ws6blue

As shed upper ST holder last 10 years I can't think of a single individual racist fan remark form a single fan but obvs there are songs with certain undertones which many fans join in with - technically some these are racist but IMV its meant more as lable for that teams fans. We all know these -  'mudrerers' or 'y.ds' or 'pikeys' or whatever.
Away trips can be more partisan however and more likely to hear racist/homophobic remarks or maybe diver/ginger/overweight related shouts from someone within hearing distance - maybe booze fuelled or just tribal or just kno-head, not sure.
Sure we have some racist fans and we should call em out if clear and obvs.
BUt IMV its a tiny minority and we have many many more witty, cocky and decent fans.
COYB

Depends on whether frank sticks to his 433 system and high press or not as Mason is really a no.10 and wants to sit behind the striker or strikers as his fluidity on the ball is his best asset. And he will get goals from that position too.
RLC perfect for 433 as he has the running power to surge from deep and actually Kova can do that too. Kante much better in holding role as is Jorginho.
so for me, to get best out of MM need to change to a diamond with Mason at the top and Kante at the bottom with RLC and KOva either side. Then 2 from Tammy, WIllian, Pedro, Pulisic up front.
Not sure yet whether MM top class and worth building the system round him.....

Frank will hopefully have learned lots for our defeats to the mans this season and will tweak our tactics and setup.
in both games they sat and defended with high energy and physicality and hit us on the break when we lost or gave the ball away in the middle third. The 4 nil was robbery but we were so naive - yes early days.
so tweaks I want to see are;
kante holding and not Jorginho as his pace not up to it against the mancs
the 3 midfielders in the 433 don't all push on at once and one must sit and support the CBs when we have the ball
when we switch the play, do it with 1 pass and not 4 passes
go part man mark and part zonal on defending corners and not just zonal 
When we make subs change the system too not just like for like system with different players
score first!
 
 

As shed upper ST holder last 10 years I can't think of a single individual racist fan remark form a single fan but obvs there are songs with certain undertones which many fans join in with - technically some these are racist but IMV its meant more as lable for that teams fans. We all know these -  'mudrerers' or 'y.ds' or 'pikeys' or whatever.
Away trips can be more partisan however and more likely to hear racist/homophobic remarks or maybe diver/ginger/overweight related shouts from someone within hearing distance - maybe booze fuelled or just tribal or just kno-head, not sure.
Sure we have some racist fans and we should call em out if clear and obvs.
BUt IMV its a tiny minority and we have many many more witty, cocky and decent fans.
COYB

Top top performance and tactics from lamps and the boys - the right selection, tactics and setup. Everyone played top notch - Kante and kova completely outplayed their static midfield. Masons fluidity perfect, azpi and Marcus always in the game and the CBs defending properly. And then Willian- one of his best ever IMV.
but credit to Frank as the prep and performance top class. 
Now, let's win well at home

Apart from not seeing much of him and his appearances and performance a bit patchy, yesterday's behaviour at Valencia was odd at best and actually not team aligned. He 'warmed up' on his own the whole time, doing bits and pieces but not even basic stuff as a sub with anyone. He spent a lot of time gazing about the stadium and then trotted off.
so maybe a move to Valencia or certainly somewhere in Spain maybe in Jan.
if he goes then muchos Gracias senore Pedro, it's been good to have you at our club. If he stays then hope he sorts his attitude
 

The ref was terrible - I was at the game and he let the crowd and their player antics affect his decisioning from the first non foul onwards. We know many players now go down with a Yelp and hold something in agony then once the ref gives the decision they recover really quickly and move on. The penalty looked dodgy from where we stood too.
the game was brilliant attacking football and we were on top form going forwards apart from final decision. Their 442 caused problems for us as front two movement and cleverness on the ball was top level. But tbh the fullbacks were poor and our crossing not up to scratch.
enjoyable game though, our fans were great and Valencia a great city.
COYB

Kova - no doubt...................could chose from 5 or 6 players but Kova has proven he can play 'total football' - he can tackle, cover, intercept, dribble, burst forward, pass short and quick, give and go, or that final ball into a crowded box.
He also runs his nuts off, never complains and can do the water-carrying and the fancy stuff
Top player

IMV City not as good as last season and we have improved in key positions - cf being one of them (last year Higuain) - so I think we have good chance of getting a result through counter-attacking as we did couple season ago. 
I would go with RJ and Azpi as full backs - Reece a good matchup to Sterling and Azpi on the left to take bernado silva who is very very good but all left foot - so right footed left back a good option.
Midfield has to be Kova, Georgino and Kante - key against city is to intercept their passing game and all 3 do that well - also one of em can pick up De Bruyne who plays off the cf but switches position all game.............
Willian, Tammy and Pulisic up front as we can spring counter attacks with those 3 and Tammy maybe draw some fouls from fernadinho 
Mason and Callum as impact players if we need em.
3-1 to chels is what I think we can achieve
Big one this................................ 

The brilliant welcome to Gazza at the weekend, reminded me what a bargain he was and whether he is the best of the cheaper transfers (excluding academy obvs) over the last 20 years.
So if to qualify, transfer has to be less than £10m, and player must get to 100 appearances minimum, who are the contenders?
I've come up with Gazza, Azpi and Ivan................in that order, although just remebered Cesc too, and Pedro........
Gazza for me

Kova - no doubt...................could chose from 5 or 6 players but Kova has proven he can play 'total football' - he can tackle, cover, intercept, dribble, burst forward, pass short and quick, give and go, or that final ball into a crowded box.
He also runs his nuts off, never complains and can do the water-carrying and the fancy stuff
Top player

How about that boys in blue - twice behind, nous/strength to come back twice and win penalty shoot out
absolutely best result of the season - Joe Edwards is a diamond!

Hard to pin our away problems on one single thing but yesterday our setup for defending set pieces was dire - this a repeat for other games recently like the man city free kick and alonso howler. Yesterday for their corners sarri set up a purely zonal system where all our defenders were static and attempted to jump if the ball came into their zone - take a look at the corners before the goal, they got a header on each of them by running in with no effective blockers and virtually a free leap and head.
most successful teams combine part zonal and part man to man, with blockers - why aren't we doing that?
not only that but alonso was marking their smallest player at the far post and not in the mix with the big guys.
come on, it's so basic - who is our defensive coach btw, I note that JT being praised for his impact at villa and his attention to detail and practicing.
Sarris has to take the can - his focus is on a purest form of the game, very very technical and requiring players to conform and stick to it.
the PL has too many top coaches who after our first 18 games have worked us out.
Everton got tough, hit some great set pieces and we crumbled - embarrassing.

Hard to pin our away problems on one single thing but yesterday our setup for defending set pieces was dire - this a repeat for other games recently like the man city free kick and alonso howler. Yesterday for their corners sarri set up a purely zonal system where all our defenders were static and attempted to jump if the ball came into their zone - take a look at the corners before the goal, they got a header on each of them by running in with no effective blockers and virtually a free leap and head.
most successful teams combine part zonal and part man to man, with blockers - why aren't we doing that?
not only that but alonso was marking their smallest player at the far post and not in the mix with the big guys.
come on, it's so basic - who is our defensive coach btw, I note that JT being praised for his impact at villa and his attention to detail and practicing.
Sarris has to take the can - his focus is on a purest form of the game, very very technical and requiring players to conform and stick to it.
the PL has too many top coaches who after our first 18 games have worked us out.
Everton got tough, hit some great set pieces and we crumbled - embarrassing.

Hard to pin our away problems on one single thing but yesterday our setup for defending set pieces was dire - this a repeat for other games recently like the man city free kick and alonso howler. Yesterday for their corners sarri set up a purely zonal system where all our defenders were static and attempted to jump if the ball came into their zone - take a look at the corners before the goal, they got a header on each of them by running in with no effective blockers and virtually a free leap and head.
most successful teams combine part zonal and part man to man, with blockers - why aren't we doing that?
not only that but alonso was marking their smallest player at the far post and not in the mix with the big guys.
come on, it's so basic - who is our defensive coach btw, I note that JT being praised for his impact at villa and his attention to detail and practicing.
Sarris has to take the can - his focus is on a purest form of the game, very very technical and requiring players to conform and stick to it.
the PL has too many top coaches who after our first 18 games have worked us out.
Everton got tough, hit some great set pieces and we crumbled - embarrassing.

Just got back (to ws6) and saw MOTD which although brief confirmed what a great team effort today - apart from once when Baka went asleep and pogba headed wide.
Everyone did their jobs, including our fans who were excellent, especially block D where the fans were on it - well done blueboys!
A very happy end to the season - 19th of May rings a bell too.....

Just got back (to ws6) and saw MOTD which although brief confirmed what a great team effort today - apart from once when Baka went asleep and pogba headed wide.
Everyone did their jobs, including our fans who were excellent, especially block D where the fans were on it - well done blueboys!
A very happy end to the season - 19th of May rings a bell too.....

Was wondering whether he could be play in the cup final..........................master stroke if he can

He started great yesterday, mobile and involved and couple of trademark driving runs. But tbh, he looked tad out of it after that as villa got tighter on him and had less impact. Matic brought on to counter getsedt and that worked so good decision from Jose. Rubén should get more and more game time imv as he has all the physical assets and seems confident too, just needs more match craft and that comes with more games.

He started great yesterday, mobile and involved and couple of trademark driving runs. But tbh, he looked tad out of it after that as villa got tighter on him and had less impact. Matic brought on to counter getsedt and that worked so good decision from Jose. Rubén should get more and more game time imv as he has all the physical assets and seems confident too, just needs more match craft and that comes with more games.

Something is wrong but maybe just poor form and lack of real sharpness, he looked off colour for Belgium too apart from cracking goal. Possibly something not right off the pitch?
Anyway, I would put him on the bench sat and give him a rest and time to recharge a bit
When your out of form sometimes better to have a break and not keep ploughing on.
Be brave from Jose, but now is the time to do it b4 CL starts

He hasn't improved tho at Stoke has he and Jose didn't like him, not sure why, maybe work rate and tracking back.
Decent squad player but tbh prefer to blood academy players instead

He hasn't improved tho at Stoke has he and Jose didn't like him, not sure why, maybe work rate and tracking back.
Decent squad player but tbh prefer to blood academy players instead

Forget all the hype and bad press about nano, Torres, Fernandez or nobhead or whatever
Last night against Prague he was so bad, he Must be doing it deliberately, and I am not kidding, why?
1. He made the wrong runs at the wrong time, and good runs we're few but also at the wrong time
2. When close in to a chance, he fluffed it, or stumbled, of toe poked
3. When mata had it on a break, he ran towards him - Yes that's right, not off in a diagonal or into space, but ran into same stream mata was running
4. Petre lumps it up and he loses it, mostly starting goal side of the defender - completely in the wrong place
5. Everything was half paced or half hearted
Honestly he was dreadful
At the end, he ran straight off down the tunnel - did not even bother to acknowledge us fans at all - not good enuf
Personally, can't support him, won't boo him but won't cheer him either
Gutless effort

Forget all the hype and bad press about nano, Torres, Fernandez or nobhead or whatever
Last night against Prague he was so bad, he Must be doing it deliberately, and I am not kidding, why?
1. He made the wrong runs at the wrong time, and good runs we're few but also at the wrong time
2. When close in to a chance, he fluffed it, or stumbled, of toe poked
3. When mata had it on a break, he ran towards him - Yes that's right, not off in a diagonal or into space, but ran into same stream mata was running
4. Petre lumps it up and he loses it, mostly starting goal side of the defender - completely in the wrong place
5. Everything was half paced or half hearted
Honestly he was dreadful
At the end, he ran straight off down the tunnel - did not even bother to acknowledge us fans at all - not good enuf
Personally, can't support him, won't boo him but won't cheer him either
Gutless effort