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He has had injuries. I don't recall Cuardado having one really good game at us. Ziyech has had at least 3 and then had 2 injury spells and has not been able to build up a real rhythm.

Well tbh, he ha hardly started. He needs to be given a run of games to build up form, otherwise, the player will never ever look match sharp.

Honestly, we have had a lot of the ball, but there is no pace in behind. I highly doubt we score if we continue with same formation/players. No can can get in behind and just looks way too stiff. No sign that will break them down.

Well that will be the partnering in the second leg.

Kante should have come on for Jorginho not Kovacic.

But he is making things happen and is looking lively. I would no way take him off under any circumstances right now.

I think it will give the team more fluidity tbh. Atletico are used to dealing with players like Giroud.

Mount has been good and I trust him to keep his cool. Giroud has been poor with the hold up play. Would prefer one of Ziyech/Puli or Havertz to come on for him. Too much attacking quality on bench, who we should be capitalizing on.

Tuchel finally changed his jacket 😄

I totally agree. Yes I guess Grealish is used out wide but it is just a measure to show that when Mount gets to their age he will be a lot better than he is now and I just don’t get the harsh criticism he gets at times. He is the second youngest player after Robben to get into double figures in the league for us and is also a regular for club and country. I genuinely think he has the ability to easily get into double figures a season.

Well there is so much other talented players. He just happens to be one of them. I mean even the England team let alone squad is so hard to pick right now, such is the talent in that squad.

Well, that is a tough one, but he certainly would be high up on my options, yes.

Last season, when everyone was raving about Grealish, I was not sold on him, but his performances this season have literally reached world class. Just because I wouldn't sign another player from another academy or club does not mean I do not rate them. But since Mount has been an academy product, it is hard to put down that marker whether I would take him or not. He is a quality player, but there are many other quality players who play in his role in different teams also. Think Maddison is a quality player, but I wouldn't necessarily take him because we have Mount. The question maybe to ask is at 22 years of age, would I have taken Grealish compared to Mount at same age? No. Maddison? No. But even when Mount was on loan at Vitesse and Derby, I was always hoping that within the next 2 seasons we would integrate him into the team.

Tuchel has really fallen in love with that jacket. When does he never not wear that?

Maybe because he isn't your typical flair player like Grealish, Maddison etc, he isnt going to stand out but in a few years time, I am sure once he becomes all round accomplished player, I would be calling for us to sign him but while he is our there in the team, I am happy with him in there.

Mount is not the most creative but he has a drive, brilliant technique which will get better. His shooting from range is really underrated. Like I say his passing is decent, not the best. He produced that brilliant pass for CHO against Rennes which he needs to do more but that will come. Even Grealish struggled to necessarily carve through oppositions at the same age playing in the Championship. Few years down the line, he has worked on his technique, passing, dribbling. Mount will get there. He already has brilliant stamina, movement, technique. I think he is brilliant all round midfielder. I was referring to the comment about him being a 'hardworker with no end product'. He isnt just simply a hardworker with no end product. He contributed more goals than most people his age last season in the same area. Like I say Fernandes was no way near world class at that age. There are many other examples too of players who are top class now and were unknown at the same age. He can be inconsistent like @DDAsaid but for me he is a young player who needs to work on his end product. But that also means other players in the team stepping up too. Well when you have so many quality players, I would expect rotation more often. So I wouldn't expect him to be a guaranteed starter but to get a lot of game time.

Imagine writing off a 22 year old who has played almost every game for us and been probably our best player. People will say it is not clear cut chances or a lot of the chances created are from corners, but he is in the top 5 in league for chances created. Look at the piece of play he done against Southampton where he went past 2-3 players and crossed the ball in with his weaker foot and James failed to score, which he really should have. Bruno Fernandes arguably one of the best midfielders in the world, at the age between 20-23 was at Udinese for a couple of seasons and then went Sampdoria for a season and played over 30 games during those seasons and never racked up more than 5 goals or assists in one single season. Can you imagine anyone thought he would be as good as he is now? I can't believe some of the criticism I see on him sometimes. No end product is nonsense. He is leading by example at his age at a club where we have spent millions but both managers we have had in charge have continued to play him. He has flaws that any 22 year old will have, but he will get better and I can only imagine a few years time, how good he will be.

A lot more confident than I was a few weeks ago. Atletico have hit a real stumbling block in recent weeks and lost their first home game since December 2019, against Levante yesterday. 2-0 they lost. Hasn't helped that they also have had a few covid issues last few weeks or so. But am feeling confident we can go through this.

Honestly, was CHO the worse player out there? I don't think he was. Also, did his subs actually work? They did not. Ziyech would have been more effectitve with CHO on the pitch imo. Also with Lamps I disagree with that.. He hooked off Werner at H/T against Arsenal and last season at Emirates made changes in the first half when things clearly weren't working and also changed formation. Yeah it is good to see TT change things but I don't like this idea that people make it sound as if Lamps did not do any of this.

I know Alonso has been decent under Tuchel so far, but I would much rather see Chilwell. Alonso is too, too slow. I thought Alonso was poor and I was actually thinking when Ziyech came on, CHO would go to LWB like he did against Wolves. But no he was hooked.

Really, really weird. He made poor decision making like some of the rest out there but why he took him off is mind boggling. We needed that extra bit of width. I didnt see a lack of energy from him. Truly, truly baffling.

You can slate Mount all you want, but he was excellent second half and there is reason that bar that Wolves game, Tuchel continues to start him in every league game.

Good. CHO on. At least Tuchel is willing to make change when things going wrong.

Havertz is not in the squad.

Another game where we dominate possession but still lacking ideas in final third. For first time in Tuchel era, we are a goal down. No need for three CB. Take one of them off, go to a back four and bring Ziyech on please.