closed RB Salzburg 3-5 Chelsea

[Stats 6,980]

5 hours ago, LAM09 said:

I'm still of the train of thought that Pasalic would have been a better option all round but here we are.

Kovacic is a better player. Pasalic has an eye for goal and that is that. It would of been good to see him given a chance but even for Croatia, Pasalic gets in the squad but has rarely played. Kovacic is preferred over Pasalic. Kovacic is rotated for national team himself but is picked more than Pasalic. Pasalsic has started more games for Atalanta over last season but again is not a guaranteed start in the team. Kovacic would be a guaranteed starter in that Atalanta team who over-achieved last season.

[LAM09 6,548]

Kovacic is a better player. Pasalic has an eye for goal and that is that. It would of been good to see him given a chance but even for Croatia, Pasalic gets in the squad but has rarely played. Kovacis is preferred over Pasalic. Kovacic is rotated for national team himself but is picked more than Pasalic. Pasalsic has started more games for Atalanta over last season but again is not a guaranteed start in the team. Kovacic would be a guaranteed starter in that Atalanta team who over-achieved last season.

Kovacic wasn't let go by Madrid for fun. Things look rosey right now, but it was £40m we didn't need to desperately spent IMO.

Pasalic will be playing in the CL this season, so it will be interesting to see what excuses will be brought up should the inevitable happen.

[Stats 6,980]

8 hours ago, LAM09 said:

Kovacic wasn't let go by Madrid for fun. Things look rosey right now, but it was £40m we didn't need to desperately spent IMO.

Pasalic will be playing in the CL this season, so it will be interesting to see what excuses will be brought up should the inevitable happen.

Kante not fully fit. RLC injured. Also with the football we are trying to play, useful addition. Very good and creating space in tight areas too. Let's face it, they have had bigger names than Kovacic who they have let go for fun. If Jovic has a bad season they will probably ship him on too. Ceballos, ship him on. Real Madrid will always do that. Does not concern me.

[BXL70 395]

I am impressed by Ross Barkley as an attacking midfielder, not just because of the pre-season: he is strong, can break the lines, can deliver outstanding assists, and score goals by shooting from distance. He will learn a lot from Frank who was playing in a kind of similar role. I hope he will be in our starting XI. I would also prefer to have Emerson instead of Alonso.

 

[Tomo 21,681]

8 hours ago, Jason said:

The thing is, we have better defenders now than Klopp did back then and unlike Liverpool, we had defensive/pragmatic managers for years. So, the defending bit shouldn't be an alien thing for us but that has like disappeared since Conte left.

Someone pointed out above that we had a decent defensive record under Sarri but that's more down to the possession football style of his. We kept the ball a lot and prevented opponents from coming at us consistently. That said, there were a number of games where we looked defensively shambolic. 

Tbh apart from the 13 game winning run and about a month after Christensen's introduction for Luiz i don't particularly think we were that great defensively under Conte  (we went on our longest run without a clean sheet in 2 decades under him shortly after that run).

The only time ive felt comfortable with our defense in the Hazard, Azpi era was the second half of Mou's first season back.

[Vesper 27,317]

4 hours ago, Stats said:

Kovacic is a better player. Pasalic has an eye for goal and that is that. It would of been good to see him given a chance but even for Croatia, Pasalic gets in the squad but has rarely played. Kovacis is preferred over Pasalic. Kovacic is rotated for national team himself but is picked more than Pasalic. Pasalsic has started more games for Atalanta over last season but again is not a guaranteed start in the team. Kovacic would be a guaranteed starter in that Atalanta team who over-achieved last season.

Agreed

I was pushing for Pasalic months ago to get a hard look (and that was also to do with Donkeywater and Donkeybaka) when I was unsure we could sign Kovacic, but overall would take Kovacic in a flash over him. The only thing Mateo doesn't do is score a lot (well none so far for us) but he offers so much more in most other facets. So happy we bought him, he is a class player and a good bloke.

[LAM09 6,548]

4 hours ago, Stats said:

Kante not fully fit. RLC injured. Also with the football we are trying to play, useful addition. Very good and creating space in tight areas too. Let's face it, they have had bigger names than Kovacic who they have let go for fun. If Jovic has a bad season they will probably ship him on too. Ceballos, ship him on. Real Madrid will always do tat. Does not concern me.

We bought him because he was the only option. It doesn't mean it was good business, but I'll give him another season to see if he can offer more in the final third than Mikel.

[Vesper 27,317]

4 hours ago, Stats said:

Kante not fully fit. RLC injured. Also with the football we are trying to play, useful addition. Very good and creating space in tight areas too. Let's face it, they have had bigger names than Kovacic who they have let go for fun. If Jovic has a bad season they will probably ship him on too. Ceballos, ship him on. Real Madrid will always do tat. Does not concern me.

The ironic thing is, they way their midfield is playing atm, they sure could use Kovacic, lolol

Madrid is a bloody mess atm. If Casemiro or Varane go down injured, they are absolutely fucked.

[Stats 6,980]

3 hours ago, LAM09 said:

We bought him because he was the only option. It doesn't mean it was good business, but I'll give him another season to see if he can offer more in the final third than Mikel.

I think it was a transfer we had to make. Lamps also gave his approval to the move. Also, I think Kovacic will play in a double pivot. He has that ability to roam forward etc but all depends how Lamps uses him. I think after another season he will knock on and I don't think he was no way near as bad as people made him out last season.

[Jase 43,479]

18 minutes ago, Stats said:

I think after another season he will kock on

Weird way to put it but okay...

[Vesper 27,317]

20 minutes ago, Jason said:

Weird way to put it but okay...

[MoroccanBlue 5,199]

Barkley should build on it. First on the training pitch and last to leave 

[BlueLyon 9,359]

10 hours ago, Stats said:

It is really frustrating to see how fans have such knee-jerk reactions. It just takes a couple of games or so for a player to perform and fans suddenly realise that maybe the player is quite good and has a lot of ability. I have long been a fan of Kovacic and was bemused by the majority of fans who were so against signing him. Suddenly is playing good in pre-season and Eureka! Same goes to Barkley too. Most fans trash talk him and write him off until he shows a few good games in pre-season. This is why I wish some of us would just be patient and allow a player to grow. Look how much people have taken to Jorginho after slating him off then he suddenly starts to settle and look good. 

Patience is a virtue. Kovacic has always been a talented player. Barkley is talented too.

If anything, people should take pre season more lightly. If someone performs, it doesnt mean they are now super talented or anything like that.

Lets wait if they deliver in the regular season.

I have criticised Barkley, Kovacic, even Jorginho and I have not changed my mind about them just because they have good pre season. 

If they deliver through the year, then I will gladly eat my words.

[Stats 6,980]

20 minutes ago, BlueLyon said:

If anything, people should take pre season more lightly. If someone performs, it doesnt mean they are now super talented or anything like that.

Lets wait if they deliver in the regular season.

I have criticised Barkley, Kovacic, even Jorginho and I have not changed my mind about them just because they have good pre season. 

If they deliver through the year, then I will gladly eat my words.

But people do and will continue to do so. Then will easily turn on players. Jorginho definitely improved towards the end of the season and looked like the player we saw at the initial stage of the season. But, either way all are solid players and are useful squad members. None of those players are deadwood. Just shows fans lack patience and rather than supporting players, they would rather right them off.