Magic Lamps

giroud looks even more like a paintbrush now^^

if grioud only had a right foot

we don't need a midfield, we got Giroud.

krychowiak was the player i wanted us to sign instead of baka and drinkwater

some great football this. deserved goal. we are looking miles better than last week

how did giroud not score this. should be 2 goals and a man up already

wba's plan today is definitely to score first and let us panic but they will run out of steam if they continue like this

I know he is not well loved here but Zappacosta is a powerful runner, always beats at least one defender and should have forced a red card here

tt's not confidence. It's his game. He is scoring the same poacher's goals he has been scoring for us. A team that creates chances for the striker and does not require him to create his own will get one of the best fox-in-the-box striker in Europe in Batshauyi. Dortmund have struggled with poor finishing with Aubameyang but they always created enough chances. Now they have a superior finisher. I would have expected Bats to flourish here if we for one would play with more than 3 attacking players of which Pedro/Willian can not really be considered full attackers with the amount of defensive work they do + their offensive output is erraic. Look at Dortmund's lineup. They startet with 5 genuine attacker. Kagawa and Reus in a 3 man midfield, Schürrle and Pulisic as wingers. Small wonder Dortmund create more chances than us.

Try something new for one. I guess christensen is still out so -------------Tibo------------- Azpi--Luiz--Rüdiger--Emerson ------Kante----Drinkwater------- Willian-Hazard-Giroud-Hudson-Odoi will take anyone by surprise. I think 4 defenders and 2 dms will offer enough protection + loads of pace in the wide positions.

I think he means the goalkeeper COACH which we changed to accomodate Tibo.

I feel exactly the same. It is crazy that this guy has just turned 17 in November. What we have seen from him is not too special compared to cameos of other academy products but you have to put it in perspective that usually our academy graduates first start for us when they are their early 20ies.But Hudson Odoi looks just as comfortable on the ball, confident on the field and particularly in his body than talents 4,5 years older than him. Usually 17 year olds no matte rhow quick or talented are lanky lads still moving a bit awkward. Even Ronaldo at 17 was a scrawny kid appearing to fall over with every stepover. Hudson-Odoi looks like he has been playing pro football for years already. I only hope he does not grow even bigger which might affect his agility. I really hoep we for once do not fuck this up.

That's true. But I still doubt we will shed out David Luiz and Cahill. But if our board magically came to senses, De Vrij would be a graet aquisition. Such a talented player and he has come back from his horrible injuries every time.

I have to disagree. Bailey is much younger than either and plays in a better league. He is faster than both and probably physically more robust. Even when he has an unlucky game like yesterday he will still try and impose himself upon the game, whilst the other two usually disappear from games when they have an off-day (I admit i have not seen that much of fekir so i could be wrong in his case). Sure fekir and maybe even lemar are the more accomplished players but I see way higher potential in Bailey. He reminds me of young Salah but stronger and more composed than Salah was at this age. I told you it was a mistake to sell Salah, now by buying Bailey we have the chance to make it undone.

But he gave his best years to us didn't he? I think he is not getting any better. He is in his 28th year. Real will get a declining players it is a miracle how we kept him for so long. They bought Ronaldo at 24 and Bale at 25. He played tons and tons of games already and with all his injuries I doubt he has the longevity of Ronaldo, both physically and mentally. He does not have the same hunger nor the discipline to stay in shape at all times, is injured more often. It already appears to me that he has lost a bit of pace compared to a few years ago. Keep him one more year and I am not even sure Real will still be interested.

Other than most wingers he can cross but he still lacks a lot. ONly marginal contributions today. Not quite the level Hazard hat before he joined us. was lucky not to get sent off but unlucky not to score with a freekick.

what is that story with his kids in Madrid? Is his ex-gf the only legal custodian or why can't he have the kids in London from time to time. Maybe he enjoys being a part-time dad, only being missed and embraced when back whilst his ex has to put on with all the trouble little kids make...anyway, he revealed he will sign so that is best news. Maybe we can keep him a year or too and then sell him for 100m+ to Real, that would be a good deal. We would get a decent replacement. Tibo is probably top 10 gk in the world but nothing more, nowhere near as good as peak Cech and we can with some ambition find a better long term replacement.

The problem was Matic was not really giving a shit anymore and his attitude made him even worse. At Utd he is no world beater but he at least gives a damn. I don't know why, Conte really trusted him but Matic's attitude cost us. His performance in the fA Cup final was absolutely Bakayoko-worthy. Still, Drinkwater and Bakayoko were both horrible replacements for him. Either would have been fine as additional options at that time provided a world class cm would have been signed but both and no one else for 75m was typical board, signing average players for too much money.

That is exactly correct. He is average, mid-table level player which is still 10times better than Bakayoko on current form. We do not need to improve players right now but get the head out of the gutter. We don't need someone to look brilliant we need someone to be average but reliable. Look at all the chances Bakayoko has got whilst Drinkwater has not really got a shot compared to that.

i think that is actually the best time to implement it. 4-2-4 usually requires the wide attackers to stay wide. Hazard is not really perfectly utilised in that system. but i could imagine leon bailey in that role

I would be all for that, that is actually a great lineup even though we can not realize it just now because of all the injuries. The decision to introduce the back 3 was right last seaso and now it is the right time to reverse it, as people know how to deal with it: peck the wingbacks back to and get behind the midfield in numbers than there will be loads of space due to cahill's backing off and lack of pace as well as Bakayokos lack of positional intelligence, late tackling, defensive workroate or simply not being fit to play football at any level. We got way too many defenders on the field and still our centre is weak. Conte showed balls introdocing the back 3 as first manager in England, now he needs to have the balls to introduce a new system. Watford and Bournemouth dominated us because they found us out. They stopped the supply to hazard or stopped him controlling the ball, pressurized the wingbacks attacking with two players on one side, gave Bakayoko no time to breath and played balls behind cahill. Even the shittiest teams can mimic that and unless we drastically change formation and at least get bakayoko and cahill out of the team there is nothing we can do about it.

I first thought we we talking about Dortmund's Max Philipp who actually would be a sensible signing but then I realized Philipp Max is a different person^^ Anyway stay clear from the rip-off shop Augsburg^^

If we keep him after watford at least we honour the tradition to sack managers after games vs West brom

mike dean is such a turd

60 mins too late