Can already see the difference

[eldo 868]

The commentator said during the game 'the manager changes but the players always stay the same'.

It is absolute insanity starting a game with Kalou and expecting him to play well.

It will take some time for AVB to make his own team.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Same players, sane formation, same performances.

There is nothing to elaborate as we are continuing the end season form.

The only difference is Fernando Torres who infact is playing much better in a Shit team and has no support.

Ah okay cool. I thought you mean you were laughing at people who were saying similar to you.

But AVB is changing the team to his style, it will take a while as Eldo says. He's already buying young players to make up his team.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Jesus all the pessimism, we have Danny returning from suspension Lukaku, Romeu and hopefully Modric, Mata and with any luck more, yes we have made a slow start but could have done a lot worse.

I don't think anyone's writing off our title chances

[Ollie 4,400]

Theres no difference really. Todays game was as shit as our home games against Bolton, Wolves, Fulham and Wigan last season whereas our away game last week was good a bit like how we played at Sunderland, Bolton and West Brom although we failed to win, we played some great football. Sometimes you'll play well and sometimes you wont. Happens to everyone but you wont play shit or well every week. So far we got unlucky in one match and got lucky in the other so it's 'fair' as of now.

[Styles 9,790]

It will take some time for AVB to make his own team.

Fair enough. I'm just sick and tired of seeing the same style of boring, uncreative sideways football.

[manpe 10,861]

I am not a tactical expert by far, but maybe, just MAYBE 4-3-3 doesn't suit our set of players? 4-3-3 needs specific type of players and I think we lack them. Yes, we were killing with 4-3-3 when we had some creativity and explosiveness back in the days, but I don't think this formation has benefited us much in the past few years (except for the year before last, but I don't remember if we played only 4-3-3, I think we had some 4-4-2 going on?). Maybe we shouldn't be so stubborn at our formation and change our team accordingly... if we don't have wingers (let's face it, we don't), then it's nonsense to play 4-3-3... Unless AVB gets players to play in that system, which the likes of Mata and Modric are, Sturridge still has to prove himself as a winger in EPL. I just feel with the current set of players 4-3-3 is forced upon the team... it shows in that some players are unable to hold their position and certain areas just don't click with each other.. for example we have players making runs, but nobody passing there. We have players passing into zones, but nobody running there... these kind of geling problems make a big difference.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I am not a tactical expert by far, but maybe, just MAYBE 4-3-3 doesn't suit our set of players? 4-3-3 needs specific type of players and I think we lack them. Yes, we were killing with 4-3-3 when we had some creativity and explosiveness back in the days, but I don't think this formation has benefited us much in the past few years (except for the year before last, but I don't remember if we played only 4-3-3, I think we had some 4-4-2 going on?). Maybe we shouldn't be so stubborn at our formation and change our team accordingly... if we don't have wingers (let's face it, we don't), then it's nonsense to play 4-3-3... Unless AVB gets players to play in that system, which the likes of Mata and Modric are, Sturridge still has to prove himself as a winger in EPL. I just feel with the current set of players 4-3-3 is forced upon the team... it shows in that some players are unable to hold their position and certain areas just don't click with each other.. for example we have players making runs, but nobody passing there. We have players passing into zones, but nobody running there... these kind of geling problems make a big difference.

You make good points.

But I'm still sure Villas-Boas will figure out a winning formula. He's a good tactician and he's getting used to this league as each game goes.. If 4-3-3 doesn't work anymore, he will know when to change it

[warnie_666 1,081]

Ah okay cool. I thought you mean you were laughing at people who were saying similar to you.

But AVB is changing the team to his style, it will take a while as Eldo says. He's already buying young players to make up his team.

True, but the Thread Title to be more specific, makes me Lol. Cus there aint no difference yet.

[Ollie 4,400]

4-3-3 works if we have the players for that formation. We clearly don't. 4-4-2 is the best formation with the players we have i think.

[Henrique 9,133]

Elaborate..

There is 0 difference from last season. Same formation, same players, same playing style, same boring and slow game, Torres playing like a 8m player and then dropping him for Driogba in the second half.

Its too early to evaluate Villas Boas job, but for me he is not trying anything different as he did in some games during pre-season. Basically he is doing the same things Carlo did in the awful last season.

I hope things start to change as long as the new singings start to play.

[manpe 10,861]

4-3-3 works if we have the players for that formation. We clearly don't.

Exactly my point in short

[Henrique 9,133]

Ah okay cool. I thought you mean you were laughing at people who were saying similar to you. But AVB is changing the team to his style, it will take a while as Eldo says. He's already buying young players to make up his team.

Tell how you already see any difference in style...for me its really difficult to change a playing style with same players and same formation.

[Madmax 9,219]

We were nothing short of awful with the 4-4-2 experiment in the middle of last season.

AvB mentioned in his post match presser that we went to a diamond after Kalou was taken off. Atleast he's willing to change things that aren't working.

[warnie_666 1,081]

I am not a tactical expert by far, but maybe, just MAYBE 4-3-3 doesn't suit our set of players? 4-3-3 needs specific type of players and I think we lack them. Yes, we were killing with 4-3-3 when we had some creativity and explosiveness back in the days, but I don't think this formation has benefited us much in the past few years (except for the year before last, but I don't remember if we played only 4-3-3, I think we had some 4-4-2 going on?). Maybe we shouldn't be so stubborn at our formation and change our team accordingly... if we don't have wingers (let's face it, we don't), then it's nonsense to play 4-3-3... Unless AVB gets players to play in that system, which the likes of Mata and Modric are, Sturridge still has to prove himself as a winger in EPL. I just feel with the current set of players 4-3-3 is forced upon the team... it shows in that some players are unable to hold their position and certain areas just don't click with each other.. for example we have players making runs, but nobody passing there. We have players passing into zones, but nobody running there... these kind of geling problems make a big difference.

4-3-3 doesnt suit us? Whats next? Drogba cant play as Target Man?

These players have played 4-3-3 and have flourished in 4-3-3. When this team was flourishing in 4-3-3 guess who was pulling the strings in the midfield?

Yes, Frank Lampard. Guess who has been dire in the midfield for past season and the previous two games? Frank Lampard. To say that we cant play 4-3-3 is Stupid. Wescored Goals galore in that formation and everytime we played well in 4-3- Frank was in top form.

At the moment Frank is not the same player. Last season we missed him and his creativity. And past two games has been the same issue.

We need a midfielder who can pull the strings and control the game from the midfield.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Tell how you already see any difference in style...for me its really difficult to change a playing style with same players and same formation.

Yeah, it's not evident at the moment. I was referring to that Telegraph or Guardian article where Villas-Boas talked about emphasis on off the ball tactics and making use of the full space of the pitch (which can be seen when the team spreads out)

[eldo 868]

Watch Porto vs Benfica, the night when Porto won the title...

[manpe 10,861]

We need a midfielder who can pull the strings and control the game from the midfield.

So all that talk and you came to the same conclusion as I did. It's not a coincidence that AVB is looking to add to the squad for it to be more fluent in 4-3-3 and that we are not connecting anymore as we used to back when our players were at their peak.

[warnie_666 1,081]

So all that talk and you came to the same conclusion as I did. It's not a coincidence that AVB is looking to add to the squad for it to be more fluent in 4-3-3 and that we are not connecting anymore as we used to back when our players were at their peak.

You mentioned our players were never suited for 4-3-3. I said they are suited for 4-3-3 its just that Lampard has lost his form and we need one midfielder in the middle who can dictate the play