yorkleyblue

No, they absolutely shouldn't have been hired in the first place. AVB was punted (mostly by his own PR machine and by winning some of the same stuff Mourinho had won) as the very best of the next generation and we fell for it. The man was all style over substance and has gone on to prove elsewhere that he is average at best. Scolari was always just a stop-gap to me, too set in his out-dated ways and too out of touch with club and league football. So no, they should not have been given longer. Actually, I don't see the relevance of bringing either one up. Just because previous managers were sacked under totally different and unrelated circumstances, when the league and opposition were totally different, has no bearing on the current situation. We are currently 5th on goals scored, in a cup final, the FA Cup and thee Europa League. I don't know offhand what position we were in the league when AVB and Scolari were sacked, but not 5th, and not in any cups except the CL (I think) A quick google of results under each shows that they were nightmare managers both managing to underperform with the best squad of players we had had up until that point in the Abramovich era. So, no, not the same at all.

no worries

@drjonesy1994 Fair enough. I think you are being a little harsh, Spurs away wasn't that shabby, we beat City, and we're still only 5th because the Arse have scored more than we have.

And I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing. People whining and wanting him sacked after half a season are the problem.

Puff and gossip, mate, puff and gossip. I bet you get all enthralled by the "rows" on Celebrity Coach Trip and the "true love story" of the winners of Love Island as well.

Neither high, nor mighty. I truly do not understand the mind-set. Fickle and glory-hunting come to mind, but obviously some people might have genuinely valid reasons for wanting a manager sacked in these circumstances. I just cannot conceive of what those reasons could possibly be.

I didn't know you were in the dressing room that regularly, mate. I never noticed a named parking space for you at Cobham. Do you park round the back, by the bins?

I truly don't understand a lot of you people in here. Half a season into a totally new way of playing, with a squad that contains many of the players that you lot have been saying for years aren't good enough, we're in a Cup Final, still in the FA Cup and the Euopa League, and we're 5th in the Premier League on GOALS SCORED and still you moan, and whine and want the manager sacked, because obviously the grass will be greener on the other side, with a new manager, won't it? No-one seems to have any idea at all about who that new manager should be, nor how he or she could make this squad suddenly turn into Brazil from the 1970's, but no, it's waaa, waaa, waaa, I'm fed up with my new shiney thing and I want ANOTHER new shiny thing and I want it now. And I really do LOVE (I don't) all the footballing tactical geniuses in here who know exactly where it's being done wrong, and exactly what needs to be done to make it all cream cakes and unicorns. I'm not sure why they have all given up their very lucrative jobs managing Champions League clubs to go back to their first love of plastering, but everyone makes their own career choices.

I quite like your posts normally, mate, but that bit is just being silly. Do that, lose 2 or 3 in a row and the same bitch-whining would start up from the usual suspects, you know it would.

Depending on what you think his stats should be, obviously There's some sort of web page for each player, and Willian's stats for goals and assists are pretty consistent through out his career. The people who moan most, quickest and longest about Willian tend to be those who think he is or should be an outright goal scorer. I don't see him as that, he never has been before, so I disagree with those who criticise him about that facet of his game. You know, @Nibs that I don't think Willian is the ultimate in football players and I can agree that we need an upgrade on both Willian and Pedro, but the Willy-whingeing that goes on is just wrong-headed, which is why I stick up for the bloke. And we do have some regulars in here who will pick up on and whine about any of the slightest mistakes he makes, who will never ever credit the lad with any of the good things he does and who never ever criticise some of the other players, even if they are much worse on the day. The standard position for some people seems to be Willian is sh*te because I don't like him, so I'll comment about every bad thing regardless. (just over a minute into a match recently, on what I think was his first touch, some bugger started slating him). And then some of them try to justify their position by saying things like he only scores glory-boosting goals when we're winning and in total control or against much worse opposition, as if those goals count for less, but discount criticism of other players against lower opposition because they "weren't playing with the first team" or "they haven't had a proper chance". 'Nuff said, I think, except no, Willian ain't Messi, but he ain't sh*te either, and every one of our managers since he arrived has chosen him for a reason. I prefer to think that top professional managers know their own players and tactics better than a few random internet forum fans from around the world.

Tell that to Kevin Keegan

Yep, I was just responding to someone about league appearances, but I thought the figure in the brackets were the sub appearances, not the other way round.

To be honest, I don't know if Sky do the FA Cup at all. I thought they did, but BT had the 4pm match last Sunday, so now I'm not so sure.

Isn't 4.30pm Sky's slot? Still be televised, though it would be nicer on the Beeb.

YET!

BBC usually show their highlight games a bit later than that - will most likely be a 6pm kick-off same as last week if we are one of the BBC matches. We might end up being the BT match or Sky or something

Appearances is appearances. 12 of Sancho's 19 were as a sub, so only 7 starts then.

I think I generally agree with @just, not a great deal between them. Kovacic does have a dribble in him, but then seems to run out of ideas, almost as if he;s surprised that he's managed to get so far. They usually end in simply losing the ball. I do find it amusing though that people will bandy statistics or web-site opinions around until those stats actually indicate something against what they have been arguing, in which case the default fall-back is "I rely on what I actually see instead of statistics" (not @charierre particularly, I haven't seen this from him/her) I suppose we are all selective in a way, though

But he's too tall

Be brave, my little soldier, this is just their little moment in the spotlight. Read these and be relaxed, your worst fears will never happen. https://www.90min.com/posts/5909649-ain-t-over-yet-5-of-the-best-premier-league-title-comebacks-to-inspire-man-city-s-challengers

CHO has 11, including against City, Spuds and L'Arse, as well as 4 European matches. Not too shabby so far for a break-through season, IMO.

You're about 6 months too late, mate - I sold mine on ebay last summer.

That's the bloke who was celebrating when Willian got injured the other week and then got all aggressive when he got pulled up on it. I'm not surprised he'd be that sort, really.

But he'll never be as good as Drogba, eh @just ????