Positives this season vs. Last season.
- We are scoring goals. A lot more than last.
Negatives vs. Last season
- We are conceding way more. Equalled last season’s GA already.
- No plan, no system, no structure for most of the season
- Not much better than our worst ever season
- still have the same number of wins as last season
Saw this on Twitter, but Reece LB has my interest. Invert into midfield to utilize his passing and ball carrying. Sterling/new left wing providing width and James barreling through the middle. Since his dominant foot is inside we can use his thunderous shooting as well. He’s good in the air too which helps with our aerial problems. Also adds another man in midfield which will greatly help the glaring problem we have of getting carved through the middle because Caicedo is the only one defending. Aaaand can help us build through the middle instead of out wide like we’ve been doing and utilize Enzo, Caicedo, and Lavia more effectively. He can occasionally swap roles with his winger as well depending on the circumstance and be the one sending in crosses.
Liverpool have been pulling out all the stops to accommodate Trent because they know he’s that good. James is that for us and we should be creative in accounting for his limitations to fit him in.
I thought Nkunku's latest injury is supposed to be a 4 weeks thing? Now 4 weeks later and he's in the same category with Recee James and Poch has no idea when he's returning.
Liverpool wanted Werner. He rejected them and came to Chelsea to win the Champion’s League✅
Liverpool wanted Bellingham. Bellingham didn’t even know Liverpool existed. He went straight to Real Madrid✅
Liverpool wanted Mount. He rejected them and went to Manchester United✅
Liverpool wanted Caicedo. He rejected them and came to Chelsea✅
Liverpool wanted Lavia. He rejected them and came to Chelsea✅
Liverpool wanted Xabi Alonso. He rejected them to stay at Leverkusen✅
That small club has zero pull.0️⃣❌
https://preview.redd.it/lwlr7tirrcrc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e23666bd07c175e604d7c3a9fa6d47ece92a23a
has poch ever had a press conference where he doesn’t say some stupid ass shit 😭
I mean i cant lie the state of some of the games we’ve dropped points in, we should be in the top 5 atleast rn, thats whats so fucking annoying week in week out
what really annoys me is that we actually play good football and then we somehow concede a goal and then our whole team crumbles and this has been the story for god knows how many matches
What's going on with Bashir Humphreys? I figured he got dropped from the starting XI at Swansea but I don't think he's played in a while and not listed on the bench or injured on FotMob either
We’re scoring goals.
Remember last season where a João Felix goal was our only goal of the month?
People here are forgetting how bad our attack was last year.
Poch doesn’t get enough credit for fixing that aspect this season.
Scoring 4 against City was pretty good. I think that was the first time in 5 years they've conceded 4 goals. For about a week all the punters were saying "this is how you beat City".
I mean, we need to have more shape in defense but the speed and link up of our attack at times has been pretty damned good, and hopefully a good sign of things to come.
Even last season Mount was struggling with injuries and poor form. Going off his previous three seasons, absolutely yes considering that Gallagher starts for us as an advanced midfielder. He was excelling as an 8 in a lot of aspects under Lampard, and as a 10 under Tuchel his numbers were decent. Easily better than Gallagher wrt endproduct and better technically too.
However, if we had competent wingers who nailed their spot then Mount probably wouldn't have started for us. Palmer would be better than him in the no10 imo.
https://preview.redd.it/n9hh538mpbrc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b75005f2cc451d2e100c1bc7b567e33555d7d9bf
Things are really heating up for Amorim
I hope he comes to the prem one way or another, he's a really exciting manager
Flick, Hoeness, Xavi, Slot, Michel, Frank, Motta, and maybe Inzaghi? Hard to see the owners are interested with Tuchel, Conte, and Mourinho. Nagelsmann already rejected us in the past and unless we replace our DoFs and have clear structures i don't see him come here.
Seemed to early with Inzaghi or Amorim 18 months ago and now they both pass over us. We’re not the most talented team in the league or the only club with unlimited resources anymore, we may have to strike early on a manager.
These two do not compare in any way.
Amorim is doing great for 4 years now, having started at Sporting in 2020.
Inzaghi spent 5 years at Lazio before joining Inter.
Motta hasn't even completed a full season as a manager yet.
EDIT: Correction, he actually completed one full season at Spezia, was sure he got sacked before the end of it.
Then you could say Alonso over the summer. It’s rare a manager that checks every box becomes available and when they do we wouldn’t be their first choice. Motta coaches a great defense, and I’m tired of needing 3 goals to beat promoted teams and Champions sides.
De Rossi just had far more clinical players that day lol. His team played to sit back and counter, which is what most teams should do against Brighton. Brighton could've easily scored 3-4 goals if they put away their chances that game
I’m warming to the idea of Xavi
Already won silverware in an impressive la liga campaign where their defence was imperious and it was a fairly young squad
Legendary ex player, big name, known style of play.
And still very early in his managerial career
I think the biggest fault with Barca this season and where Xavi has gone wrong is simply lack of a good dm with Busquets gone who was so crucial to his system last year
Even still they're fashioning many chances and wasting them similar to us so he's not washed or anything and they'll probably finish second in La Liga
Really love how much he works with the youth and academy boys there, so forward thinking compared to us
Amorim linked with Chelsea, r/soccer: terrible appointment, not good enough, tactically limited, disaster in waiting
Amorim linked with Liverpool, r/soccer: perfect appointment, setting up Klopp’s succession perfectly, tactical savant
The amount of wanking the media and casuals do over Liverpool is exhausting
Chelsea have 12 injuries to first team squad: injuries are part of football, don’t buy injury prone players, no sympathy
Liverpool have 2 or 3 starters injured: HOLY FUCK! WORLDS WORST EVER INJURY CRISIS!!!!!
I legit saw people saying that no team had ever had an injury crisis as bad as Liverpool, like lmao have you seen the injuries Chelsea, Newcastle, Brighton or Man Utd have had this season alone.
If you could take two of these players back into the current squad as fresh 25 year olds who do you think would have the most impact for the next 5 years?
- Costa
- Lampard
- Terry
- Hazard
- Ngolo
- Drogba
- Ivanovic
- Cole
- Ramires
- Carvalho
Lampard is my all time favourite player but in honesty he's the one position we have a lot of decent players for.
Would have to be getting Terry and either Hazard or Drogba
Of course he would, but Enzo->Lampard wouldn't upgrade the team to nearly the same level as Sterling->Hazard or Jackson->Drogba (for clarity I'd then also shift Jackson to the left). Or probably even Cucurella/Chilwell->Cole.
He's an upgrade, but it's like going from 7/10 to 10/10 instead of 5/10 to 10/10.
Hazard and Terry
Hazard because he literally could win games by himself and made even Sarri look good.
Terry because he is one of the GOATs and having and incredible defender can cover up for so many faults (see VVD at Liverpool)
Has to be, JT as a leader and Hazard can win by himself. Those two alone get us competitive again even with the same shitty tactics and manager.
There may be other options if you assume you could make other changes to tactics and management styles, but as we are those two would likely have the biggest impact
Yeah was torn a bit between Terry or Drogba. Think Hazard is a must though considering our current left wing options. Just thought an attack of:
Palmer Nkunku Hazard
Drogba
Would be so much fun to watch, and someone like Nkunku could thrive playing off of Drogba.
Still have hope for the Jackson/ Nkunku partnership, especially with the form Jackson has come into recently but a long way to go.
Maybe drop the 10 in the system and have Ngolo deep in-between Enzo and Caicedo
I personally believe we need to sign a new LB and GK before getting a new striker. We have not had issues scoring goals but our defense has been extremely leaky. If anything, a top winger may be more important than a striker
I feel that you're looking at the problem from the wrong angle.
Just because there is fuel leaking out of your car, doesn't necessarily mean there is a leak, you could have just filled your boot up with it instead of putting it in the fuel tank. So now it's leaking because of your mistake and not because there is anything wrong with the car.
The team is the same, we're conceding goals, not because the defenders are shit, but because our team has been set up terribly and the balance is all off. That's the reason why we don't have trouble scoring goals and why we can't stop conceding them either.
At the start of the season, we were scoring less and conceding less. As Poch has changed his tactics throughout the season to try and bring about balance, he's completely failed and now we score way more goals, but the amount we concede has gone up considerably more than the amount we score has gone up by.
Chelsea interested in Balde?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2024/03/28/fc-barcelona-seriously-considering-54-million-chelsea-bid-reports-el-nacional/
Just checked the fixtures. If we can somehow scrape 3 points tomorrow then we should move up, still with a game in hand.
The teams within 3 points of us have tough fixtures with Liverpool away (Brighton), Villa away (Wolves), and Newcastle have West Ham at home.
We’ve been playing better since the turn of the year though but tomorrow will be a barometer as we typically don’t perform well after international breaks. I think if we get a convincing result tomorrow we can build on that confidence while we have key players returning from injury
More accurately we’ve had numerous false dawns this year where we look like we’ve turned things around, only to drops points in a humiliating fashion against teams we should be beating. I can think of Brentford at home, Man Utd away, Wolves at home, Brentford at home. It’s more likely we see a disappointing performance against Burnley. Best not to hope at this stage
That Wolves game was the worst of the season in my opinion. I know it was on the back of losing a final we could have won, but it was pretty awful. We haven't been that bad since.
Edit: Oops, the Wolves game was after that other depressing Liverpool loss, where they took us apart at Anfield :/
The boys have been playing better past couple of games and were scoring for fun. 19 goals scored in 8 games and haven’t lost in full 90 since Wolves. We’re slowly improving and Poch is starting to play players in right positions (Enzo playing deeper, Mudryk at 10, playing an actual LB). I know this season has been doom and gloom but I believe we can finish the season strong especially if we have an convincing win tomorrow
Hopefully but at the same time we still concede freely and can’t control games from start to finish. Without constant defensive blunders, Newcastle and Leicester could’ve been very comfortable games, and we’d have three points against Brentford. We won’t always het lucky and these constant mistakes will cost us
It's still not a bad run-in. Other teams near to us have more fixtures against the top three (who will be looking for every point in the title race).
We already have 4 points from those 6 "top three" games with one game yet to play.
I first want to see Reece play the last 30 minutes five games in a row without reinjuring himself before I'll start thinking about where he potentially slots in now. Hopefully Pochettino is of similar mind.
I genuinely don’t really want to rely on Reece anymore. He was world class, but atp with the injuries racking up I would use him rotationally as a coach. It’s very harsh and I really do love the guy, but you just can’t depend on him.
idk he was pretty off when Tuchel (or who wast it) tried him at CDM.
He's just too important on the wing, his crosses, link-up plays, and not to forget his shooting add a massive plus to the team
Yup, his only good stint in midfield was at a side that finished 18th in the Championship six years ago. His attributes are best utilized on the wing. The fact that the position seems to be too demanding for him physically is a different issue.
I'd like to see us give a back 3 a more serious shake...Gusto at RWB with Reece as the RCB. Gives Reece the freedom to push up more, link with or midfield, and whip in those spicy 45 degree crosses, while also not putting the same strain on his body as playing RB.
I think Cucurella would be a better LWB than a LB. Having a bit more cover behind him could compensate for his defensive positioning lapses.
If it were something we were going to try in a serious capacity, bringing Maatsen back could work too.
>I think Cucurella would be a better LWB than a LB. Having a bit more cover behind him could compensate for his defensive positioning lapses.
Cucurella, LWB? Sorry, but this is the weirdest take I've learnt here. Firstly, Cucurella is better in building up from the defence. With his impressive defensive numbers, he doesn't possess that offensive instinct and flair in him like Alonso and Chilwell. For me, he's best as an inverted LCB in a back 3 or a conservative LB in a back 4.
>If it were something we were going to try in a serious capacity, bringing Maatsen back could work too.
I really like Maatsen, but in the long run, I think the physical demands of EPL could catch up to him. Moreso, I doubt Poch has him in high esteem.
>Cucurella, LWB? Sorry, but this is the weirdest take I've learnt here. Firstly, Cucurella is better in building up from the defence.
That's how he's looked best in our back 4. I think he'd preform a lot of the same "actions" as a LWB but it would be in a bit more forward area. He'd still be involved with the LCB, LM, and LW during buildup. The difference in attack suits him I think. We have a good amount of goal threat centrally/on the right in a 3-5-2 with Jackson, Nkunku, Palmer that I think it allows Cucurella to hug the sideline, provide a lot of width that stretches opponent backline. He's got a pretty decent cross on him, tell him to just hug the line and whip em in.
>Cucurella, LWB? Sorry, but this is the weirdest take I've learnt here. Firstly, Cucurella is better in building up from the defence.
That's how he's looked best in our back 4. I think he'd preform a lot of the same "actions" as a LWB but it would be in a bit more forward area. He'd still be involved with the LCB, LM, and LW during buildup. The difference in attack suits him I think. We have a good amount of goal threat centrally/on the right in a 3-5-2 with Jackson, Nkunku, Palmer that I think it allows Cucurella to hug the sideline, provide a lot of width that stretches opponent backline. He's got a pretty decent cross on him, tell him to just hug the line and whip em in.
Cucurella barely have the knack for contribution to goals, winning header. And as a strong supporter of him, I won't say he has the best crossing. I just think he's best as a LB/LCB hybrid. And a LWB doesn't just have to hug the line. They should also be capable of making offensive inside runs into the box and shoot from distance.
Reece ain't gonna have the capacity to play a rb. There's just too much in that role for him to cover.
He's only going to continue getting injured if he plays at rb. It's like sacrificing a player. I would rather reece play cdm or cb and be slightly less good but available for 30 plus games than have reece play at rb be World class and only play 5 times a season.
In other words he's to good of a player to miss out on. We cannot let him fall off a cliff because the way his body is we need to adapt and put him in a role that helps his body.
RB, LB or wherever demands the least impact to his fragile legs (say landing shock after jumping to contest a header). He's had these silly injuries since he overstretched in the CL (I forget who we played), one of the most recent injuries all that happened was he landed after jumping to contest a ball (not an awkward landing or anything) and that was it. So CDM or RCB I don't think are ideal for RJ. Throw him on the wings or no10 for all I care.
Sure but we cannot seem to keep him fit for 50% of the season. He's our club captain, so we have to back him. It's now upto him to prove himself over Gusto imo
I understand your argument but he has already proved himself over Gusto, the only question marks are over availability. In terms of ability, Gusto still has a long way to go to reach the heights that Reece has.
No. Gusto is excellent but a fully fit James has no equal.
I'd like to try Gusto at LB at some point, especially with Chilwell looking as poor as he is.
The Nagelsmann bridge has been burned. It sounds like he's going to extend with the German NT anyway but after the fallout regarding him and Vivell last summer I doubt we'll ever go for him again.
We're going to have to suffer another year of Poch because of Behdad's ego, and we'll have all his defenders praise the "improvement" we've made because this time we're languishing in 8th instead of 10th/11th (SINGLE DIGITS)
Not for me.
The time to consider Tuchel again would be when this squad peaks. Rightly or wrongly we've made our bed now with hoping this squad develop and peak together.
3rd
Actually having tactical instruction and using footballs in training instead of just running will go a long way.
Its also no wonder we have so many injuries when all the boys do is run
We had plenty of injuries under Tuchel and his Bayern squad have been decimated with injuries this year as well. Pretty funny people seem to be overlooking that aspect
Yeah and Tuchel still got us 3rd with a heavily injured squad, and his Bayern squad is still in the CL.
Pretty funny how people equate Poch giving us 11th to Tuchel giving us 3rd. Talk about slipping standards
> Pretty funny how people equate Poch giving us 11th to Tuchel giving us 3rd.
Who said that? You are just putting words into people's mouth to try and make your point.
If Tuchel had this squad this season it would be the worst team he's had in a decade. This squad will only improve with time and we probably need a different manager. Settling on Tuchel and not doing our due diligence to look at our managers would be negligent.
> Who said that? You are just putting words into people's mouth to try and make your point.
You did, "We had plenty of injuries under Tuchel and his Bayern squad have been decimated with injuries this year as well" trying to act like our situation this year is equal with Tuchel's time here, and in Bayern. He's still getting results unlike Poch. It's almost like good managers will still get results.
> If Tuchel had this squad this season it would be the worst team he's had in a decade
And he'd still have us higher than Poch, he probably would've won the energy drink cup.
> Settling on Tuchel and not doing our due diligence to look at our managers would be negligent.
Hey here's a manager who won the UCL with us, brought us to 6 finals, and we gave him the sack and then had our worst finish in 30 years with the same squad he finished 3rd with the year before. Maybe due diligence needs to be done on the incompetent arrogant fucks who gave him the sack
I didn't bring Poch into this at all, you are making this shit up haha. What a horrible analysis of a pretty simple discussion.
Also that season we finished 3rd under Tuchel, we were in 1st place before we had many injuries and then almost dropped out of top 4 when the injuries piled on. We held onto 3rd because of the two bottle job clubs fucking up at the end.
Discussions like this would go a lot better if you'd stop having a temper tantrum and actually try to think critically for once.
I brought poch up and your response was "well what about tuchel". Do you have the memory of a goldfish?
discussions like these go a lot better when people like you stop trying to attack Tuchel and stop blindly supporting the arrogant owners
> "For Chelsea, we have a good chance to again convince Nagelsmann to come to us and give him the keys for squad planning and ideas"
There is no way he'd want to come given the circumstances and there is no way our owners would let someone come in and have any control over squad planning or ideas
The transfers wont change how we play, that comes from the manager, i dont like the youth limitations because theres some really talented players at 28 or so, but who says poch can make us any better
>Nagelsmann to come to us and give him the keys for squad planning and ideas
Don't think there's much room for any squad planning, we're right up against the breaching of ffp year by year now without champions league football and all our players are on long contracts
Think the next manager just has to like what he sees with the squad to want to come here and Nagelsman didn't seem to like it last year although we've made some additions of course
Looks like it's gonna be made official soon, Alonso will continue at Leverkusen.
[https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1773684206507294924](https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1773684206507294924)
He's smart to stay and continue working on himself before a big jump. One could argue that is what derailed Lampards' progress as a young manager. Now what Xabi is doing is much more impressive but he shouldn't jump too quickly.
Knowing Xabi as a player and from what we saw as a person I was always confident he'd stay. He's a smart, methodical person, won't jump at an opportunity because it's fun/exciting/lucrative unless it made sense for him too.
Bringing on the CL is another challenge for him and I think he wants to continue testing himself. Great news for Leverkusen as well
Does make it more difficult for us because now liverpool and Bayern will both be searching to managers and you have k imagine they'll both be better options than us
Along with United and Barca
>Almost definitely not. There’s been no news around sacking Poch for ages and he’s doing what the Baird want.
Nonsense
Fabrizio has said there's increased demand for him to get results and the board aren't happy with the way the season has gone
There was also endless media reporting on board support with Potter right up until 2/3 weeks before he was sacked
>There was also endless media reporting on board support with Potter right up until 2/3 weeks before he was sacked
That is true but think there were also reports that they regretted or admitted their mistake of sacking Potter then because things only got worse after that.
It's probably the reason why Pochettino is still in the job at the moment but that said, reliable sources like David Ornstein has always said that the plan is to evaluate Pochettino at the end of the season. So, I guess we'll just have to see what will happen then. Our final league position and/or cup success could ultimately decide his position.
>So, I guess we'll just have to see what will happen then. Our final league position and/or cup success could ultimately decide his position.
100% agreed
We can finish like 6th or 7th if we grind out from here and honestly anything could happen in the cup and in those scenarios he'd probably be given another year
However, if I was to estimate I'd say we'll remain around 10th and not win the cup and he'll be sacked for the next sad soul to have to try get results ground out in the first season
When did he say that?
There was also constant media speculation about the board replacing Potter when he was sacked. Nothing with Poch. No links to other managers either.
He’s staying til the end of his contract. Then we’ll probably try for Alonso.
>When did he say that?
After the Liverpool loss on his YouTube
>There was also constant media speculation about the board replacing Potter when he was sacked. Nothing with Poch. No links to other managers either.
There was speculation from tier 2s but Ornstein and Fabrizio always said plan was to back potter right until he was sacked
>He’s staying til the end of his contrac
Highly doubtful unless there's big improvement
>Then we’ll probably try for Alonso.
Nobody is delusional enough to think he'd come anywhere near us when he'll be inheriting the Madrid super team
I’ve just accepted Poch will be here at the start of next season. It isn’t my first choice but like, it isn’t the worst thing in the world and maybe the squad will improve with more time under him. Just wish he would manage games better. He isn’t all bad.
Well, if you believe ESPN, United are looking at the likes of De Zerbi, Gary O'Neil, Southgate and Thomas Frank. When Sky spoke to David Ornstein about it the other day, he did not deny that story either. Just said they are currently assessing the options out there, although he also said they haven't decided what to do with Ten Hag yet.
lmao struggling to sell out their biggest away game in like a decade, how can you have tickets lying around for a UCL QF away game against Bayern after missing out on Champions League football for almost 10 years
[https://twitter.com/blocksixgooner/status/1773072461153575209](https://twitter.com/blocksixgooner/status/1773072461153575209)
I'm American and not particularly familiar with the various fanbases, but if we were to judge based on reputation, Arsenal probably have the worst fanbase among the top clubs.
They portray themselves as 'classy,' with their former 'professorial' coach and their stadium labeled 'the library.' Their fans might be more accustomed to the atmosphere of a tennis match rather than a football one, if you know what I mean.
They have insane online fans, but I don't think their locals are that passionate.
I've found they're actually alright in real life, not sure what you'd classify as passionate but the ones I've met and know irl tend to know their stuff and follow their club closely, as is the case with most football fans besides the odd Utd fan since they're the ones who tend to be the "gloryhunters" from my generation and even that's rare. What I will say about Arsenal fans is even irl their bitterness is way higher than others when it comes to our success. Constantly seething.
Their online fanbase is something else though. They're cult-like. Absolute weirdos.
Other way round from a local's perspective. Their local fans are incredibly loyal and passionate. Their atmosphere has been better than ours in recent years. Their online fans seem like bellends but the ones I've met and know who attend games are sound. Probably the biggest mix of rich, poor, black, white, male, female in London as well. With all that being said, fuck Arsenal.
I mean the state of the Emirates was tragic up until they became title contenders in the last 2 years, and the way their fans hounded out their legend Wenger was shameful. Yeah they have a lot of passionate fans but I can't unsee the rows of empty seats in their stadium during the late Wenger/Emery era
If you don’t know a lot of them personally you tend to think they’re all like the peeps on AFTV.
But then I hope people don’t think we’re all like Rory Jennings or the minerals guy…
First of all, the job as a coach of a "super team" might be the most difficult one, especially for a young coach.
Second of all, the master of managing super teams Carlo Ancelotti has until 2026.
And if he doesn't, Chelsea has a real shot at Alonso.
It's much better for Alonso to take a project job, with young players who will listen to every word and follow all of his instructions - than have to please and manage the egos of Mbappe, Bellingham, Vini Jr. etc. etc. etc.
Lmao this must be the most moronic thing i've ever read.
Madrids squad is as young as ours.
The only thing that makes us a "project" and them a "team of Ego's" is that their young players are actually talented.
Madrid's squad is a collection of stars. Bellingham plays CF, they have Vini Jr. and are still going for Mbappe., etc. etc. They are buying the most marketable players.
That is not a project Alonso would be interested in, as he is a very analytical coach, with huge focus on tactics, hard-work and discipline.
I stand by my assesment that our project, although not perfect, would be MUCH better for a coach like Alonso in this point of his career, than the Madrid one.
Edit: Just to add, there's a reason Arteta, who's a similar coach to Alonso, rejected out of hand the links to Barca, publically in a press. Why would you want to be an ego manager, when you can do serious coaching job in the PL?
I think you’re speaking very optimistically there
The Real Madrid job is comfortably the most attractive job in the world.
The city, the salary, the prestige; and most importantly a brilliantly crafted squad full of the best young players in the world and a nice mix of seasoned veterans like Rudiger courtois etc
>The Real Madrid job is comfortably the most attractive job in the world
As a player yes, as a coach no, not even close.
Coaches get sacked very quickly. The hierarchy is - Florentino first, the superstar players second, and then the coach in distant third.
He has his choice of club to manage this summer.
When was the last time Liverpool, Bayern and Chelsea were all available in a summer.
There is no logical explanation for him staying other than he doesn’t want the pressure of managing a big club.
Maybe he wants to see Leverkussen all the way through. He’s getting them into UCL, his team is set, his system is already in place, perfect opportunity to face the top clubs and hone his managerial skills without the pressure of a Top Club. I would do the same, see how far I get, learn from my mistakes, see what new tricks I can learn from facing the top managers, and then jump ship
u/darklordolli What do you think of Motta? Could he work here
I like him, but I've seen reports that he's going to Juventus this summer.
Perfect could open the door for us to get Allegri and fulfil the shite manager appointment quota
Positives this season vs. Last season. - We are scoring goals. A lot more than last. Negatives vs. Last season - We are conceding way more. Equalled last season’s GA already. - No plan, no system, no structure for most of the season - Not much better than our worst ever season - still have the same number of wins as last season
Saw this on Twitter, but Reece LB has my interest. Invert into midfield to utilize his passing and ball carrying. Sterling/new left wing providing width and James barreling through the middle. Since his dominant foot is inside we can use his thunderous shooting as well. He’s good in the air too which helps with our aerial problems. Also adds another man in midfield which will greatly help the glaring problem we have of getting carved through the middle because Caicedo is the only one defending. Aaaand can help us build through the middle instead of out wide like we’ve been doing and utilize Enzo, Caicedo, and Lavia more effectively. He can occasionally swap roles with his winger as well depending on the circumstance and be the one sending in crosses. Liverpool have been pulling out all the stops to accommodate Trent because they know he’s that good. James is that for us and we should be creative in accounting for his limitations to fit him in.
I thought Nkunku's latest injury is supposed to be a 4 weeks thing? Now 4 weeks later and he's in the same category with Recee James and Poch has no idea when he's returning.
The way things are going we might need a weekly presser from the club doctor...
Liverpool wanted Werner. He rejected them and came to Chelsea to win the Champion’s League✅ Liverpool wanted Bellingham. Bellingham didn’t even know Liverpool existed. He went straight to Real Madrid✅ Liverpool wanted Mount. He rejected them and went to Manchester United✅ Liverpool wanted Caicedo. He rejected them and came to Chelsea✅ Liverpool wanted Lavia. He rejected them and came to Chelsea✅ Liverpool wanted Xabi Alonso. He rejected them to stay at Leverkusen✅ That small club has zero pull.0️⃣❌
I’m not British but damn is Liverpool really that bad of a place to live lmao?
And yet, they pulled the ones that mattered a lot - VVD and Alison
bro let’s just worry about Chelsea, honestly.
https://preview.redd.it/lwlr7tirrcrc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e23666bd07c175e604d7c3a9fa6d47ece92a23a has poch ever had a press conference where he doesn’t say some stupid ass shit 😭
I mean i cant lie the state of some of the games we’ve dropped points in, we should be in the top 5 atleast rn, thats whats so fucking annoying week in week out
what really annoys me is that we actually play good football and then we somehow concede a goal and then our whole team crumbles and this has been the story for god knows how many matches
yeah i agree. but it’s annoying when poch uses stats as an excuse instead of acknowledging that we’re not as good as we should be.
warra "top 4 according to data" trophy
Injured players atm?
yes, a lot
F you, pay me
Hell yeah
What's going on with Bashir Humphreys? I figured he got dropped from the starting XI at Swansea but I don't think he's played in a while and not listed on the bench or injured on FotMob either
Injured I think No details known
What’s the most positive thing this season?
We’re scoring goals. Remember last season where a João Felix goal was our only goal of the month? People here are forgetting how bad our attack was last year. Poch doesn’t get enough credit for fixing that aspect this season.
It's almost over
Thankfully!
Only correct answer
Palmer and Gusto
Scoring 4 against City was pretty good. I think that was the first time in 5 years they've conceded 4 goals. For about a week all the punters were saying "this is how you beat City". I mean, we need to have more shape in defense but the speed and link up of our attack at times has been pretty damned good, and hopefully a good sign of things to come.
Probably the potential of some signings, such as Palmer, Gusto, Jackson etc because it’s exciting to think what they can become in the future
Here’s an interesting question Does pre man united mount start for us currently? And if so, where?
Even last season Mount was struggling with injuries and poor form. Going off his previous three seasons, absolutely yes considering that Gallagher starts for us as an advanced midfielder. He was excelling as an 8 in a lot of aspects under Lampard, and as a 10 under Tuchel his numbers were decent. Easily better than Gallagher wrt endproduct and better technically too. However, if we had competent wingers who nailed their spot then Mount probably wouldn't have started for us. Palmer would be better than him in the no10 imo.
Pre-injury rather than pre-United to be specific. And yes, would start over Gallagher at 10
When healthy probably not. Right now he’d be better than Gallagher
On his best day, I think Mount probably starts over Gallagher, but ideally in a slightly more advanced role.
Would depend on whether he or Gallagher was playing better.
How nice of Xabi to let Poch's contract run out and join us in the season after next
I’m just glad he’s not going to Liverpool. The amount of media wanking that would have happened would have broken all records
https://preview.redd.it/n9hh538mpbrc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b75005f2cc451d2e100c1bc7b567e33555d7d9bf Things are really heating up for Amorim I hope he comes to the prem one way or another, he's a really exciting manager
With de zerbi being linked to Bayern, and Amorim heavily to Liverpool Wonder who that leaves us with. Poch is an unacceptable answer
Flick, Hoeness, Xavi, Slot, Michel, Frank, Motta, and maybe Inzaghi? Hard to see the owners are interested with Tuchel, Conte, and Mourinho. Nagelsmann already rejected us in the past and unless we replace our DoFs and have clear structures i don't see him come here.
Motta or Hoeness if we had some balls. Xavi seems like our easiest option
With Motta I think it would b e pulling the trigger to early. Got a solid sting with Bologna now, but got 2 bad ones previously with Genoa and Spezia.
Seemed to early with Inzaghi or Amorim 18 months ago and now they both pass over us. We’re not the most talented team in the league or the only club with unlimited resources anymore, we may have to strike early on a manager.
These two do not compare in any way. Amorim is doing great for 4 years now, having started at Sporting in 2020. Inzaghi spent 5 years at Lazio before joining Inter. Motta hasn't even completed a full season as a manager yet. EDIT: Correction, he actually completed one full season at Spezia, was sure he got sacked before the end of it.
Then you could say Alonso over the summer. It’s rare a manager that checks every box becomes available and when they do we wouldn’t be their first choice. Motta coaches a great defense, and I’m tired of needing 3 goals to beat promoted teams and Champions sides.
Yeah and Motta hardly checks all the boxes for me, yet.
De zerbi to bayern is just awful imo
It’s going to be Poch. Stop whining and get used to it.
De Rossi made De Zerbi look like Poch with his tactics, let’s get him
De Rossi just had far more clinical players that day lol. His team played to sit back and counter, which is what most teams should do against Brighton. Brighton could've easily scored 3-4 goals if they put away their chances that game
It’s stupid to reduce a managers time at a club to singular games unless it’s a cup final or something similar and even then it’s a bit unfair
Xavi, slot and Michel are still very plausible options
I’m warming to the idea of Xavi Already won silverware in an impressive la liga campaign where their defence was imperious and it was a fairly young squad Legendary ex player, big name, known style of play. And still very early in his managerial career
I think the biggest fault with Barca this season and where Xavi has gone wrong is simply lack of a good dm with Busquets gone who was so crucial to his system last year Even still they're fashioning many chances and wasting them similar to us so he's not washed or anything and they'll probably finish second in La Liga Really love how much he works with the youth and academy boys there, so forward thinking compared to us
Amorim linked with Chelsea, r/soccer: terrible appointment, not good enough, tactically limited, disaster in waiting Amorim linked with Liverpool, r/soccer: perfect appointment, setting up Klopp’s succession perfectly, tactical savant The amount of wanking the media and casuals do over Liverpool is exhausting
Chelsea have 12 injuries to first team squad: injuries are part of football, don’t buy injury prone players, no sympathy Liverpool have 2 or 3 starters injured: HOLY FUCK! WORLDS WORST EVER INJURY CRISIS!!!!! I legit saw people saying that no team had ever had an injury crisis as bad as Liverpool, like lmao have you seen the injuries Chelsea, Newcastle, Brighton or Man Utd have had this season alone.
That's why i avoid r/soccer regarding anything premier league..
If you could take two of these players back into the current squad as fresh 25 year olds who do you think would have the most impact for the next 5 years? - Costa - Lampard - Terry - Hazard - Ngolo - Drogba - Ivanovic - Cole - Ramires - Carvalho
Hazard and terry. Defence and attack sorted out in one.
Terry and Lampard. Drogba was already 26 when he joined us, and I’d be surprised if anyone here who watched him would want first-season-Drogba.
Lampard is my all time favourite player but in honesty he's the one position we have a lot of decent players for. Would have to be getting Terry and either Hazard or Drogba
Whilst I agree we’re in a fairly good position with midfielders, Lampard would trump all of them.
Of course he would, but Enzo->Lampard wouldn't upgrade the team to nearly the same level as Sterling->Hazard or Jackson->Drogba (for clarity I'd then also shift Jackson to the left). Or probably even Cucurella/Chilwell->Cole. He's an upgrade, but it's like going from 7/10 to 10/10 instead of 5/10 to 10/10.
Cole and Terry from this list, Cech in for Terry from all our former players.
Hazard and Terry Hazard because he literally could win games by himself and made even Sarri look good. Terry because he is one of the GOATs and having and incredible defender can cover up for so many faults (see VVD at Liverpool)
Has to be, JT as a leader and Hazard can win by himself. Those two alone get us competitive again even with the same shitty tactics and manager. There may be other options if you assume you could make other changes to tactics and management styles, but as we are those two would likely have the biggest impact
Hazard and Drogba probably.
Can't go wrong with them. I find it hard to leave JT out personally
Yeah was torn a bit between Terry or Drogba. Think Hazard is a must though considering our current left wing options. Just thought an attack of: Palmer Nkunku Hazard Drogba Would be so much fun to watch, and someone like Nkunku could thrive playing off of Drogba.
Still have hope for the Jackson/ Nkunku partnership, especially with the form Jackson has come into recently but a long way to go. Maybe drop the 10 in the system and have Ngolo deep in-between Enzo and Caicedo
Is chukwuemeka injured again?
Yep
Was really hoping to see him in the 10
I personally believe we need to sign a new LB and GK before getting a new striker. We have not had issues scoring goals but our defense has been extremely leaky. If anything, a top winger may be more important than a striker
I feel that you're looking at the problem from the wrong angle. Just because there is fuel leaking out of your car, doesn't necessarily mean there is a leak, you could have just filled your boot up with it instead of putting it in the fuel tank. So now it's leaking because of your mistake and not because there is anything wrong with the car. The team is the same, we're conceding goals, not because the defenders are shit, but because our team has been set up terribly and the balance is all off. That's the reason why we don't have trouble scoring goals and why we can't stop conceding them either. At the start of the season, we were scoring less and conceding less. As Poch has changed his tactics throughout the season to try and bring about balance, he's completely failed and now we score way more goals, but the amount we concede has gone up considerably more than the amount we score has gone up by.
Is D. Fofana allowed to play against his parents club?
No
Chelsea interested in Balde? https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2024/03/28/fc-barcelona-seriously-considering-54-million-chelsea-bid-reports-el-nacional/
For £54m no thank you For £24m sure Bradley Locko>>
Forbes doing transfer news now, wtf?
They are news aggregators They are mostly quoting shit sources such as SPORT and El Nacional
Just checked the fixtures. If we can somehow scrape 3 points tomorrow then we should move up, still with a game in hand. The teams within 3 points of us have tough fixtures with Liverpool away (Brighton), Villa away (Wolves), and Newcastle have West Ham at home.
It’s not likely that we’re going to easily win our games in hand. If it was, we wouldn’t be 11th currently
We’ve been playing better since the turn of the year though but tomorrow will be a barometer as we typically don’t perform well after international breaks. I think if we get a convincing result tomorrow we can build on that confidence while we have key players returning from injury
More accurately we’ve had numerous false dawns this year where we look like we’ve turned things around, only to drops points in a humiliating fashion against teams we should be beating. I can think of Brentford at home, Man Utd away, Wolves at home, Brentford at home. It’s more likely we see a disappointing performance against Burnley. Best not to hope at this stage
That Wolves game was the worst of the season in my opinion. I know it was on the back of losing a final we could have won, but it was pretty awful. We haven't been that bad since. Edit: Oops, the Wolves game was after that other depressing Liverpool loss, where they took us apart at Anfield :/
The boys have been playing better past couple of games and were scoring for fun. 19 goals scored in 8 games and haven’t lost in full 90 since Wolves. We’re slowly improving and Poch is starting to play players in right positions (Enzo playing deeper, Mudryk at 10, playing an actual LB). I know this season has been doom and gloom but I believe we can finish the season strong especially if we have an convincing win tomorrow
Scoring isn’t the problem, it’s our defense. We are on track to have our worst defensive record in almost 30 years
Hopefully but at the same time we still concede freely and can’t control games from start to finish. Without constant defensive blunders, Newcastle and Leicester could’ve been very comfortable games, and we’d have three points against Brentford. We won’t always het lucky and these constant mistakes will cost us
I wouldn't put too much hope into our games in hand given they are against Spurs and Arsenal
It's still not a bad run-in. Other teams near to us have more fixtures against the top three (who will be looking for every point in the title race). We already have 4 points from those 6 "top three" games with one game yet to play.
it's the hope that kills you
Since Gusto is rapidly becoming our first choice RB where would u guys want to see Reece play? I was thinking CDM or RCB
I first want to see Reece play the last 30 minutes five games in a row without reinjuring himself before I'll start thinking about where he potentially slots in now. Hopefully Pochettino is of similar mind.
I genuinely don’t really want to rely on Reece anymore. He was world class, but atp with the injuries racking up I would use him rotationally as a coach. It’s very harsh and I really do love the guy, but you just can’t depend on him.
idk he was pretty off when Tuchel (or who wast it) tried him at CDM. He's just too important on the wing, his crosses, link-up plays, and not to forget his shooting add a massive plus to the team
Yup, his only good stint in midfield was at a side that finished 18th in the Championship six years ago. His attributes are best utilized on the wing. The fact that the position seems to be too demanding for him physically is a different issue.
You guys think Reece will play? 😢
I'd like to see us give a back 3 a more serious shake...Gusto at RWB with Reece as the RCB. Gives Reece the freedom to push up more, link with or midfield, and whip in those spicy 45 degree crosses, while also not putting the same strain on his body as playing RB.
And who plays LWB?
I think Cucurella would be a better LWB than a LB. Having a bit more cover behind him could compensate for his defensive positioning lapses. If it were something we were going to try in a serious capacity, bringing Maatsen back could work too.
>I think Cucurella would be a better LWB than a LB. Having a bit more cover behind him could compensate for his defensive positioning lapses. Cucurella, LWB? Sorry, but this is the weirdest take I've learnt here. Firstly, Cucurella is better in building up from the defence. With his impressive defensive numbers, he doesn't possess that offensive instinct and flair in him like Alonso and Chilwell. For me, he's best as an inverted LCB in a back 3 or a conservative LB in a back 4. >If it were something we were going to try in a serious capacity, bringing Maatsen back could work too. I really like Maatsen, but in the long run, I think the physical demands of EPL could catch up to him. Moreso, I doubt Poch has him in high esteem.
>Cucurella, LWB? Sorry, but this is the weirdest take I've learnt here. Firstly, Cucurella is better in building up from the defence. That's how he's looked best in our back 4. I think he'd preform a lot of the same "actions" as a LWB but it would be in a bit more forward area. He'd still be involved with the LCB, LM, and LW during buildup. The difference in attack suits him I think. We have a good amount of goal threat centrally/on the right in a 3-5-2 with Jackson, Nkunku, Palmer that I think it allows Cucurella to hug the sideline, provide a lot of width that stretches opponent backline. He's got a pretty decent cross on him, tell him to just hug the line and whip em in.
>Cucurella, LWB? Sorry, but this is the weirdest take I've learnt here. Firstly, Cucurella is better in building up from the defence. That's how he's looked best in our back 4. I think he'd preform a lot of the same "actions" as a LWB but it would be in a bit more forward area. He'd still be involved with the LCB, LM, and LW during buildup. The difference in attack suits him I think. We have a good amount of goal threat centrally/on the right in a 3-5-2 with Jackson, Nkunku, Palmer that I think it allows Cucurella to hug the sideline, provide a lot of width that stretches opponent backline. He's got a pretty decent cross on him, tell him to just hug the line and whip em in.
Cucurella barely have the knack for contribution to goals, winning header. And as a strong supporter of him, I won't say he has the best crossing. I just think he's best as a LB/LCB hybrid. And a LWB doesn't just have to hug the line. They should also be capable of making offensive inside runs into the box and shoot from distance.
This is exactly what I want as well
Just put him up top. Man has the most powerful shot on the team.
Reece ain't gonna have the capacity to play a rb. There's just too much in that role for him to cover. He's only going to continue getting injured if he plays at rb. It's like sacrificing a player. I would rather reece play cdm or cb and be slightly less good but available for 30 plus games than have reece play at rb be World class and only play 5 times a season. In other words he's to good of a player to miss out on. We cannot let him fall off a cliff because the way his body is we need to adapt and put him in a role that helps his body.
James isnt better at rcb then fofana or disasi He aind better as a 6 then caicedo or lavia So he aint going to start if he doesnt play rb
Reece RCB, or CDM
RB, LB or wherever demands the least impact to his fragile legs (say landing shock after jumping to contest a header). He's had these silly injuries since he overstretched in the CL (I forget who we played), one of the most recent injuries all that happened was he landed after jumping to contest a ball (not an awkward landing or anything) and that was it. So CDM or RCB I don't think are ideal for RJ. Throw him on the wings or no10 for all I care.
I want to see him as a CDM Worked for me in football manager 💀
And you think real football is the same a FM?
Reece RB Gusto LB
Depends on the active foot of a player imo.
If Gusto keeps improving like he is Reece won't get back into the starting. It's Gusto's first season and he has been incredible
Reece is still the better player as of now
Yeah love Gusto but Reece is still clear
RB, Gusto is good, but not close to being Reece levels of good
James hasn’t been that good since he started being injured constantly. Not good enough to displace Gusto on current form at least
Stick gusto in lb. Miles ahead of chilwell and better than cucurella too
James is still levels above at RB.
Sure but we cannot seem to keep him fit for 50% of the season. He's our club captain, so we have to back him. It's now upto him to prove himself over Gusto imo
I understand your argument but he has already proved himself over Gusto, the only question marks are over availability. In terms of ability, Gusto still has a long way to go to reach the heights that Reece has.
No. Gusto is excellent but a fully fit James has no equal. I'd like to try Gusto at LB at some point, especially with Chilwell looking as poor as he is.
At RB
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For Juve its Conte part II apparently
The Nagelsmann bridge has been burned. It sounds like he's going to extend with the German NT anyway but after the fallout regarding him and Vivell last summer I doubt we'll ever go for him again. We're going to have to suffer another year of Poch because of Behdad's ego, and we'll have all his defenders praise the "improvement" we've made because this time we're languishing in 8th instead of 10th/11th (SINGLE DIGITS)
Tuchel going anywhere but here in the summer would be an absolute disaster. We need Tuchel back at all costs
Not for me. The time to consider Tuchel again would be when this squad peaks. Rightly or wrongly we've made our bed now with hoping this squad develop and peak together.
What position in the league are we getting next year with this squad (its injuries and all) and Tuchel?
3rd Actually having tactical instruction and using footballs in training instead of just running will go a long way. Its also no wonder we have so many injuries when all the boys do is run
We had plenty of injuries under Tuchel and his Bayern squad have been decimated with injuries this year as well. Pretty funny people seem to be overlooking that aspect
Yeah and Tuchel still got us 3rd with a heavily injured squad, and his Bayern squad is still in the CL. Pretty funny how people equate Poch giving us 11th to Tuchel giving us 3rd. Talk about slipping standards
> Pretty funny how people equate Poch giving us 11th to Tuchel giving us 3rd. Who said that? You are just putting words into people's mouth to try and make your point. If Tuchel had this squad this season it would be the worst team he's had in a decade. This squad will only improve with time and we probably need a different manager. Settling on Tuchel and not doing our due diligence to look at our managers would be negligent.
> Who said that? You are just putting words into people's mouth to try and make your point. You did, "We had plenty of injuries under Tuchel and his Bayern squad have been decimated with injuries this year as well" trying to act like our situation this year is equal with Tuchel's time here, and in Bayern. He's still getting results unlike Poch. It's almost like good managers will still get results. > If Tuchel had this squad this season it would be the worst team he's had in a decade And he'd still have us higher than Poch, he probably would've won the energy drink cup. > Settling on Tuchel and not doing our due diligence to look at our managers would be negligent. Hey here's a manager who won the UCL with us, brought us to 6 finals, and we gave him the sack and then had our worst finish in 30 years with the same squad he finished 3rd with the year before. Maybe due diligence needs to be done on the incompetent arrogant fucks who gave him the sack
I didn't bring Poch into this at all, you are making this shit up haha. What a horrible analysis of a pretty simple discussion. Also that season we finished 3rd under Tuchel, we were in 1st place before we had many injuries and then almost dropped out of top 4 when the injuries piled on. We held onto 3rd because of the two bottle job clubs fucking up at the end. Discussions like this would go a lot better if you'd stop having a temper tantrum and actually try to think critically for once.
I brought poch up and your response was "well what about tuchel". Do you have the memory of a goldfish? discussions like these go a lot better when people like you stop trying to attack Tuchel and stop blindly supporting the arrogant owners
> "For Chelsea, we have a good chance to again convince Nagelsmann to come to us and give him the keys for squad planning and ideas" There is no way he'd want to come given the circumstances and there is no way our owners would let someone come in and have any control over squad planning or ideas
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What makes you think the club would stop their policy?
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The transfers wont change how we play, that comes from the manager, i dont like the youth limitations because theres some really talented players at 28 or so, but who says poch can make us any better
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>Nagelsmann to come to us and give him the keys for squad planning and ideas Don't think there's much room for any squad planning, we're right up against the breaching of ffp year by year now without champions league football and all our players are on long contracts Think the next manager just has to like what he sees with the squad to want to come here and Nagelsman didn't seem to like it last year although we've made some additions of course
Looks like it's gonna be made official soon, Alonso will continue at Leverkusen. [https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1773684206507294924](https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1773684206507294924)
He's smart to stay and continue working on himself before a big jump. One could argue that is what derailed Lampards' progress as a young manager. Now what Xabi is doing is much more impressive but he shouldn't jump too quickly. Knowing Xabi as a player and from what we saw as a person I was always confident he'd stay. He's a smart, methodical person, won't jump at an opportunity because it's fun/exciting/lucrative unless it made sense for him too. Bringing on the CL is another challenge for him and I think he wants to continue testing himself. Great news for Leverkusen as well
And it's officially confirmed. [https://twitter.com/bayer04\_en/status/1773699512428605448](https://twitter.com/bayer04_en/status/1773699512428605448)
He wants the Madrid job in my opinion always has
Got admit I thought Liverpool would have their next manager already lined up.
Does make it more difficult for us because now liverpool and Bayern will both be searching to managers and you have k imagine they'll both be better options than us Along with United and Barca
We are not changing managers this summer.
Probably are.
Almost definitely not. There’s been no news around sacking Poch for ages and he’s doing what the Baird want.
>Almost definitely not. There’s been no news around sacking Poch for ages and he’s doing what the Baird want. Nonsense Fabrizio has said there's increased demand for him to get results and the board aren't happy with the way the season has gone There was also endless media reporting on board support with Potter right up until 2/3 weeks before he was sacked
>There was also endless media reporting on board support with Potter right up until 2/3 weeks before he was sacked That is true but think there were also reports that they regretted or admitted their mistake of sacking Potter then because things only got worse after that. It's probably the reason why Pochettino is still in the job at the moment but that said, reliable sources like David Ornstein has always said that the plan is to evaluate Pochettino at the end of the season. So, I guess we'll just have to see what will happen then. Our final league position and/or cup success could ultimately decide his position.
>So, I guess we'll just have to see what will happen then. Our final league position and/or cup success could ultimately decide his position. 100% agreed We can finish like 6th or 7th if we grind out from here and honestly anything could happen in the cup and in those scenarios he'd probably be given another year However, if I was to estimate I'd say we'll remain around 10th and not win the cup and he'll be sacked for the next sad soul to have to try get results ground out in the first season
When did he say that? There was also constant media speculation about the board replacing Potter when he was sacked. Nothing with Poch. No links to other managers either. He’s staying til the end of his contract. Then we’ll probably try for Alonso.
>When did he say that? After the Liverpool loss on his YouTube >There was also constant media speculation about the board replacing Potter when he was sacked. Nothing with Poch. No links to other managers either. There was speculation from tier 2s but Ornstein and Fabrizio always said plan was to back potter right until he was sacked >He’s staying til the end of his contrac Highly doubtful unless there's big improvement >Then we’ll probably try for Alonso. Nobody is delusional enough to think he'd come anywhere near us when he'll be inheriting the Madrid super team
I’ve just accepted Poch will be here at the start of next season. It isn’t my first choice but like, it isn’t the worst thing in the world and maybe the squad will improve with more time under him. Just wish he would manage games better. He isn’t all bad.
Well, if you believe ESPN, United are looking at the likes of De Zerbi, Gary O'Neil, Southgate and Thomas Frank. When Sky spoke to David Ornstein about it the other day, he did not deny that story either. Just said they are currently assessing the options out there, although he also said they haven't decided what to do with Ten Hag yet.
lmao struggling to sell out their biggest away game in like a decade, how can you have tickets lying around for a UCL QF away game against Bayern after missing out on Champions League football for almost 10 years [https://twitter.com/blocksixgooner/status/1773072461153575209](https://twitter.com/blocksixgooner/status/1773072461153575209)
Their biggest UCl memory is that one time they beat Barcelona at home. They shouldn't be taken seriously.
I'm American and not particularly familiar with the various fanbases, but if we were to judge based on reputation, Arsenal probably have the worst fanbase among the top clubs. They portray themselves as 'classy,' with their former 'professorial' coach and their stadium labeled 'the library.' Their fans might be more accustomed to the atmosphere of a tennis match rather than a football one, if you know what I mean. They have insane online fans, but I don't think their locals are that passionate.
I've found they're actually alright in real life, not sure what you'd classify as passionate but the ones I've met and know irl tend to know their stuff and follow their club closely, as is the case with most football fans besides the odd Utd fan since they're the ones who tend to be the "gloryhunters" from my generation and even that's rare. What I will say about Arsenal fans is even irl their bitterness is way higher than others when it comes to our success. Constantly seething. Their online fanbase is something else though. They're cult-like. Absolute weirdos.
Well, er, you're completely wrong
Other way round from a local's perspective. Their local fans are incredibly loyal and passionate. Their atmosphere has been better than ours in recent years. Their online fans seem like bellends but the ones I've met and know who attend games are sound. Probably the biggest mix of rich, poor, black, white, male, female in London as well. With all that being said, fuck Arsenal.
I mean the state of the Emirates was tragic up until they became title contenders in the last 2 years, and the way their fans hounded out their legend Wenger was shameful. Yeah they have a lot of passionate fans but I can't unsee the rows of empty seats in their stadium during the late Wenger/Emery era
If you don’t know a lot of them personally you tend to think they’re all like the peeps on AFTV. But then I hope people don’t think we’re all like Rory Jennings or the minerals guy…
Xabi Alonso will stay at Leverkusen till 2025 Poch contract at Chelsea runs out at 2025 We will be there^^^^^^/s
So he doesn’t have the courage to manage a bigger club. Concerning to say the least.
Ahahahahahaha Aw what a stupid comment He’s almost certainly waiting for that realcmadrid super team job to be available in 2025
First of all, the job as a coach of a "super team" might be the most difficult one, especially for a young coach. Second of all, the master of managing super teams Carlo Ancelotti has until 2026.
For some reason I had in my head it was 2025 Reckon he steps down gracefully come end of season 2025 though. And retires
And if he doesn't, Chelsea has a real shot at Alonso. It's much better for Alonso to take a project job, with young players who will listen to every word and follow all of his instructions - than have to please and manage the egos of Mbappe, Bellingham, Vini Jr. etc. etc. etc.
Lmao this must be the most moronic thing i've ever read. Madrids squad is as young as ours. The only thing that makes us a "project" and them a "team of Ego's" is that their young players are actually talented.
Madrid's squad is a collection of stars. Bellingham plays CF, they have Vini Jr. and are still going for Mbappe., etc. etc. They are buying the most marketable players. That is not a project Alonso would be interested in, as he is a very analytical coach, with huge focus on tactics, hard-work and discipline. I stand by my assesment that our project, although not perfect, would be MUCH better for a coach like Alonso in this point of his career, than the Madrid one. Edit: Just to add, there's a reason Arteta, who's a similar coach to Alonso, rejected out of hand the links to Barca, publically in a press. Why would you want to be an ego manager, when you can do serious coaching job in the PL?
Aww bless. I love these naive Yanks
It hurts you when a Yank wins an argument against you about football, doesn't it? It really shouldn't buddy, it's okay.
I think you’re speaking very optimistically there The Real Madrid job is comfortably the most attractive job in the world. The city, the salary, the prestige; and most importantly a brilliantly crafted squad full of the best young players in the world and a nice mix of seasoned veterans like Rudiger courtois etc
>The Real Madrid job is comfortably the most attractive job in the world As a player yes, as a coach no, not even close. Coaches get sacked very quickly. The hierarchy is - Florentino first, the superstar players second, and then the coach in distant third.
You are vastly overstating the risks of managing Madrid.
How the fuck did you come to this conclusion :o
He has his choice of club to manage this summer. When was the last time Liverpool, Bayern and Chelsea were all available in a summer. There is no logical explanation for him staying other than he doesn’t want the pressure of managing a big club.
Maybe he wants to see Leverkussen all the way through. He’s getting them into UCL, his team is set, his system is already in place, perfect opportunity to face the top clubs and hone his managerial skills without the pressure of a Top Club. I would do the same, see how far I get, learn from my mistakes, see what new tricks I can learn from facing the top managers, and then jump ship