venom2011

The data on our big chances created says otherwise. Big chances are not half chances. You only expected us to do better better with 3 chances - was the Sterling Jackson 2vkeeper a myth? And you only need to see the chances missed by Jackson, Enzo, Sterling, Chilwell, Palmer yesterday. Those are not low quality, half chances and to have 5 big chances in a game is more than most teams create.

You don't need to believe anything. Stats are available for you if you seek them. Also the problem with the eye test is that many people have no clue what they're talking about. Stats, not perfect in isolation, but at least innately consistent. As someone with a passion for stats and football, if you showed me the data (plus some others) on those first 4 games and told me it's with a young, depleted squad - I would be amazed. We give up few chances, every shot on goal is not a chance/big chance. This is evident with the eye test over 6 games and backed by data. And you should contextualise what happened after when we were down to 10. You simply do not have the highest possession stats in the league without have good control over games. That says nothing about how effective your control is though, but the point being that what we've seen has been largely positive. Let's not underestimate how much injuries and diabolical finishing have affected our performances. And when we eventually see some measure of normality with both and have improved results, you'll have people proclaiming how the performances are drastically different, as if by magic...

Not at all. Pep had struggles initially with a city team that had Aguero, KDB and Yaya Toure. Klopp struggled with a Liverpool squad littered with experience. Imagine still that they'd lost 12 players, 5 of them starters. Why would you think these would fair any better with this group? We are actually very much in control of most of our games, give away few chances, and our metrics back this up. I won't lie and say I'm not fuming at the results and efforts in the final third. But generally I'm happy with what I'm seeing ***given the state of the squad. I will not judge Poch critically until I've seen him after some time and with a squad near its peak condition. i.e. the exact same that was said of Pep, Klopp and Arteta.

Would you care to name a few of these countless managers that are gettable and proven better than Poch with a young squad?

Cool so Chilwell and Mudryk down the left flank leaving a canyon behind them, covered by the most inexperienced and patched backline in the PL, and a dm just returning from injury. So simple...

More like scraps. It cannot be that hard to come up with a few reasons as to why it would take a new manager, with a newly assembled team full of inexperienced players playing in key positions, a bit longer to relay his ideas. This after a disrupted preseason and at least 5 starters injured. Just look at the difference between the benches of Spurs and us yesterday. Let's also be clear that over the 6 games we've played some decent stuff, but certainly nowhere near complete performances. We beat Spurs in most metrics. It's no coincidence that our best performance came early on, outperforming the team currently sitting second, when Poch had more players at his disposal. Why would anyone even consider that Ange, hell even Pep, would have done any better. And if anyone thinks Pep would be giving Mudryk a sniff, and play everyone in their best positions at the expense of his philosophy...

Madness. How dare compare Enzo to a tap-in merchant playing in a weaker league. Also Moses cost 7m and left the club a while ago...

Misses aside, I've been hugely impressed with the quality at his age. I'd prefer to see him play with better goalscorers around him, than if they swapped him out of the team for a pure goalscorer.

Errr....Maybe if you watch the matches without any understanding of what you're seeing. If you watched the matches and are convinced you're seeing a back 3/5 then you should switch to tennis. Simpler formations there.

Good to know. Unfortunately I snipped out the bit where Poch said he had a low ceiling.

twittervid.com_MrBoadu_abbe2a.mp4

Cool, so you are of course aware that your opinion - informed or not - flies in the face of the opinion of the best football recruiters in the business. And accordingly, you believe that their opinion was swayed by his transfer fee. Now I'm not saying that a brave soul with a keyboard doesn't know what he's talking about but, then again, I've been wrong before... I've see the kid run at 36 km/h, scan the field like he's fn David Silva, play a superbly weighted reverse pass to player making an outside-to-in run behind him, that should have led to a goal opportunity if not for the receiver. There is not a pace merchant in the world who can do what I just described. He's not on the bench because of his lack of technical ability, football IQ, or work ethic. He's there because his tactical education is severely underdeveloped and he'll be a late bloomer because of it.

So it would be illogical because Caicedo is the same as Cucurella, Sanchez (who just arrived), and a manager?... seems logical.

That's all good and true. But without even analyzing the players, Caicedo was immense in a young team playing brilliant, progressive football. He moved to a young team with intent to play good, progressive football. Rice did very well in a West Ham team that were in stark contrast stylistically. Fans had a problem with Jorginho because of how his lack of mobility hurt us on occasion. What do you think would happen with Verrati, Casemiro, and Rice? Now looking at the comparison - At the same ages, Caicedo is vastly superior to Rice. He's better across all technical aspects, though Rice is tidy. He's a lot quicker and more agile (was even used at RB on occasion). Both great in duels. Both read the game very well. Rice better in the air. The only player in Europe I would take over Caicedo is Rodri. Bloom priced him at 100m+, not just because he wanted to be an asshole and thought we would overpay. He knew the value of what he had.

He's not a marquee signing. We paid 62m for some immense raw talent and that's okay, but people need to understand what he actually is. Cole Palmer is 18 months younger but has better experience. Also, we are not and have not played 3 at the back yet. Colwill has played LB and Chilwell LW. Chilwell at LW isn't great but he offers some consistency over Mudryk. Note that in this period Poch was also short on options, Mudryk being the only alternative unless he changes the system.

I can answer that earnestly but that's probably not what you want. Ultimately, the intention is to have us play a modern, possession-based, high press variation. If I'm picking one of them to suit that system, it's Caicedo all day long. The data shows we have the highest possession, most carries, and right up there with take-on attempts and recoveries. This doesn't translate to a finished, functional system but it is very encouraging given then state of our squad and the amount of time Poch has had with them.

Oh you don't even need a full season to make that judgement if you know what you're doing. In 8 months Enzo has shown himself to be a better midfielder than any of his club peers. And I can make that statement with confidence, backed by data, and the eye test.

By winners you mean 1 deflected goal and by costing us, you mean made errors (along with others in the same phase) leading to goals. Rice is more experienced, and more of a leader on the pitch for sure. But Caicedo is still the better player. He's also much better suited to our style of football and will be valuable in stopping counters. He's had 180 mins of football after a botched preseason. Give the guy a fn minute...

The experience and supposed leadership of a bunch of players did buggerall last season. Just take Mount as a prime example of someone who supposedly had a host of intangibles that are thought to make a difference in moments like the club experienced last season. All those intangibles amounted to zilch. And I was one of those who put great stock in them. Watching a fair amount of Arsenal and Brighton games last season, Caicedo amazed me, Rice not as much. Both were crucial to their teams. Wouldn't have minded Rice, but I was desperate for us to sign Caicedo.

Amazing how goals change performances from decent to colossal...

Just out of interest, what formation do you see us playing? I'm seeing this being bandied about a lot right now. Because there's been no change since preseason. It can be worse if what you are suggesting is starting a young signing immediately after joining; and relying on a guy who's neither physically fit, coming back from injury, nor fit for purpose at this point. Palmer will start, Madueke will claw back his fitness and start, that time just wasn't this weekend. What's the point of judging the manager's choices while his options are limited? I highly doubt Chilwell gets a look-in at LW once Madueke and Broja are fully fit - and Palmer is acclimated.

Yeah, Brighton - the team full of experienced pros like Mitoma, Ferguson, Gilmour, Van Hecke, Enciso, Colwill... Straight into a team full of kids like Sterling, Silva, Chilwell, Disasi, Gallagher... He was one of the best DMs in Europe last season, the equal of anyone in this league. How about you give him a minute?

We have done just that, or is last season a distant memory? Stats are not a sugar coat if you know what you're doing. We've pinned teams multiple times for sustained periods. I don't see boring football, but that's subjective. My perspective will not break. That doesn't mean I wasn't thoroughly annoyed yesterday. So many little things that could have led to big chances, but my expectations are tempered.

Not even then 🙃