Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace

[robsblubot 3,595]

Just now, NikkiCFC said:

Half season now 25 points. On the way to 50 but I think it will surely be more with Nkunku back and guys having more time together. Last season we had 44. So when season finishes if you look this way you will say congratulations Mr. Poch, you improved us 10 points. And I think we really should considering it's completely new team. 

Yup and we talked about this during pre-season. That also has a cost, on top of the overly youth side.

[LAM09 7,056]

15 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Playing a CB as FB is the oldest trick in the book pretty much done everywhere!
Azpi was a FB who played in CB occasionally. It's his prerogative to make the FB more defensive or attacking.

Giving minutes to attacking FBs in attack is also very common, and current;y being done at my home town team Gremio, with a new talented 20yo called "Cuiabano" and he's actually pretty physical (still has trouble defending and reading the game).

It only works if the person being asked to do the job is up to the task. If you think Colwill is doing an adequate job, this convo should end immediately.

I've not once said I have an issue with CB's or FB's playing in different positions; my complaint is the personal choices. A brief look up at the positions Maatsen has played: Ian Maatsen - Player profile 23/24 | Transfermarkt . Your support for Poch is admirable, despite him making the same mistakes week in, week out. 

Are we a PL winner or, arguably, a CL-calibre side, probably not. However, we are far from the midtable fodder that Poch is slowly turning us into.

7 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

We have a team of kids. That is not going to change. Hopefully they get some experience, but even then, we will still be a team of potential players. The Roman days of getting top players at the peak of their careers are definitely gone. We can only hope these kids come together quickly. Screaming we are no longer a force in the world…. well no shit, we are not. I can only hope we get better fast. 

We bought Nkunku and are heavily linked with Osimhen. I wouldn't say they're gone, just not a regular.

Edited December 27, 2023 by LAM09

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

On the night it was a positive one for once. Nothing wrong with the desire and fight today.
Disasi and Badi are still clumsy, Maatsen and Caicedo remain absolutely pathetic players, broja and Jackson are wasteful wanna be strikers. The rest did quite well. 
 

in the grand scheme of things this squad has years until it can challenge provided it stays together. We saw glimpses of its potential but no real end product. We always rely on luck to win. It will be enough to survive but not much more . Still a lot of dark years ahead  

[bluesman2610 1,417]

Just now, robsblubot said:

The answer is above... the players are too young and don't yet know how to read the plays in order to react in the best way in defensive situations. Like when to anticipate and go for the tackle, versus close down the run/space. It's all part of experience and quality, but say even if Colwill will become a great CB/(D)FB one day, he'd still need to develop that aspect.

I also agree with the team being young but defensive positioning should be drilled into these guys. If you can read the game well a lot of these kinds of goals don't happen. Look at Silva it's only that his body can't keep up with his brain anymore - but when we first got him he was one of the best CB in the PL because he could read the game. Like if you don't have exceptional pace like a Rudiger for instance you have to read the game well. And none of the players we have back there are doing that, hence the chopping and changing of the partnerships.

[NikkiCFC 8,326]

1 minute ago, LAM09 said:

 However, we are far from the midtable fodder that Poch is slowly turning us into.

We were mid-table last season without Poch as well with 4 different managers. 

[NikkiCFC 8,326]

7 minutes ago, bluesman2610 said:

Can we bring in a defensive assistant coach who will just work on the defending when out of possession? We are dire at defending crosses too many ball watchers. 

Poch was CB. 

[bluesman2610 1,417]

Just now, NikkiCFC said:

We were mid-table last season without Poch as well with 4 different managers. 

Exactly Poch can't put the ball in the net for them and he can't stop them from having mental lapses during the game. That is on the players a manger can only do so much, but as said this team is very young and these are the growing pains. We have experienced a lot of success but that was a different time with players who were forged in fire. We will get back it just won't be for a few years.

[LAM09 7,056]

2 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

We were mid-table last season without Poch as well with 4 different managers. 

How many players have we bought since within the past 12 months?

There's been drastic changes within that time.

[Fulham Broadway 17,319]

1 minute ago, Magic Lamps said:

On the night it was a positive one for once. Nothing wrong with the desire and fight today.
Disasi and Badi are still clumsy, Maatsen and Caicedo remain absolutely pathetic players, broja and Jackson are wasteful wanna be strikers. The rest did quite well. 
 

in the grand scheme of things this squad has years until it can challenge provided it stays together. We saw glimpses of its potential but no real end product. We always rely on luck to win. It will be enough to survive but not much more . Still a lot of dark years ahead  

Agree with that, but not the last sentence. Think we can improve quicker with Nkunku, Mudryk and Palmer firing - this is the fine margins that we are existing on. The importance of confidence can not be said enough either

[Fulham Broadway 17,319]

3 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Poch was CB. 

Commentator said he was red carded 18 times 😄

[ZAPHOD2319 4,819]

As much as the owners deserve the battering they are getting from fans. I do believe them when they say this is four years of recruiting the players needed to compete. I do not think for a second they just stop trying to move players that cannot perform and get players that can. It just sucks they have bought so many misses so far. 

[DDA 9,941]

The more I think of it.. the worse that performance was from 90% of the team. If everyone played with the integrity of Gusto did in that game... we would be challenging for the title... now these players are either not good enough which I really think could be the case or they just don't care enough. Ontop of which... the manager is making some fucking strange decisions with the defensive line up. Truly Bizarre. 

[NikkiCFC 8,326]

2 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

How many players have we bought since within the past 12 months?

There's been drastic changes within that time.

Even this argument works in his favor. Last season we had more CL winners: Mount, Havertz, Kovacic, Kante... this is completely new inexperienced team. 

[lluubbeenn 174]

From the starting eleven today only one player has started last season with us. I think this is unprecedented in pro football. 
Poch can make a team out of all these players. Time is a bit of an excuse, but he certainly needs a fit squad to establish training rules. 
 

[robsblubot 3,595]

5 minutes ago, bluesman2610 said:

I also agree with the team being young but defensive positioning should be drilled into these guys. If you can read the game well a lot of these kinds of goals don't happen. Look at Silva it's only that his body can't keep up with his brain anymore - but when we first got him he was one of the best CB in the PL because he could read the game. Like if you don't have exceptional pace like a Rudiger for instance you have to read the game well. And none of the players we have back there are doing that, hence the chopping and changing of the partnerships.

Agreed, but I don't know to what extent that's already been done or not. It could be that they are doing a good job, but it's taking time for the youngsters to understand, and especially put it into practice.
I've always played (amateur level along some semi-pro players) mid/forward and always struggled in defensive positions. Played FB a few times and it was always a struggle. Reading of the game is hard. 🙂 Trying to guess what pacey players will do is hard. Esp at this level where the opposition plays so quickly, you have to be quick to read the other team's movement.

[robsblubot 3,595]

10 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Even this argument works in his favor. Last season we had more CL winners: Mount, Havertz, Kovacic, Kante... this is completely new inexperienced team. 

yup. Kante is playing regularly and making big bucks... his choice likely due to fitness questions.

Kovacic is rotating in midfield for the best PL team and club. Havertz rotates for the second/third best PL club atm.

Quality available isn't really comparable, but young players have the "unknown" allure for fans. I share that esp the super talented youngster coming thru! Too much of that at the same time and it's trouble eh.

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by robsblubot

[LAM09 7,056]

8 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Even this argument works in his favor. Last season we had more CL winners: Mount, Havertz, Kovacic, Kante... this is completely new inexperienced team. 

How does that have any relevance? 

Average players (in the case of the first two) didn't become world beaters because they won a CL medal. What are both up to now? 

I'm honestly starting to wonder if people know where most of our players have come from. These aren't players who been promoted from the second tier or such. Nothing more than a cop out excuses to mask over Poch's consistent selection mistakes.

Edited December 27, 2023 by LAM09

[JFKvsNixon 55]

Chelsea's XG would put them around 4th, so even a half decent striker would give us at least an extra 10 points this season. Our season, and people's opinion of Poch, would look a lot different with an extra 10 points.

Personally, I'd give up on Broja and Jackson and play Palmer as a false 9, until we can get someone in. He seems to have all the positive attributes that Havertz had with none of his negatives, but more importantly he knowa how to hit the back of the net, and is confident enough to soak up a bad miss.

[Laylabelle 9,535]

Wins a win...win number 7 woohoo!! 10th place is going to be ours 🤣 

[Fulham Broadway 17,319]

Poetic justice for Madueke - Palace threw him out as a kid