Coxy15

Saw that Roma are apparently considering offering Abraham in a swap deal for Lukaku... Id bite their hand off if that materialised. Tammy needs to come home!

I think the issue is less about a specific vendetta against Chelsea, and more about an issue with how personal relationships are impacting the professionalism of the referees/VAR officials. Its a serious lack of professional standards to choose to "protect your mate" from criticism (which he wouldnt have got anyway as it was a clear foul!) in a match with so much riding on it. Jobs on the line, win bonuses lost, longer term ambitions impacted. One decision has massive consequences in a ruthless, results-driven business like football.

I dont think it's a bad thing that he wants to play. All young players should want to play and prove themselves so if he chooses to leave to do that, it isnt a sign of weakness. Sancho did it and flourished at Dortmund, Lingard has done it this season (not young anymore, but needed to get game time). Leaving a "big" club to go play shows a better mentality to me than a Winston Bogarde, cash the cheque each week type of player.

If you've read the post then I think its disingenuous to say that you didnt realise that's what he was saying. Like I said in my original comment, perhaps he was just stupid and didnt read the post before liking which in the current climate is really naive. As for cancel culture... Who has mentioned cancelling anyone? Criticism is allowed.

This is a game for Chilwell and James to prove themselves. We need defensively aware, pacey wing backs to counter their threat from wide. CHO and Alonso should sit this one out I think.

Yeah from what i've read it's fairly well-known in the States that he is a MAGA guy. Came from a rich, Conservative family in a well off area. But I've seen the Insta post and it is definitely a like from his account which would seem to endorse that message, so it's stupid at best and an indication of very poor character at worst.

Selling Tammy would be a huge mistake. He has already scored plenty of goals for us, and is still so young. If we sell him he'll be worth 40/50 mil in no time. I have zero doubt that we would regret it pretty quickly. Spending big on strikers hasnt been fruitful in the past for us, so what if Haaland struggles like others have? Since Costa, Giroud and Tammy have been our best goalscorers and neither was a big money signing. The club shouldnt be considering letting a proven goalscorer leave when we are once again bemoaning our lack of goals as a team! His overall performances definitely require a lot of improvement but he is one of those players that just. gets. goals. And that is PRICELESS

Fair point and probably not much but I feel looking at Henderson that he has a higher ceiling. Mendy doesnt always convince me. He's been good and the stats show he's doing a good job, im just not convinced that he should be our long term number 1.

I can just imagine how people on this forum would react if we sold him and in 3-4 years time he was ripping it up at city, united etc a la Salah, De Bruyne... Maybe we should learn our lesson with young players and give them more time than we have previously. Its only been half a (covid-impacted) season, give the guy a chance. He's been underwhelming without a doubt, but lets give him 3 years. Maybe a loan in january next year if he still hasnt settled or shone. See how it goes, but to write him off now would be crazy. Having said that, if Tuchel has to pick between Mount or Havertz right now, he'd be stupid to pick Havertz.

Given the very recent abuse towards black player on Social Media, I cant say that its a much more pleasant experience in England. We often think Italy/Spain have a bigger problem than England but there's more than enough racists here to make society and life sh*t for BAME players.

Damn paywalls. Any chance of a summary of what he said about Frank and going "100 to 0" in the last year?

I very much doubt Tomori would have got any more playing time than Zouma is currently getting. Tuchel had already decided that Rudiger and Silva would play in his back 3 before the first training session, im sure.

Overpriced panic buy. Huge gamble to pay so much for such an unproven keeper and it backfired massively. Not worth throwing any more money or "faith" at the situation, just loan him out for a season or two, hope he performs reasonably well, then sell to recoup as much as we can. Mendy will be an excellent Number Two but we should really be offloading Kepa to bring in a top quality keeper, or at least a proven keeper with potential to become even better, such as Henderson who is bench warming at United and would be easily our Number One.

On form, Pulisic doesnt deserve to be starting any games anyway. Has he had any good games this season? His touch has been poor and he keeps losing possession when he does play. I think he has to show more when he gets the chances for him to force his way into the team.

That's legally true, but if you're a close contact of a confirmed positive test you should isolate regardless of symptoms. Hope you get through it all ok! Anyway, on the football front, I'm feeling strangely confident. Not sure why but I feel we're due some goals. Timo's good form in his last game gives me reason for optimism so I'm predicting a 3-0 win!

Yep, he'd be mine. Not sure about MOST underrated but I felt he was overlooked a lot. Came up with some key goals for us and was always a threat. Fantastic player.

Concerning that a Championship side were able to make it so difficult for us to play through them when they pressed. Organised Premier League sides will be much tougher and it didn't look like we were capable last night. Hopefully that is mostly down to the new mix of personnel but it was a worry, for sure. We do look defensively sound, and all great teams build from the back, but I agree with Tuchel's assessment that we need to be braver. Reece James in particular used to be much more progressive but now he almost always turns back and gives it to the centre back.

The board has to be able to make a distinction though, surely. Lampard, JT et al had won everything for the club and could be trusted to know whether the team was in shape to win again or not. Players like Rudiger, Jorginho etc. (not accusing them of anything, just using the names in the media as examples) havent won much, so would the board really listen to them in the same way? Especially with a strong board, I wouldnt think Player Power was such a big factor these days

Isnt this just proof that Jorginho is rarely trusted in the harder games? He's seen as a bit of a liability defensively and therefore doesnt get started against the likes of Liverpool and Man City. he starts games where we are expected to have most of the ball, and therefore are less likely to lose anyway. It says less about Jorginho than it does about the quality of opposition.

Ziyech is so frustrating right now. Clearly has talent but his decision making is awful and is putting him and his teammates under pressure. Ive lost count of how many times he has been in the right wing back spot in our half and has given the ball away through a poor touch, poor pass or trying to dribble past an opponent when it never looked likely to work out. We have to find a way to get him in the right spaces, with confidence and a clear mind. He was my favourite signing after the first few games with great vision and perfectly executed passing but all of that has fallen away and we just have a sulky player who isnt dominating games and cant handle it. Maybe this is the problem with signing a star from a lesser league, he's had it easy for too long and now he has to fight he doesnt know how to/want to?

See, I get that argument but, Silva aside, our defenders don't make risky or progressive passes. They only ever give it to another CB, the Wing back or one of the 6s so Zouma's passing is no different to anyone else's in that regard, and his aerial and physical strengths outwiegh Rudigers and Azpi's in that regard so I'd have Zouma, Silva and one other as the back 3.

Tuchel clearly deserves to be given until the end of the season before firm judgements are made. I think his team selection yesterday was awful, and hopefully he will learn that quickly too. I understand his concept of selecting experience but it doesnt pay off when your best players are the young ones like Mount and Tammy who is fresh off a hattrick. Play form players, not older players and you might get a better result. I think dropping Mount felt like a statement about a change in regime, purely because Mount trumps havertz for experience AND form, so why not start him?

agreed. Still waiting to see something from him. Even flashes, the odd classy touch here or there but theres not even been flashes really. For his size, he should be outmuscling opponents but he doesnt. Ok, some nicely weighted through balls showing great vision and touch then? Not that either...

Best midfielder tonight in just 10 minutes. has to start every game as we have no penetration from central midfield otherwise.

I wouldn't say I dont rate him. Honestly, I dont know enough about him and that's why he would be underwhelming for me. As a mid-season appointment it would be a strange one as he would need time to adjust to the league so would it lead to any real improvement this year as opposed to waiting until summer? I know PSG fans were fed up of him by the end but I dont know why that is. Im not against him per se, just think if that is the option then I'd rather stick with Frank until the summer. Lack of exciting alternatives mid-season is one reason why I dont think sacking Frank would be beneficial.