closed Chelsea 1-1 Everton

[Superblue 6,372]

3 minutes ago, Pizy said:

We have no player in our entire squad that can deliver magical quality on even a semi consistent basis. If we had a player or two who produced top quality every other game we’d be so much better off. Ziyech, Pulisic, Havertz, and CHO are like 1 in 8 game players. Lukaku and Werner even worse this season. 
 

Contrast that with the two above us. They each have literally 5-6 players who can play to a world class level attacking wise. 

People said it for years, but ironically this group and manager are what Hazard could really have done being surrounded by. And on top of that, this group needs the player that Hazard was at Chelsea.

[Vesper 30,202]

2 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

People said it for years, but ironically this group and manager are what Hazard could really have done being surrounded by. And on top of that, this group needs the player that Hazard was at Chelsea.

prime Hazard would be INSANE on this squad, and Tuchel would have drilled it into him to play better defence and to take better care of his body I think

[Jase 43,479]

40 minutes ago, Pizy said:

We have no player in our entire squad that can deliver magical quality on even a semi consistent basis. If we had a player or two who produced top quality every other game we’d be so much better off. Ziyech, Pulisic, Havertz, and CHO are like 1 in 8 game players. Lukaku and Werner even worse this season. 
 

Contrast that with the two above us. They each have literally 5-6 players who can play to a world class level attacking wise. 

Ironically, Werner and Lukaku still have more goals than those other players you mentioned. Could go on a bit more but I'll stop there.

Also, am starting to wonder if we're having too many attacking options for our own good. We complain so much about those players not being consistent but, we constantly chop and change those players (when everyone is available) without them having any sort of chance to get any sort of consistency. 

Liverpool have mainly only 3-4 attackers. City have as many as us, I think, but a lot of their players are quite similar and interchangeable. The same can't be said about ours. Only Pulisic and CHO are arguably similar. The rest aren't. So every time we chop and change the front 3, the attacking plays can be different, disjointed etc. 

[Jase 43,479]

6 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

People said it for years, but ironically this group and manager are what Hazard could really have done being surrounded by. And on top of that, this group needs the player that Hazard was at Chelsea.

Things haven't gone well since THAT comment of yours. lol

[Vesper 30,202]

1 minute ago, Vesper said:

prime Hazard would be INSANE on this squad, and Tuchel would have drilled it into him to play better defence and to take better care of his body I think

then again, imagine if we also had De Bruyne, Salah, and perhaps even Rice (although that is very speculative for him)

sigh

[Superblue 6,372]

2 minutes ago, Vesper said:

prime Hazard would be INSANE on this squad, and Tuchel would have drilled it into him to play better defence and to take better care of his body I think

It's no surprise that individually his best season was probably under Sarri where he played for a manager who was at least trying to play a higher possession, more positive style. The Hazard before he left for Real Madrid would be the X factor for this team and just help open everything up. Unfortunately a player like Hazard doesn't just come around on a regular basis.

[cosmicway 1,333]

We are supposed to have the cream of Europe and we failed only with Haaland for the known reasons.
It's not transfer ban year.
Today I did n't expect this mainly because Everton are such a poor side,
I think covid is to blame by some 80%.

 

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

It's no surprise that individually his best season was probably under Sarri where he played for a manager who was at least trying to play a higher possession, more positive style.

But didn't Sarri say that Hazard would practically go do his own things instead of doing what Sarri wanted? Hazard did deliver the performances but managers did have to make concession with their system etc. 

[Fulham Broadway 17,320]

Ridiculous first half  -then again not for us. Chances so many, could have killed the game in the first 10 minutes -just didnt have our shooting boots on

[Laylabelle 9,535]

1 minute ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Ridiculous first half  -then again not for us. Chances so many, could have killed the game in the first 10 minutes -just didnt have our shooting boots on

I dont think we have shooting boots recently..we have missing and frustrating boots! The first half wasn't back! I thought we'd create more not go back to crappyness.

Another..one of those games..seem to be often these days

[Superblue 6,372]

2 minutes ago, Jase said:

Things haven't gone well since THAT comment of yours. lol

Yeah hasn't gone well!

I don't agree with the house falling down just yet though. We've not just been ravaged with absences but they seem to be bunched into the same areas of the pitch. Look how vulnerable Liverpool were last season when they had a similar issue with their defence. 

People talk about squad depth but there's players vital to our system and the replacements in the squad just aren't good enough. Losing Kante/Kovacic and Chilwell has taken a significant chunk of energy and drive from our midfield/wing back positions which for me is the most critical area of the pitch with the way we play under Tuchel. We have legs to swarm and press, but also quality with the ball to control and dominate a game. With those players out we've looked completely one paced and lacklustre. No press resistance, and not good enough to press without the ball.

[Superblue 6,372]

5 minutes ago, Jase said:

But didn't Sarri say that Hazard would practically go do his own things instead of doing what Sarri wanted? Hazard did deliver the performances but managers did have to make concession with their system etc. 

Sarri's system was nowhere near as flexible as Tuchel's though. He put up with it like Jose and Conte before him, because Hazard could create or score in tight games, whereas I think Tuchel would have embraced a player like that. I think being one of the three attack minded players in Tuchel's system and given the freedom to drift and play across the pitch would have benefited him. 

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, Superblue_1986 said:

Yeah hasn't gone well!

I don't agree with the house falling down just yet though. We've not just been ravaged with absences but they seem to be bunched into the same areas of the pitch. Look how vulnerable Liverpool were last season when they had a similar issue with their defence. 

People talk about squad depth but there's players vital to our system and the replacements in the squad just aren't good enough. Losing Kante/Kovacic and Chilwell has taken a significant chunk of energy and drive from our midfield/wing back positions which for me is the most critical area of the pitch with the way we play under Tuchel. We have legs to swarm and press, but also quality with the ball to control and dominate a game. With those players out we've looked completely one paced and lacklustre. No press resistance, and not good enough to press without the ball.

Well injuries or not, this is not the first time we have a winter slump. It's why I said I'm not too excited that we were top of the table etc some weeks ago because of this annual slump. If we're up there come March or April, then we talk. With the way things are going, we might want to start looking at what is behind us as opposed to ahead of us. 

[Jase 43,479]

1 minute ago, Superblue_1986 said:

Sarri's system was nowhere near as flexible as Tuchel's though. He put up with it like Jose and Conte before him, because Hazard could create or score in tight games, whereas I think Tuchel would have embraced a player like that. I think being one of the three attack minded players in Tuchel's system and given the freedom to drift and play across the pitch would have benefited him. 

It's debatable when you consider the amount of workrate and off the work the players do from the front. Are you gonna tell me that Tuchel would have gotten Hazard to start pressing around like a mad fella when Mourinho and Conte couldn't? 

[Fulham Broadway 17,320]

4 minutes ago, Laylabelle said:

I dont think we have shooting boots recently..we have missing and frustrating boots! The first half wasn't back! I thought we'd create more not go back to crappyness.

Another..one of those games..seem to be often these days

Covid to blame for tonight- missing key players 🛑 @james can we have a covid virus emoji

[MoroccanBlue 5,383]

4 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Covid to blame for tonight- missing key players 

Come on now. Everton fielded their U23 team. 

[Laylabelle 9,535]

6 minutes ago, Jase said:

Well injuries or not, this is not the first time we have a winter slump. It's why I said I'm not too excited that we were top of the table etc some weeks ago because of this annual slump. If we're up there come March or April, then we talk. With the way things are going, we might want to start looking at what is behind us as opposed to ahead of us. 

Again...I know still 8 points but Arsenal have appeared from no where..Man U close and have games in hand. I hope we don't end up in a top 4 thing after being at the top for so long! 3rd be fine can cope with fine.. faffing around for points at the end no!

[Superblue 6,372]

Just now, Jase said:

It's debatable when you consider the amount of work rate and off the work the players do from the front. Are you gonna tell me that Tuchel would have gotten Hazard to start pressing around like a mad fella when Mourinho and Conte couldn't? 

No he's not going to press as relentlessly as the likes of Mount and Werner but I think he would press as part of a team press. There's a difference between attacking players working hard and pressing from the front high up the pitch compared to attacking players being expected to track back defensively which is what Conte and Mourinho had more of a problem with Hazard about.

To be fair I feel that in recent weeks, whilst the quality isn't always there, the work rate of Havertz and Ziyech has increased significantly to what it has been in the past, so who knows? A more progressive team trying to win the ball higher up the pitch might have seen more from that side of the game from Hazard.

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, Laylabelle said:

Again...I know still 8 points but Arsenal have appeared from no where..Man U close and have games in hand. I hope we don't end up in a top 4 thing after being at the top for so long! 3rd be fine can cope with fine.. faffing around for points at the end no!

Obviously there's no guarantee but if Spurs win their 3 (THREE!) games in hand, they would just be 3 points behind us. 

[Laylabelle 9,535]

Just now, Jase said:

Obviously there's no guarantee but if Spurs win their 3 (THREE!) games in hand, they would just be 3 points behind us. 

Forgot about Spurs..how fantastic haha and thing is time they play them the gap could be smaller...

Let's have a break this weekend lol..