Leif

hump.

So the joint best player in the world is maybe an exception

Also - Lampard, Wright, Ferdinand, probably someone else i haven't read about yet - all England greats, all saying they don't even understand what sort of player Bakayoko's trying to be. Has there ever been a player so heavily doubted, by greats of the game no less, who proved everybody wrong?

We should remember that when a player (especially a young one, despite having more time to rectify things) has had a solid season, then has a massive drop of form, more often than not that player doesn't climb back up to where they were. Somewhat rarely, they will get back to their best, but far more rarely will they exceed that previous best; it's hard enough just regaining form - and usually players fade away when they drop in form this drastically. A drastic lack of ability on show for a season has never proceeded greatness in the following seasons to come if my knowledge is right. Once you hit rock bottom, you rarely learn to fly again in this game. (Wilshere, Balotelli, Michael Johnson from Man City, Bojan, Drenthe, Giuseppe Rossi, Moura, Oscar, Jack Rodwell, Kakuta, Marin/Schurrle/and a hoard of prospects we signed), this list could go on forever. On the other hand, who's gone from 'prospect', to 'dog-shit', to 'wow, this guy turned out great!'? I pray nobody says Drogba I can't think of anyone really.

You're right I think. Savic is such a great player, that it's impossible to not be interested in him - but does he fit our current side? No - unless - certain players are moved on or put flat on the bench, like Bakayoko. If we were to upgrade our full backs, and start a midfield of Kante-Fabregas-Savic, then that I think would be orgasmic. But if we are to persist with average full backs, and if we're to persist with at least Kante+Bakayoko in midfield, then I agree we need a more like-for-like replacement for Fabregas. But there are only so many (none of which come to mind, apart from Kovacic, who isn't elite.) So, maybe we need to think about a new long-term system soon, which doesn't rely on balls from deep, but further upfield instead (in which case we could go with a Kante-Savic pivot, and 2 fresh wingers either side who're at least as good at passing as Hazard)?

I remember both our wing backs scoring goals, but not assisting, so unless someone's already mentioned this, it's worth mentioning - he did get an assist tonight - to Cuadrado no less If we do get him, it's fantasy to think January. Realistically there's nobody on Juve's radar who could replace him. Even in the Summer, it's not like a new left back pops up out of nowhere as available, and nobody's making headlines in that position this season. Personal & professional issues can always be resolved, so IMO there's more chance of him staying than leaving. Me as a player, seeing Serie A being competitive again, I'd relish being at Juve - genuine fun to be had in the big games, all the while being with the most consistent Italian club of the past decade. I doubt his current disgruntle is due to money, and i doubt it's to do with the board. Allegri could be part of it, but again i doubt it. While he doesn't inspire, he doesn't inspire disdain from his players. If he wants a change of scene, there's no upgrade in coming to England. And in joining Juve at the time he joined, I doubt he's looking for a 'challenge'. I really see no reason for him wanting out; so maybe he wants out to the same extent Courtois & Hazard do

I love that he's already such a complete defender at 21 that we're talking about refining his attacking gameNothing left to improve defensively. Considering his age, really another brilliant performance.

To add to those, yeah, I don't think it's beneficial or deserved to get on Morata's back. He gets us a goal every 2-3 games, and in a manner which is more attractive than Lukaku/Costa/etc. Then again, it's totally acceptable to expect a striker to strike goals with his feet. His goals may sometimes not come, but at least because of him, Hazard looks twice as likely to score this season. He's more than just a striker, so when the goals don't come, there's still plenty left to compliment. So, good movement. Good determination. Good mentality. Good link up play. None of which we've had in our past few strikers. Closest to Drogba we've had actually, though I doubt we'll see a goal like Drogba's vs Milan

As many chances as he'll miss, and as many chances as Lukaku will score, 10 times out of 10 I'll still take Morata with a spoonful of sweetness - which says everything about Lukaku. He may help you get goals, but my god, even if he's missing chances it's far more palatable to watch Morata for 90 minutes. 90 minutes being part of the problem - too many times has he played the full 90 this season. That's simply another blunder by the board - this need for a clear striker hierarchy. If we were to accept two number 1 strikers, I imagine our fortune would change. I don't think someone like Morata would throw a hissy fit at playing 65% of our games, maybe even some percentage more if partnered with that other striker. That other striker, while i call him a number 1, would be content with being on the bench considering Chelsea's stature, but leave us with no doubt regarding his ability like Michy does, or even Llorente would. It's no good that without Morata our strike force goes from B+ to C-. Similarly it's no good that without Hazard, his role in the team drops from A+ to C+. What's wrong with genuinely great back-up options? Why are we addicted to ensuring our back-up options are barely fit to sit on the benches of teams below us? (I'll need to use this emoji a lot more often to cope)

We all need an injection of humour

I laughedBut it's real, i want to cry too.

No reason he can't be sold half-price with a buy-back clause. If he's ever going to be good enough, he can reach that at another club no? While we stop gambling on 'if' and simply play players good enough?

Don't disagree at all about him being our worst ever Roman signing. Torres was instrumental in our CL victory, and was truly decent in games before that. Our first few dodgy signings when Mourinho first took the helm were at least relatively cheap. Willian, as bad as he's become, started off as a useful player at least, which Bakayoko isn't. Oscar is in the same boat there with Willian. Shevchenko was at least exciting to watch because you knew what he had in him, and Bosingwa was a consistent 6.5 player instead of this consistently 4.5/5.0 player. The new narrative i want to introduce is this - if he were free, having come through the youth system, would he play? Especially tonight - I believe not. I believe if RLC put these performances in, tonight would've been 'too important' to play him. I believe after a season like Bakayoko's having, he'd be loaned out. I imagine the few pro-Bakayoko people we have now, would still be positive, but saying 'he needs game-time elsewhere.' I don't know why some people are still behind him. As if he doesn't deserve to take the brunt of responsibility in a sport which demands that each individual player take the initiative to be as good as they can possibly be. Forget slagging the board off for a moment for the terrible move - Bakayoko deserves to be slagged off for suddenly being around better players, a better coach, and better under-coaches, yet not using any of that to his advantage. He's made no effort to raise his mental game; he commands none of his teammates when necessary, and never carries himself in a way which tells his teammates 'I've got this - and so do you.' He deserves to be driven out, right away. If we had a ruthless board like Barcelona's, he'd already be getting the Turan treatment.

^ I decided to watch Fabinho's highlights so far this season, considering i've read a few times he's been 'nothing since Bakayoko left and stopped holding his hand.' Turns out, he's pulling off Fabregas-level passes multiple times per game, remains deep and stands tall and strong, usually winning the ball, and simply lacks a bit of confidence, in the way a player does when they know they deserved a move to a top club, but it didn't materialise. But apparently, buying shit for 40m and trying to turn it into a diamond, is somehow better than just buying a diamond for 40m. (As some of us maintained - Fabinho is 3 players in one. Bakayoko is half a player. Watch below. Compare the simple techniques of passing the ball & positioning.) (Vid from this season, his apparently worst season for Monaco.)

I like him a lot, though more as a person than player - but remember we didn't sign a great striker here. We signed a very good one, given the current landscape of the game, because we were desperate. We went home with a 7 simply because we had no hope of securing a 10. The only way this deal proves to be of value is if we revert to a 4-2-3-1, keep him & Hazard central, but also add 2 incredible wingers who make up for when Morata doesn't score, and at the same time, make the chance of him scoring increase tenfold.

A universe consisting of a billion technically-brilliant footballers condensed into 1 man among the weakest gods.

We need to make the Paris game entertaining. Let's prevent some white people from getting on the train Actually I raise that. Let's prevent certain players from getting on the plane.

Goal difference of 8, Roma's of 3, but we finish 2nd for reasons that don't entertain anyone nor reward the team with better performances all-round

A player like Willian with 0 football IQ should be a wing-back. He has pace, decent ball control, and he's better at crossing than passing despite not being great at either. If he were to stay here another 2 seasons he'd eventually play there, so calling it now - that's where he should be.

Football IQ of a rugby player.

Cahill & Courtois moving like they're on horse tranquilliser with 3 minutes to go.

Our players barely understand eachother. They pass to players too slow, or players too technically limited while surrounded by too many players. Always. Every game. Chemistry, where is it?

Besiktas are still on the cards. Right. Right guys

Another moron with 3 good games in him per season, which somehow papers over the cracks that he's absolutely torrid. Fuck this club if Willian's here next season. I'll always watch, but won't take us seriously again for a long time. Most players would want to score that so much, that they would. He shoots like it's an obligation. Can't even be honest about his flukey cross. So many people unworthy of being here. We're barely a level above Arsenal these days and it all stems from the men who make decisions above Conte. Imagine a company being as inconsistent as ours is, and the CEO never being questioned...

Any other top team would've made that 2-1 right there. Sickening. I just want us to be elite again.