Magic Lamps

I think you are both on point. Tactical ability has improved for all areas of the pitch on average but also this as limited strikers and midfielders expressing themselves. Hence we don’t see as many individual goals from these like those great long range strikers and runs through the middle. All is a bit less risk, more pace intensity and closing down, positional pressing etc. Attacking game is more reliant on wide players like wing backs, wingers, wide attacking midfielders or isnide forwards nowadays. More space out wide and less risk after turnovers. Footballers have probably become more athletic and tactically adept but also less independent, more predictable and risk-averse. It is a logical development. After all it’s a team sport. But we see with our squad when it goes too far towards that extreme.

We made it worse. We got rid of title winning experience and replaced it with kids. Not that I shed a tear for mount and Havertz. But having a hard worker like Kante, a smart tactician like Joeginho or a serial winner like Kovacic around at least you can help a young player

Bc it’s a squad full of anxious kids and mentally fragile snowflakes that lack killer instinct and eagerness to compete

If we don’t win this we can just stop close the men’s seniority team. No matter how shit the ref will be or if they luck in 3 deflected goals. We have to beat them. They are by far the worst team in the league. Our squad is worth 10x theirs. Absolutely no excuses. Poch said, performances are more important than results at this point but not winning here would crush the confidence of this young fragile group for months.

That’s probable the long term average now. One serious injury per game over the duration of the season so we need at least 2 players per position plus a couple of Allrounders. At least we only have one game per week.

We have been buying players for one system or the other for 6 years and not gotten goals out of it. If a system has no place for a natural goalscorer it is not a winning system. Haaland does little except score goals vs relegation fodder/mid table sides. Yet he plays for the best team in the world. We saw not only va westham but for the better part of the last few years what it means not to have a goalscorer. But I agree that we should not spend on someone with an ok goalscoring record just for the sake of it. We either buy a striker that contributes with a solid all round game AND scores or just accept that we will finish mid table for the foreseeable future but take that chance to develop a proper striker ourselves

If he were committed to the club to helping the team , acting line a pro and get back to fitness, by all means give him another shot but we all know he is unhappy here, out of shape, wants to leave and is too toxic to be allowed anywhere near the squad. It’s not only his ability that was overestimated twice by the old administration but also his character. He is just a spoilt little brat who does not think of the consequences of his actions and throws his toys out the pram when things are not going his way. If he was a proper mature professional ppl might get over his poor fitness and clownish misses but unfortunately he is what he is.

Conte had that genius 343 card up his sleeve. Revolutionized European football bringing that system back from the 90ies but with flying wingbacks and no.10s But it worked bc it aught everyone by surprise and gave Costa and Hazard all the attacking freedom they needed. we still have not shirked but it’s holding us back as but we don’t have elite attackers anymore. Maybe Poch has something in his locker too but I doubt our team of kids could do anything with it.

Help us god. Penogun is shit. Plus can’t finance Arsenal like we do Brighton . Have to draw a line somewhere with bankrolling soulless clubs. would rather take Greenwood on a free but not sure how that would look PR-wise. Maybe can spin it as like everyone deserves a second chance and we would have another money Mase.

Average age is not representative here bc of Silva. Median age is what we should look at it and that is around 22. Significant gap to the next team I am sure

Lukaku was a probable failure ex ante as well but he came off a decent spell at inter and with a good goalscoring record and PL experience. Plus the PR lies about him loving Chelsea and us desperately needing a goalscorer. So a lot of arguments the fools could bring in his favour. Mudryk came off a decent season in Ukrainian league and 6 CL Games. For a position we were stacked. That’s a paper thin case in his favour. Lukaku is a bigger waste of money but Mudryk is the more insane one.

It’s bc he just did it 1.5 seasons. That might still be a purple patch. or he might actually have the talent but not the confidence and routine to ever recreate it under greater pressure. Tons of young players looked like future world beaters for a season and then vanished into oblivion. I think this will be the case for many or our new big money signings. One season wonders who can only do it as underdogs but not when it really matters and with that huge price tag weighing them down. That is why you should never spend big on players that have not proven to handle huge pressure.

Absolutely useless on the ball. He should really retire from football and try to compete in some track and field discipline, maybe decatholon. Until Caicedo turns another few of these performances, he will still be our most insane waste of money.

It's as if the whole club had lost its winning mentality with Roman's sale to Todd. What a disgrace this is on every level. Spending absurd amounts on average players based on insane social media hype. Get in a manager with no relevant silverware on the back of 2 decent seasons wit spuds. Sporting directos seem to be absolutely clueless. One glimmer of hope is that last year ManUre started just as bad under ten Haag and he somehow turned it around. But he had experienced pros at his disposal, we got a bunch of overpaid hype boys.

Our game plan looks like we were coached by 90ies David moyes pumping aimless crosses into the box

Caicedo is the same absolute shit buy as Mudryk based on one flash season and some perceived potential

By then we will have a team full of losers on 8 year contracts their values slashed and Boehly will have lost interest

Who will score his first goal for us this season. Jackson, Mudryk or Enzo. Probably none. The project was only ever gonna fly if it hits the ground running. But it looks like it will fail in its first steps

That’s why you don’t win anything with kids. Completely off it once it goes against you. 1bn down the drain

Caicedo has been absolute pants as well

Will probably be 7+ added on

Buzz from Poch and the new start already gone . Will be another long drag of a season

Thought we would surely draw again with the chance wasting but looks like we are absolutely useless on both ends

Wow did not expect that but our defense has been quite terrible

Tbf who put Enzo on pen duty btw? He has never taken one really and this one was absolutely terrible. Knew from that weak ass run up he was gonna miss. Give Jackson a shot next time