Super Frank Thread

[NikkiCFC 7,944]

1 minute ago, El P. said:

I think it's clear now that we cannot leave Jorginho on the bench. He is just too important to us. Kovacic and Kante too.

We really need to play 4-3-3 and do whatever it takes to make it work, because our midfield is so dominant like that, one of the best in the world. It even provides a lot of cover for our defense, compared to 4-2-3-1.

So, let's bring more fire-power upfront, play 4-3-3 and call it a day.

Exactly, this midfield three would be perfect if we have PSG or Liverpool front three. Unfortunately we don't. That may change with Sancho and Werner. 

[El P. 1,354]

3 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Exactly, this midfield three would be perfect if we have PSG or Liverpool front three. Unfortunately we don't. That may change with Sancho and Werner. 

And not only that - if we had some better side-back (either left or right) it would help us a lot! Sancho and some attacking LB would solve us a lot of problems.

[Jase 43,479]

5 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

I'm sorry but I can't give him credit for the changes he made because he should started like that. 

It's like Champions league final for example Barcelona 0:1 down Messi comes in from the bench with 10 minutes to go, scores two goals and people say Valverde is mastermind? No, he should start with Messi of course! 

Lampard corrects his mistakes and early at that, gets criticized. Lampard doesn't correct his mistakes, gets criticized. 🤷‍♂️

Don't think anyone agreed with the starting XI at all but for argument's sake, let's say if it had worked, then what? I mean, nobody thought Lampard would have rolled out the back 3 last weekend at Spurs, which was questioned pre-game, and we steamrolled Spurs in the end. 

I guess the frustration here with Lampard is he has made a lot of questionable choices of late and today's just kinda compounded the doubts. If there had been less of that and he started the back 3 today but changed it as he did, then I'm sure the reaction would have been different here. 

[Jase 43,479]

12 minutes ago, El P. said:

I think it's clear now that we cannot leave Jorginho on the bench. He is just too important to us. Kovacic and Kante too.

We really need to play 4-3-3 and do whatever it takes to make it work, because our midfield is so dominant like that, one of the best in the world. It even provides a lot of cover for our defense, compared to 4-2-3-1.

So, let's bring more fire-power upfront, play 4-3-3 and call it a day.

The 4-3-3 doesn't always work. Remember the basketball game at Valencia? We dominated much of the game today and didn't look like scoring until Arsenal remembered they were Arsenal. And it wasn't 4-3-3 all the way anyway. Kovacic came off in the 70th minute and we still dominated with Jorginho-Kante-Mount in a 4-2-3-1. 

[ZaynChelsea 423]

Just please keep a hold of the Top 4 and everyone will be happy.

Sancho + defenders and we are ready to go lol

[milka 3,346]

Massive tactical comeback from Frank .

Nobody of Sarri  or Conte  can do  this . For Sure . 

[El P. 1,354]

1 minute ago, Jason said:

The 4-3-3 doesn't always work. Remember the basketball game at Valencia? We dominated much of the game today and didn't look like scoring until Arsenal remembered they were Arsenal. And it wasn't 4-3-3 all the way anyway. Kovacic came off in the 70th minute and we still dominated with Jorginho-Kante-Mount. 

Neither formation doesn't always work, but we can have world-class squad playing 4-3-3 with 2 new players, if you ask me.

I think it was Willian's, Mount's and Abraham's job today to provide penetration, and they didn't deliver until late in the game. I am not blaming Kovacic, Jorginho and Kante for our lack of penetration, because they all did their job as they should. Our most advanced players didn't.

 Anyway, what do you suggest, how should we play?

[killer1257 3,282]

Neither formation doesn't always work, but we can have world-class squad playing 4-3-3 with 2 new players, if you ask me.
I think it was Willian's, Mount's and Abraham's job today to provide penetration, and they didn't deliver until late in the game. I am not blaming Kovacic, Jorginho and Kante for our lack of penetration, because they all did their job as they should. Our most advanced players didn't.
 Anyway, what do you suggest, how should we play?

4-3-3 is the way to go, especially when RLC is back.


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[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, El P. said:

Neither formation doesn't always work, but we can have world-class squad playing 4-3-3 with 2 new players, if you ask me.

I think it was Willian's, Mount's and Abraham's job today to provide penetration, and they didn't deliver until late in the game. I am not blaming Kovacic, Jorginho and Kante for our lack of penetration, because they all did their job as they should. Our most advanced players didn't.

 Anyway, what do you suggest, how should we play?

Based on our current squad, I don't think the 4-3-3 is all that great as a default choice. In theory, the trio of Jorginho-Kovacic-Kante can help dominate matches but they don't provide much goal threat, if at all, and their creativity is questionable. Jorginho only score penalties while Kovacic and Kante only score once in a blue moon. With that kind of midfield, there's just too much (unnecessary) pressure on the front 3 to do all the creating and scoring. The reason why the 4-3-3 worked so well for us a decade ago was because we had Lampard, Ballack, Essien etc, who contributed goals and assists regularly, in addition to the front 3. What do I like though at the moment is that we have lots of midfield options, allowing us to play 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or some other kind of formation. For the time being at least, 4-2-3-1 works best IMO but we can tweak it depending on the opposition we play. 

[El P. 1,354]

12 minutes ago, Jason said:

Based on our current squad, I don't think the 4-3-3 is all that great as a default choice. In theory, the trio of Jorginho-Kovacic-Kante can help dominate matches but they don't provide much goal threat, if at all, and their creativity is questionable. Jorginho only score penalties while Kovacic and Kante only score once in a blue moon. With that kind of midfield, there's just too much (unnecessary) pressure on the front 3 to do all the creating and scoring. The reason why the 4-3-3 worked so well for us a decade ago was because we had Lampard, Ballack, Essien etc, who contributed goals and assists regularly, in addition to the front 3. What do I like though at the moment is that we have lots of midfield options, allowing us to play 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or some other kind of formation. For the time being at least, 4-2-3-1 works best IMO but we can tweak it depending on the opposition we play. 

And in the past, with Lampard, we also had all Maloudas and Joe Coles of this world - wingers which are usually not scoring more than 10 goals per season. Also, Ballack never scored more than 9 goals per season, Essien never more than 6 (so same as Kante). So I guess everyone scored 7-11 goals (except Lamps and Drogs).

I think we can have situation where Kova, Kante and Jorginho all have let's say 6 goals each, and wingers 15-17.

I am thinking more about the future here, but agree that we sometimes need to play 4-2-3-1 with Mount as #10.

EDIT: Kovacic scored 8 goals for Inter Milan in his last season, I think he is capable of doing that with us too.

[Tomo 21,733]

1 hour ago, NikkiCFC said:

I'm sorry but I can't give him credit for the changes he made because he should started like that. 

It's like Champions league final for example Barcelona 0:1 down Messi comes in from the bench with 10 minutes to go, scores two goals and people say Valverde is mastermind? No, he should start with Messi of course! 

For a finished article manager I'd agree but for a manager in his formative years learning all the time i say it's a very promising sign he can not only rectify such a catastrophic mistake but turn it into a performance where Arsenal could barely get the ball.

[Jase 43,479]

18 minutes ago, El P. said:

And in the past, with Lampard, we also had all Maloudas and Joe Coles of this world - wingers which are usually not scoring more than 10 goals per season. Also, Ballack never scored more than 9 goals per season, Essien never more than 6 (so same as Kante). So I guess everyone scored 7-11 goals (except Lamps and Drogs).

Malouda had 9 goals and 9 assists in 2008/09, 15 goals and 15 assists in 2009/10 and 14 goals and 5 assists in 2010/11. 

Cole had his injuries and inconsistencies but he had 9 goals in 2004/05, 11 in 2005/06 and 10 in 2007/08. (too lazy to check the Assist stats, sorry. )

We also had Anelka on the RW when Drogba was playing and he scored at least 15 goals in 3 of his 4 seasons with the club.

18 minutes ago, El P. said:

I think we can have situation where Kova, Kante and Jorginho all have let's say 6 goals each, and wingers 15-17.

Kante, maybe but his goals still feel like a once in a blue moon occasion.

Kovacic? Good luck with that, because in 10 previous seasons as a footballer, he scored more than 2 goals only TWICE - in 2011/12 with Dinamo Zagreb and 2014/15 with Inter - and he recently went like 2 years without a goal before his strike at Valencia.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is the Jorginho-Kovacic-Kante just doesn't give the confidence that there will be consistent goals (and assists) coming from them and maybe I'm just remembering the better times of past teams, but the midfield we had from a decade ago had more goal threat about them. Lampard, Ballack, Essien etc were more of a natural goalscorer (okay, maybe not Essien) than Jorginho, Kovacic, Kante etc. 

[1905didierblue 748]

So are we sacking him? Are people's contingency plans ready? 

[MoroccanBlue 5,297]

1 minute ago, 1905didierblue said:

So are we sacking him? Are people's contingency plans ready? 

There was no question that the players we have currently are not good enough. Lampard's game management was questionable but if there are signs of improvement, this at the very least can give the whole club some reassurances. 

Regardless, sacking him before we strengthen the squad that desperately needs strengthening is madness. 

[1905didierblue 748]

6 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

There was no question that the players we have currently are not good enough. Lampard's game management was questionable but if there are signs of improvement, this at the very least can give the whole club some reassurances. 

Regardless, sacking him before we strengthen the squad that desperately needs strengthening is madness. 

It was a sarcastic comment on some of the posters on here mate. I love sfl and for me, he should be our manager for the next season, no matter what happens between now and the end of the season.

He has already shown to be a great manager with a par squad. If he actually get a 200m war chest, he can do wonders. A couple of players here and there. And we would be quite good and for me, then and only then can we really judge him

 

[Tomo 21,733]

18 minutes ago, Jason said:

Malouda had 9 goals and 9 assists in 2008/09, 15 goals and 15 assists in 2009/10 and 14 goals and 5 assists in 2010/11. 

He seriously scored than many in 10/11? I swear he was diabolical every time he played.

[Tomo 21,733]

3 minutes ago, 1905didierblue said:

It was a sarcastic comment on some of the posters on here mate. I love sfl and for me, he should be our manager for the next season, no matter what happens between now and the end of the season.

He has already shown to be a great manager with a par squad. If he actually get a 200m war chest, he can do wonders. A couple of players here and there. And we would be quite good and for me, then and only then can we really judge him

 

To add further, with the way Frank is building the squad even if he ultimately turns out to not be a title winning manager he'd leave a competitive squad for a manager that is.

At absolute worst we have a Ranieri esque situation with Lamps.

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, Tomo said:

He seriously scored than many in 10/11? I swear he was diabolical every time he played.

Yes, he did. 

https://www.transfermarkt.com/florent-malouda/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/5461/plus/0?saison=2010&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=