Brentford 2-2 Chelsea

[Mário César 1,339]

Draw sometimes away from home it is not the end of the world but hurts a little bit cuz was against a poor team but this stadium its historical tough for us

Plus, this game after IT was a total banana skin

[LAM09 7,069]

Results like that are hard to take. I thought it would be a repeat of our first visit to Brentford in the Prem (or at least in recent history) where Mendy was immense. Sanchez saved us multiple times tonight but poor marking for that final throw in was the difference.

Moments like that could prove vital for a Top 4 push or an outside hopes of competing for the title.

[mkh 626]

What a terrible result.

Why did we bring Guiu back if he can't even make it onto the bench?

Plus, George just isn't good enough!

He was practically gone, and now he's playing here again, mainly as a striker instead of Guiu.

Terrible.

[OneMoSalah 8,889]

1 hour ago, Blue Armour said:

Gittens has looked so off the pace. Always half a second slow to react to even his own team mates. Looks like it will be a while before he adjusts to the PL.

Adjusts to the PL? The lad is English he should be used to and know what to expect from the pace of the English game. He had 3 seasons in the Bundesliga? Ok PL is different at first team level quality wise but we aren’t talking someone who’s never kicked a ball never been exposed to English football at any level…. he was miles off it. Maybe adjust to his new team mates is a better excuse to make for him.

The defending on several occasions tonight with 4 CBs starting effectively (Hato can be either CB or LB) was laughable. Obviously Brentford are no push overs at all, even with the xhange in coach and loss of players, a tough team who know how to get results but we made it very easy for them to utilise their gameplan. 

The less said about Tosin all night the better. Chalobah very poor for the second goal and Garnacho just doing what all attackers do in that situation - stand watching their marker score the easiest goal of their life. Fernandez-Caicedo combination again without the ball…. too much space for teams to expose.

Brentford will be the first of many to do this to us again this season. Clear game plan orientated around being physical, going more direct, utilising long throw ins etc. And some of the big teams now utilise these tactics to get an advantage, Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool… so we need to wake up.

Why Maresca keeps fucking around with starting Reece then not starting and bringing him on at HT is absolutely mind boggling too. 

Edited 19 hours ago by OneMoSalah

[Pizy 18,994]

Not getting wins against shit teams like this just puts even more pressure on us against the big sides like Man United next in the league. Same bullshit that we’ve been suffering from for years now and we had hoped would be different this season considering the ridiculous resources we’ve poured into the attacking areas. 

It genuinely hasn’t felt like our entire attack has clicked at the same time as a unit at all so far this season. We’ll have 1 attacker look good and the rest all look bang average. 

You watch Arsenal today for example against a Forest side that are much better than the Brentford side we played. From minute 1 they completely strangle Forest like a python and don’t even give them a chance. Aggressive, assertive attacking play that doesn’t give them an ounce of belief that they can beat Arse. They’re demoralized almost right after kickoff.

Meanwhile, in match after match to start this season what do we do? Play at literal walking pace slowly passing it about at the back and deep between the midfielders for pretty much the entire first halves of all these games. It isn’t until AFTER we concede a dogshit, schoolboy level goal or we reach half time that we pick up the pace of our game.

Maresca is really irritating me these days. 

[Mário César 1,339]

1 minute ago, Pizy said:

Not getting wins against shit teams like this just puts even more pressure on us against the big sides like Man United next in the league. Same bullshit that we’ve been suffering from for years now and we had hoped would be different this season considering the ridiculous resources we’ve poured into the attacking areas. 

It genuinely hasn’t felt like our entire attack has clicked at the same time as a unit at all so far this season. We’ll have 1 attacker look good and the rest all look bang average. 

You watch Arsenal today for example against a Forest side that are much better than the Brentford side we played. From minute 1 they completely strangle Forest like a python and don’t even give them a chance. Aggressive, assertive attacking play that doesn’t give them an ounce of belief that they can beat Arse. They’re demoralized almost right after kickoff.

Meanwhile, in match after match to start this season what do we do? Play at literal walking pace slowly passing it about at the back and deep between the midfielders for pretty much the entire first halves of all these games. It isn’t until AFTER we concede a dogshit, schoolboy level goal or we reach half time that we pick up the pace of our game.

Maresca is really irritating me these days. 

you need to put some context. brentford was away and nottm was at home.

but yeah this is a shit result

Im not having too much hope for this season. I think will be more of the same

[DDA 9,985]

What’s most frustrating is the CB situation. 
 

It was obvious to a blind man that our CBs aren’t good enough to win a title. Don’t tell me the ownership aren’t aware!

That’s why when the window shut without getting a top CB I knew this ownership isn’t serious about winning the league. 
 

There is not one single argument to justify this obvious neglect. 
 

Such a slap in the face for players like Palmer who aren’t being backed properly with surrounding ballers.

 

instead the board only care about future sales… which is obviously bizarre when you do dumb buys like Mudryk and Gittens.

 

[Blue Armour 4,466]

I'd argue even without the Colwill injury, the club should have been in for a quality CB this summer.

Clearly they are putting a lot of stock in Fofana and Badiashile..probably because no one else will buy the always injured pair.

If neither of them are able to step up their game this season, it will be another mediocre ride.

 

[Pizy 18,994]

13 minutes ago, Mário César said:

you need to put some context. brentford was away and nottm was at home.

but yeah this is a shit result

Im not having too much hope for this season. I think will be more of the same

If this were the Brentford of the last couple of seasons under Frank with Mbeumo, Wissa, etc running around I’d agree. But this Brentford side today were only going to cause us problems in one particular way and we played right into their hands. 

Sit deep, barely have any of the ball, long balls, long throws, and time wasting to frustrate us as early as the 30th minute in the game.

To combat this you have to play it quicker and force them to defend relentless pressure. 

[Mário César 1,339]

5 minutes ago, Pizy said:

If this were the Brentford of the last couple of seasons under Frank with Mbeumo, Wissa, etc running around I’d agree. But this Brentford side today were only going to cause us problems in one particular way and we played right into their hands. 

Sit deep, barely have any of the ball, long balls, long throws, and time wasting to frustrate us as early as the 30th minute in the game.

To combat this you have to play it quicker and force them to defend relentless pressure. 

we change a lot our line up

If we puted a stronger team since the beginning, I think we would won it but with IT would be impossible to do that

We are overload of games. Plus, we participated in CWC and we knew that would probably cost us this start of the season

[Nero 1,877]

edit

Edited 18 hours ago by Nero

[DDA 9,985]

Can see Garnacho doing alright for us.

It’s Gittens you want to worry about… seriously worry.

Why the fuck are we playing Tyrique George as the striker in any game at all? That’s also very worrying. 

Edited 18 hours ago by DDA

[Reddish-Blue 2,516]

1 hour ago, Pizy said:

It genuinely hasn’t felt like our entire attack has clicked at the same time as a unit at all so far this season. We’ll have 1 attacker look good and the rest all look bang average. 

Almost like we sold our starting striker and starting right winger from last season and our star player has been out of the side for 2 games 😆

I know Gittens & Madueke play on opposite wings but man....talk about a downgrade in talent.   No wonder why Arsenal dropped their interest in Gittens, the kid is still super raw. 

[OneMoSalah 8,889]

1 hour ago, Pizy said:

Not getting wins against shit teams like this just puts even more pressure on us against the big sides like Man United next in the league. Same bullshit that we’ve been suffering from for years now and we had hoped would be different this season considering the ridiculous resources we’ve poured into the attacking areas. 

It genuinely hasn’t felt like our entire attack has clicked at the same time as a unit at all so far this season. We’ll have 1 attacker look good and the rest all look bang average. 

You watch Arsenal today for example against a Forest side that are much better than the Brentford side we played. From minute 1 they completely strangle Forest like a python and don’t even give them a chance. Aggressive, assertive attacking play that doesn’t give them an ounce of belief that they can beat Arse. They’re demoralized almost right after kickoff.

Meanwhile, in match after match to start this season what do we do? Play at literal walking pace slowly passing it about at the back and deep between the midfielders for pretty much the entire first halves of all these games. It isn’t until AFTER we concede a dogshit, schoolboy level goal or we reach half time that we pick up the pace of our game.

Maresca is really irritating me these days. 

Are Forest that much better than Brentford though? Really? They have same points so far this season. Even today, in their game v Arsenal, they were awful and didn’t start playing to they were 2-0 down. 

Plus when does attacking resources combat poor defending? It never has and never will. You keep mentioning these attacking resources and firing us to the title. If anyone thinks Delap, Gittens or Garnacho are title winning attacking players then I don’t know. If your team cannot do the basics defensively you will suffer in games like this one today or if we ever make it to the big boy table and become title challengers, big matches against competitors where it is very  cagey and tight. 

And Brentford is a difficult game and has been for seasons, be it Thomas Frank or Keith Andrews now. I mean did Brentford play any differently today to how they played against us under Thomas Frank? Not really. They’ve got a solid foundation, ability to play various styles of football and the core of their squad is still from a relatively successful period with Thomas Frank in terms of where they started and where they now are. Keith Andrews was a part of that coaching staff also so its not a completely new ideology. 

[Reddish-Blue 2,516]

1 hour ago, Mário César said:

we change a lot our line up

If we puted a stronger team since the beginning, I think we would won it but with IT would be impossible to do that

We are overload of games. Plus, we participated in CWC and we knew that would probably cost us this start of the season

Exactly, it was interesting to see the early subs but it was obvious we were off the pace after the international break. 

Hopefully the likes of Facundo, Gittens, even Guiu start to pull their weight as squad players, its going to be a Long season! 

[Pizy 18,994]

Think it’s going to be made clear to Maresca VERY soon if it hasn’t already today that Gittens won’t be the starting LW any time soon. Garnacho being PL proven and having a bit of arrogance about him will see him being the main man there quickly. Hopefully starting with the next game if he’s fit enough. Gittens looks shellshocked that he hasn’t been able to just blast by everyone in the PL so far. Looks like a timid child every time they show a close up on him after a failed move. Very Mudryk like.

Still don’t get why we decided to go for him at that silly price and did so in an expedited way. Like someone at the club genuinely thought he would immedietly be a top player. Looks really dumb so far. 

It’s like he’s 100% a data driven signing. You see the dribbling/take on data being amongst the best in Europe and think that’ll instantly translate to the PL. But even most of us who watched his footage could see he was nowhere close to a £50m+ winger.

[Strike 7,531]

6 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

 

I've said all along that, where the squad team was asked to handle some Conference League games last season, this season they will need to be good enough to take care of some EPL fixtures. Enso clearly feels this is one of those games.

That approach won’t work.
 

The quality of the English league is too high - we cannot afford to play passengers for a league game 

I would argue Europe is still where we need to play a lineup like the one today

[Blue Armour 4,466]

27 minutes ago, Strike said:

That approach won’t work.
 

The quality of the English league is too high - we cannot afford to play passengers for a league game 

I would argue Europe is still where we need to play a lineup like the one today

Even if Maresca wanted to rest some players or rotate, this isn't the way to do it.

Who rests both available starting full backs (not to mention both right back options in James & Gusto), and plays CBs all across the back line? 

He did this last season too,.ahead of one of the conference league games

 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,091]

5 hours ago, Strike said:

That approach won’t work.
 

The quality of the English league is too high - we cannot afford to play passengers for a league game 

I would argue Europe is still where we need to play a lineup like the one today

It's been done. Man city did it and won many titles. Yes, of course the coach has to pick and choose the games, but the key to it is the depth of quality in the squad. Numbers alone won't cut it if you intend to be competitive into the latter stages of multiple competitions.

There are at least two more games in a Champions League campaign than when we last won it, plus individual games in all competitions last longer than they ever have before. Obviously there are domestic games where only the top team will do but the ability to rest 4 or 5 players before a big midweek fixture, and 4 or 5 others the weekend after, is a massive advantage for any manager aiming to go deep in all competitions.

The problem of course is being able to afford to recruit and pay such a squad. We aren't there yet.

Edited 9 hours ago by OhForAGreavsie

[NikkiCFC 8,371]

12 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

If it weren't for Maresca, the club would probably be still thinking of Disasi as a solution.

Pochettino loved Disasi. Was number one in minutes that season. No wonder we almost conceded 2 goals per game.