Tiemoue Bakayoko

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

13 minutes ago, BlueLyon said:

I know Bakayoko is terrible, but just who would Conte play instead? Tell me?

Cesc? He is too slow for pivot, cant defend to save his life.

Drinkwater? Lol dude is average at best. He can do simple pass, but there is absolutely nothing special about him, no potential that he can actualy improve and make something of importance during the match. He doesnt have the ability to make things happen. That bandwagon after his fluke long goal that he should be starting games was truly beyond ridiculous, he is no where near our quality.

Bakayoko is awful too, but at least you can see a glimpse of something during the game like when he retrieves the ball brilliantly or goes for a run forward. I know he often fails and cant make the basics, but when it succeeds, it looks brilliant. At least there is potential that he can do something and probably he will improve in time, but perhaps not here.

We were crying for more squad depth and then we were signing second tier players like Drinkwater or Zappa with everyone saying its great, its just good backup, when in fact they were not worth even that. Now we have the bench, but this bench is so shit and average that it makes no difference if we had no bench because Conte doesnt want to rotate, those players on bench are simply too bad.

What we should do last summer was ditching some players not good enough like Matic, Alonso, Pedro and bring world class replacements WHILE keeping those three on bench. That would improve our first 11 AND bench would have quality options. But we bought average players and sold some good ones.

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.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

3 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Club should never have sold Matic. Lot of people complained about him being slow and having a restricted passing range but honestly I think he would be perfect in a 3 man MF with Kante and Cesc or another creative minded MF player. Matic would play a pass that would look easy but it would be quick and could take 2 or 3 players out the game at one time. Sure hes no Busquets but he was a key component last year. Think people severely underestimated his contribution because Kante was next to him. Like mentioned above Conte reportedly wanted Baka to ease into it eventually, while keeping Matic, may have been better, maybe not. Baka has been shockingly poor though.

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.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

18 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Club should never have sold Matic. Lot of people complained about him being slow and having a restricted passing range but honestly I think he would be perfect in a 3 man MF with Kante and Cesc or another creative minded MF player. Matic would play a pass that would look easy but it would be quick and could take 2 or 3 players out the game at one time. Sure hes no Busquets but he was a key component last year. 

Yeah I was saying we shouldnt just sell Diego and Matic despite people went on bandwagon they are apparently not good enough. Look where it got us.

28 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

You could put a under 16 grass roots player in there right now, he's be better than that sack of shit. Right now, and even he's been poor, but Drinkwater is not and will not be worse than Bakayoko. Drinkwater is nowhere our quality, your right, the problem being Bakayoko is nowhere Championship quality or even bench worthy or reserve worthy right now.

Thin squad gives us this problem, I mean a player can struggle, to but christ almighty, not to this extent we are seeing from Bakayoko, his form is absolutely indefensible. 

Baka is terrible indeed, but he still gives that presence like against United or even Atletico. Its not big example but its something.

There is much more wrong than Bakayoko with this team. The defence was beyond ridiculous yesterday with that Deulofeu and Perreira goals and was suspect last week and before too. We are unlucky, we dont have confidence and no organisation. Bakayoko reminds me of Pedro under Mou when we were a mess and then when we got organised, Pedro looked entirely different player. Bakayoko needs organised environment, but right now we are chaos.

There is soo much shit on Bakayoko, but the defence and attack havent been anyway better. We miss sitters, we shoot skyhigh, then in some games we cant even manage two passes in a row, not to mention the ridiculously static attack. Bakayoko is bad player, but not the only one. In that case everyone bar Kante, Eden, Christensen, Tibo and Azpi should be dropped immediately, they are no better than Bakayoko right now. Alonso scores some goals, but is shit everywhere else, Cesc samewise but makes a pass here and there, etc. You see where Im going, we have shit players everywhere but there some moments where they hide it in goals or assists, and escape harsh criticism, but in their core game, they are absolute shit. Baka, if he scored more goals, he wouldnt get as much blame for example, but its clear him and half of the squad is equaly terrible right now. But Bakayoko is young enough and IMO despite he indeed looks awful I would play him because there isnt anyone else. Drinkwater IMO isnt worse player, but he isnt better either. Literaly when he plays, it looks as if we have another body on the pitch just to be there. He does zero contribution to the team.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

26 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

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.

No he is not. Drinkwater isnt reliable player. He is just a passer every game he gets. There is nothing where he contributes to the team. In a reliable player, you expect him to do the basics right, but Drinkwater like everyone else made several wrong passes, and if you look at his attempts on goal, they all ended in public. He isnt composed player which makes a player reliable. Neither he has any emotional connection to this team to give extra energy just for the team. Neither he has the character.

Reliable players are usualy those who are past their best, not great in anything, but we talk about teams of Chelsea level and those players are still above average and have other qualities either leadership or character. Drinkwater is absolutely nothing of the mentioned and average for a top team, never mind good player.

If he was reliable, you would fell confortable when he has the ball, that he will make right pass and if everyone else around him panics, he will keep cool. If he gets in scoring chance or atempts on goal, you expect him to be accurate. What of that is Drinkwater?

Comparing someone with Bakayoko doesnt make them any better. Those two are same level, different qualities (or lack of) and Baka has at least potential. We urgently need someone in summer, but until then he is the one I would play ahead of Drinkwater. Neither contributes much to the team right now, but Baka might be in our plans for future, Drinks wont be.

[Special Juan 28,100]

17 minutes ago, BlueLyon said:

Yeah I was saying we shouldnt just sell Diego and Matic despite people went on bandwagon they are apparently not good enough. Look where it got us.

Baka is terrible indeed, but he still gives that presence like against United or even Atletico. Its not big example but its something.

There is much more wrong than Bakayoko with this team. The defence was beyond ridiculous yesterday with that Deulofeu and Perreira goals and was suspect last week and before too. We are unlucky, we dont have confidence and no organisation. Bakayoko reminds me of Pedro under Mou when we were a mess and then when we got organised, Pedro looked entirely different player. Bakayoko needs organised environment, but right now we are chaos.

There is soo much shit on Bakayoko, but the defence and attack havent been anyway better. We miss sitters, we shoot skyhigh, then in some games we cant even manage two passes in a row, not to mention the ridiculously static attack. Bakayoko is bad player, but not the only one. In that case everyone bar Kante, Eden, Christensen, Tibo and Azpi should be dropped immediately, they are no better than Bakayoko right now. Alonso scores some goals, but is shit everywhere else, Cesc samewise but makes a pass here and there, etc. You see where Im going, we have shit players everywhere but there some moments where they hide it in goals or assists, and escape harsh criticism, but in their core game, they are absolute shit. Baka, if he scored more goals, he wouldnt get as much blame for example, but its clear him and half of the squad is equaly terrible right now. But Bakayoko is young enough and IMO despite he indeed looks awful I would play him because there isnt anyone else. Drinkwater IMO isnt worse player, but he isnt better either. Literaly when he plays, it looks as if we have another body on the pitch just to be there. He does zero contribution to the team.

Your swaying from one debate to the other, your debating Bakayoko and then the team as a whole, the simple facts are, that right now, his game is nowhere near the level we need or require. There isn't too much shit on Bakayoko, he's getting exactly the treatment from fans (on forums Twitter etc) that his form warrants. Cahill the same and so on and so forth. 

The team as whole is broken, but this being the Bakayoko thread the spotlight is on him, and him alone is absolutely terrible. There is a lot bringing zero to this team right now, but nobody more than Bakayoko.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

18 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Your swaying from one debate to the other, your debating Bakayoko and then the team as a whole, the simple facts are, that right now, his game is nowhere near the level we need or require. There isn't too much shit on Bakayoko, he's getting exactly the treatment from fans (on forums Twitter etc) that his form warrants. Cahill the same and so on and so forth. 

The team as whole is broken, but this being the Bakayoko thread the spotlight is on him, and him alone is absolutely terrible. There is a lot bringing zero to this team right now, but nobody more than Bakayoko.

I know I was just saying while Bakayoko is shit, it wont make the squad any better if we put him out. Pedro, Matic were both terrible under Mou last season, but excellent last year.

My point is that Bakayoko himself isnt major problem to his form, but the team is. Any player would look shit in current form the team is.

Thats why IMO Bakayoko should play and hopefuly improves. Drinkwater IMO isnt any better plus he has no future here, Baka just might have.

[robsblubot 3,595]

6 minutes ago, BlueLyon said:

I know I was just saying while Bakayoko is shit, it wont make the squad any better if we put him out. Pedro, Matic were both terrible under Mou last season, but excellent last year.

My point is that Bakayoko himself isnt major problem to his form, but the team is. Any player would look shit in current form the team is.

Thats why IMO Bakayoko should play and hopefuly improves. Drinkwater IMO isnt any better plus he has no future here, Baka just might have.

heh move David Luiz into the midfield, which solves two problems: removes DL from defense and adds a players with an actual first touch, and good overall technique, in midfield. David Luiz is twice the player in any position, because he's just a far superior footballer. Better yet, switch to 4 midfielders so that you add DL and Fabregas can sit deep. Conte needs to wake the fuck up.

Would be very nice if Baka's issues were just positional awareness, decisions, or even attitude (which are DL weaknesses). however, his main limitation is complete lack of technique and there is no fixing that. I'm sure he can improve - can't really play any worse - but he will never be remotely good enough.

[Special Juan 28,100]

I absolutely love how when things go bad in the team we automatically go into this mode of shoving Luiz into midfield. Blokes a headless chicken in his own position never mid elsewhere, not only that but he looked broken after half an hour last night.

I mean we could put last night down to physical condition but our number 18 has played more than him in a space of a month and he was on the bench.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

The biggest scapegoat for season next to Conte. I mean the whole team is playing badly his flaws are getting lamented more.He is young and can improve but he can't if the whole team is playing like sh*t.

The whole team seems to be in a slump. It is surprising how so many blame Baka but yet Cahill seems get away with far less criticism *sigh*

[Special Juan 28,100]

1 minute ago, bluephoenix said:

The biggest scapegoat for season next to Conte. I mean the whole team is playing badly his flaws are getting lamented more.He is young and can improve but he can't if the whole team is playing like sh*t.

The whole team seems to be in a slump. It is surprising how so many blame Baka but yet Cahill seems get away with far less criticism *sigh*

Read around the forum, you will get a different view.

[robsblubot 3,595]

9 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

I absolutely love how when things go bad in the team we automatically go into this mode of shoving Luiz into midfield. Blokes a headless chicken in his own position never mid elsewhere, not only that but he looked broken after half an hour last night.

I mean we could put last night down to physical condition but our number 18 has played more than him in a space of a month and he was on the bench.

hah well he is (a headless chicken), but between two headless chickens, one with loads of technique (good short/long passing and first touch and shooting + goals) and another who can't actually play football, think it would still be a vast improvement until a proper replacement can be found.

Either way the manager needs to try different things to improve the team and the system - it is literally his job.

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

Real question:  Do you think that Conte keeps playing him to show the board how crap he is and that he really wanted to keep Matic?

[manpe 10,861]

3 minutes ago, Sideshow Luiz said:

Real question:  Do you think that Conte keeps playing him to show the board how crap he is and that he really wanted to keep Matic?

No. I think he plays him because he thinks he's the best option. He must be doing something right in training, but continually crumbles during games.

[lucio 5,418]

7 minutes ago, Sideshow Luiz said:

Real question:  Do you think that Conte keeps playing him to show the board how crap he is and that he really wanted to keep Matic?

I'd guess there is somebody behind him saying "you have to make him work"

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

1 minute ago, lucio said:

I'd guess there is somebody behind him saying "you have to make him work"

For how long?

3 minutes ago, manpe said:

No. I think he plays him because he thinks he's the best option. He must be doing something right in training, but continually crumbles during games.

The ball doesn't go down to the other end of the pitch when he touches it in training?

I'll be honest, I was excited for him to come.  I thought he was going to be new-era Essien with runs through midfield.  His first match was his high point.

With our current transfer "strategy" we can't really afford to whiff on any players.

There's a sequel to the first video up on youtube: