closed Man City 1-0 Chelsea

[NikkiCFC 7,588]

Zero touches in the box 🤦‍♂️

[MoroccanBlue 5,200]

It becomes incredibly easy to dislike this team when they approach big games like that. Twice now on the bounce against City when beat them convincingly in the bloody European Cup. 

[MoroccanBlue 5,200]

20 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

It becomes incredibly easy to dislike this team when they approach big games like that. Twice now on the bounce against City when beat them convincingly in the bloody European Cup. 

Just to add on to this. Nail on head @ 4:17

"I find it embarrassing that one of the most expensive assembled teams, who are in dire need of a win, go up to a main rival and play and offer up a performance that's akin to Burnley and Everton, who actually had better stats when they went to the Ethiad than Chelsea did today."

Edited January 16, 2022 by MoroccanBlue

[Seymop 78]

7 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Just to add on to this. Nail on head @ 4:17

 

Absolutely true Lukaku was very poor and he may just not be right for us. But I just remember many occasions when he was in the box with his hand raised calling for the ball and we just ignored or didn’t see him, preferring instead to go sideways or backwards. Surely if we paid that money for him we have to try and play to his strengths ? Otherwise just get rid now !!

[Tomo 21,681]

11 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Just to add on to this. Nail on head @ 4:17

 

He whole narrative was based on spinning mental gymnastics to defend Lukaku. If anything yesterday's approach (wrong as it was) played closer to Lukaku's strength's, he had two glorious opportunity's and fucked them both up.

His comments on the Liverpool game were laughable, not in a million years do we play with such intensity with him on the pitch.

[MoroccanBlue 5,200]

It screams as if Tuchel doesn't know what he's doing and is suffering from the must not lose bug that ate Conte alive. 

[MoroccanBlue 5,200]

8 minutes ago, Tomo said:

He whole narrative was based on spinning mental gymnastics to defend Lukaku. If anything yesterday's approach (wrong as it was) played closer to Lukaku's strength's, he had two glorious opportunity's and fucked them both up.

His comments on the Liverpool game were laughable, not in a million years do we play with such intensity with him on the pitch.

Whether you agree or not with his narrative, he's hit the nail on the head regarding the actual premise. The fault is Tuchel's and only is Tuchel's. We beat City convincingly three times on the bounce playing free flowing football, even with Azpilicueta and Alonso as wingbacks last season. 

Why is this now the second time against City he is resorting to shitehousery tactics? When we are in need of a win?

[Jase 43,479]

3 hours ago, King Kante said:

Why is the interesting? It was predicted by at least half of us on here and virtually all Man Utd fans who where doing cartwheels when they packed him off to Inter and where crying with laughter when we brought him. 

It's interesting to Nizaar because he was one of those that jumped into the bandwagon, thinking Lukaku was the final missing piece in the jigsaw when the reality was it was never that simple. 

[Jase 43,479]

14 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Whether you agree or not with his narrative, he's hit the nail on the head regarding the actual premise. The fault is Tuchel's and only is Tuchel's. We beat City convincingly three times on the bounce playing free flowing football, even with Azpilicueta and Alonso as wingbacks last season. 

Why is this now the second time against City he is resorting to shitehousery tactics? When we are in need of a win?

Also worth noting that yesterday, of all games, Tuchel decided to start with a front 3 that had never played together before. 

[Tomo 21,681]

4 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Whether you agree or not with his narrative, he's hit the nail on the head regarding the actual premise. The fault is Tuchel's and only is Tuchel's. We beat City convincingly three times on the bounce playing free flowing football, even with Azpilicueta and Alonso as wingbacks last season. 

Why is this now the second time against City he is resorting to shitehousery tactics? When we are in need of a win?

Don't get me wrong i very much think he's at fault but have a slightly different train of thought. It starts with playing Lukaku (and to a lesser extent Pulisic and Ziyech). That sets the tone, i don't think the approach was deliberate (like Conte's was) as he was quite visably pissed when attacks broke down and our possession wasn't that low but a mix of City's pressing and Lukaku being his usual lazy self set the tone.

The reason City are so good is because everyone works hard and is involved in the build up, the reason we beat them three times last season is because we matched that. Against City the same front three as in Porto is a must.

I think people actually underestimate just how much Lukaku is holding this squad back from a playing style POV? Would we have won yesterday without him? Who knows but worst case we go down kicking and screaming, Tuchel needs to accept his mistake like Real did with past his prime Eden.

[Jase 43,479]

23 hours ago, King Kante said:

Man City benched their best CB and he still barely won a header or could trap the ball. 

He didn't win a header actually. Lost all 8 of his aerial duels. 

[DDA 9,570]

19 hours ago, Tomo said:

I personally believe Kai up top is the way forward but as that's not happening Broja is the big hope.

I think he can get there eventually whether it's as early as next season remains to be seen. But we will likely need a cheap/loan option to come good to offset the Rom fee (ala Mendy/Kepa) so Broja is the hope here.

Agreed with Kai although I don't think he is an elite finisher that is desperately needed. His movement is what makes him a candidate but he just doesn't have that top level instinct for goal which may be a controversial view considering he can find the net but for me, he isn't a Halaand or Lewandowski. Broja... for me isn't anywhere near Kai's level in terms of positioning and what he can offer in terms of his overall game, which leaves me feeling that we need to go into the market and buy a proper striker who is at least half way there.. which is why I think Vlahovic would have been the ideal candidate. He has something about him... there's something in his approach that looks like he could become a special striker. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we even consider going after him now the donkey Lukaku is here.

[bigbluewillie 1,807]

I didn't get to see the match yesterday, mind you after the result i'm not that disappointed I missed it.

I said at the start i'd take a draw, now we take another defeat from Shitty.

What's really fucked us though is all these draws we've had.

Burnley @ home 1-1

Manure @ home 1-1

Everton @ home 1-1

Brighton @ home 1-1

add to that:

Scousers @ home 2-2

We need a real clear out.

And bring in some decent players, starting with Conor Gallagher.

Get rid of:

Ziyech, Pulisic, CHO, Alonso, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek.

I think it's the end for Dave and possibly Christensen.

 

 

 

 

 

[coolhead23 1,146]

Was a pathetic display of football from our side. You can make out that we were bad when Kante has a bad game.

We lost to City who were bad on the day, you cant beat that! 

This time it starts with Tuchel ... wrong selection even if we planned to sit back and defend. Mount and Havertz should have started over Ziyech and Pulisic or Lukaku (unless they were injured) ... We're expecting that Lukaku to adapt to the way Tuchel wants to play but he is not ... so in crucial game why to start him. Instead get him as a sub. 

Everyone seems to be so disinterested that we're making dumb mistakes including from those we dont (guess Silva and Rudiger were the ones with least mistakes). 

Wasnt any thing good to say about our game and we didnt deserve anything from the game infact the score line is so deceiving too!  

[King Kante 1,300]

1 hour ago, coolhead23 said:

Was a pathetic display of football from our side. You can make out that we were bad when Kante has a bad game.

We lost to City who were bad on the day, you cant beat that! 

This time it starts with Tuchel ... wrong selection even if we planned to sit back and defend. Mount and Havertz should have started over Ziyech and Pulisic or Lukaku (unless they were injured) ... We're expecting that Lukaku to adapt to the way Tuchel wants to play but he is not ... so in crucial game why to start him. Instead get him as a sub. 

Everyone seems to be so disinterested that we're making dumb mistakes including from those we dont (guess Silva and Rudiger were the ones with least mistakes). 

Wasnt any thing good to say about our game and we didnt deserve anything from the game infact the score line is so deceiving too!  

Of course Lukaku shouldn't start but the problem is his fee and wages. Not for the first time, I suspect there is board pressure to play an expensive player on the manager. 

Edited January 17, 2022 by King Kante

[coolhead23 1,146]

15 hours ago, King Kante said:

Of course Lukaku shouldn't start but the problem is his fee and wages. Not for the first time, I suspect there is board pressure to play an expensive player on the manager. 

In that case Kepa should have started over Mendy every game. I m sure there is loads of pressure but thats where top managers also make the difference ... how they mix and match to achieve the desired results. Tuchel has been rotating the squad well which should be extended to Lukaku, make him play against selective teams. Sends out a message to everyone and if you're winning there are less people pointing fingers at you. 

[King Kante 1,300]

6 hours ago, coolhead23 said:

In that case Kepa should have started over Mendy every game. I m sure there is loads of pressure but thats where top managers also make the difference ... how they mix and match to achieve the desired results. Tuchel has been rotating the squad well which should be extended to Lukaku, make him play against selective teams. Sends out a message to everyone and if you're winning there are less people pointing fingers at you. 

During SFL's time it appeared Kepa did start a lot more than SFL would've had him start and he only made the change after it got so bad. Expect the same with Lukaku. 

[cosmicway 1,259]

On 17/01/2022 at 13:29, coolhead23 said:

Was a pathetic display of football from our side. You can make out that we were bad when Kante has a bad game.

We lost to City who were bad on the day, you cant beat that! 

This time it starts with Tuchel ... wrong selection even if we planned to sit back and defend. Mount and Havertz should have started over Ziyech and Pulisic or Lukaku (unless they were injured) ... We're expecting that Lukaku to adapt to the way Tuchel wants to play but he is not ... so in crucial game why to start him. Instead get him as a sub. 

Everyone seems to be so disinterested that we're making dumb mistakes including from those we dont (guess Silva and Rudiger were the ones with least mistakes). 

Wasnt any thing good to say about our game and we didnt deserve anything from the game infact the score line is so deceiving too!  

Lukaku can't possibly adapt to Tuchel's system.
Same as Greaves back in AC Milan 1961.
They wanted him to play fast counters alongside Altafini and one-twos but that was n't his style of play. So he moved to Spurs.