfоrd. In my book, that's exactly why they've signed him. I only see that as being true if his status at the club was an "untouchable" first teamer. At Arsenal, right now, he's rotation and he's a good player to have around IMO. Club needs more than 11 starters, so having quality with different characteristics coming off the bench can make a big difference in a long championship. Right now for example, I don't know if Jackson is better than Kai... I do know they are different tho. We don't have a whole lot strength in the air up front, and Kai would've provided that. Anyway, like we said above, it's a done deal, but I just feel that we did not get proper replacements for the characteristics we lost--namely, aerial in attack and workmate on the sides.

So, they don't behead little babies... any age limit? toddlers OK? hand these guys a medal! better to draw the line somewhere heh. They target civilians, women and children are fair game, but no killing (at least no beheading) of suckling babies... after all they can be raised as filthy future terrorists.

This team is actually very predictable in its unpredictability; hardly the first overly young and inexperienced side mustered by savvy club hats.

this thread is heavy on "tube news", which I'm not a a fan myself as it IMO it's just opinions made video. I do hate this argument tho, because it's irrelevant. It's like saying that you are not supposed to be here, and yet people who are now born in that area have to hear this. It's over... it has already happened. They are there. What's the solution? Kill them all? often times in history someone was dislodged and left unhappy over land division. It will likely happen again.

For posterity: been watching Ferguson closely in the minutes he gets. Potential: he looks pretty good on the ball, and is a pretty powerful guy esp for a 18yo. His reading of the game is also impressive for his age. It's still difficult to know his ceiling, but he looks promising no doubt. Current ability: nowhere near the level we'd need... we are talking 3-4 years to get a player out of him. Another way to read this is, he's not good enough to be a decisive player as a youngster. (watches as he proves me wrong this season or next one) 😅

Fair enough! 👍 They are not that similar in characteristics. I was not necessarily comparing him to Kante, but was citing one quality our team used to have in abundance, but now we depend on Conor making runs...

suppose no Broja yet?

Yup which is why some of us were baffled by what the club was during. Here's what I am afraid of: some of these players will not cut it. The fact they are young does not guarantee that they will develop and reach the level we need them at. That's the reason top clubs tend to buy more ready players, which guarantees a certain level of performance and consistency.