Is the tank nearly empty?

Defensively I think we look very secure as of late which is very comforting, going forward not so much. In the last few games we seem to have lost a lot of speed and potency, where's our mojo gone? The urgency needs cranked up. At times we look very mechanical, slow and bit clunky. Have they been drilled not to take big risks? Could this be why we are still so cautious and slow to build anything at times? We don't seem capable of scoring a few goals in a game. I know that's largely down to a very poor striking department, but its a worry.

Do you think the guys are tiring, or beginning to burn out a little? We've still an awful lot of footy to play.

I think a few players are a bit tired. Oscar really stands out. Against Everton i would have started Andre or Salah instead of Oscar. Maybe have dropped Willian as well.

Ramie was rested as was Luiz. I realise the Everton game was always going to be a tough game but Salah and Matic cant play on Wednesday so i would have started them and rested Oscar or Willian.

Salah is due a start in my opinion

I've also said this in the Oscar topic, but i'll say it again. Eventhough we have a big squad, we don't have a lot of depth.

It is risky to play Salah or Schurrle in games like the one vs Everton because they haven't been able to show what they are capable of. 

Every point in the league is crucial at this point, I'm sure that doesn't need explaining. So resting our current attacking trio can prove to be a bit of a pickle. 

I was trying to remember back to Jose`s first stint here and seem to remember we also had lulls before the CL started again, I wonder if this is a conscious decision by the coaching staff to peak at the right time. Ease of in training a bit, that kind of thing.

 

That might be complete bollocks of course and we could just be tired.

Edited February 24, 201412 yr by dkw

I also think they look a bit jaded out there, particularly the attacking midfield.  It could all snap into form at any moment, or the wheels could come flying off - it's really difficult to tell.  I'd like to see more use of Schurrle and Salah in any case because Oscar at least looked knackered and our current attack strategy is just too laboured and predictable.  I'm not sure why they can't get games, Salah looked dangerous against Newcastle and Schurrle has turned in some cracking performances earlier in the season.  I think if either was given a run they'd seize it, so hopefully Jose shows some faith.

 

One advantage we do have is that we usually only need to score once.  Our defence has been magnificent since Stoke.  We may be going through a rough patch but we're still top of the league.

I remember reading an interview with Jose, saying Salah needs 6 months to get used to the PL. He won't get used to it by sitting on the bench, but on the other hand, every game is pretty much a must win, so Jose is probably trying to stick with his strongest 11 as much as possible. I would like to see him get some games, but I don't know when he'll get them.

Certainly lost our tenacity in midfield the last couple of games, we used to hunt in packs and close down the opponents high up the pitch and more often than not nick the ball back, against Everton we gave them so much room on the ball with hardly anyone pressing; we weren't that clever against WBA either all the pressing high seemed to stop during the City FA Cup game and we haven't looked the same team since.  It's only going to get tougher from here on in so if we are tired playing one game a week what are we going to be like playing two….time to dig deep, we are down to the vinegar strokes now.

Edited February 24, 201412 yr by CFCCAN

Considering we barely rotate I would put it down to players just burning out rather us not playing well.

Surely Jose has seen the fatigue in some of the players performances lately and i'm not sure why he still hasn't opted to rest anyone.

 

Will be very interesting to see who he chooses to rest in our next 2 games, the Gala game will probably provide an opportunity to rest Oscar and revert to a 4-3-3 like we did at City, while the Fulham game might be our best chance for a while to rest a few players and still pick up the points.

 

That said, we have a week between the Fulham game and the home game vs the spuds the next weekend, so he might just give them 2 days off after the game and not rest anyone for it.

Edited February 24, 201412 yr by Jonty

theres no way after playing away in the cl we can rest players away to fulham for one its their cup final, two new managers first home game ,three its always tough after playing in cl i say play best 11 from start and rest players/take them off if we get a good lead

It does look a bit daft that we sold two attacking midfielders in the winter and currently look devoid of ideas, but Jose will sort it out - we've done a lot better than my pre-season expectations. 

 

Since his comment mid season about shoring up the defense - he has done just that, now its a matter of finding an attacking player outside of Hazard to find some form.

 

Overreliance on Hazard is our big issue at the moment possibly in the last few months the second best attacking player is miles behind Hazard in terms of contribution. Someone needs to step up in that regard - Oscar perhaps after a bit of a rest; Willian has been disappointing for me in terms of end product; Salah/Schurrle need more match time.

 

Lampard possibly is the person I'm expecting to step up myself, he has had a bit of a rest since Matic arrived and could be played outside of the pivot now instead of Oscar for a few matches. I actually expect him to start there against Gala

Fulham looked determined at the weekend, very motivated and hungry. Their new manager works them hard. I can see drawing that one. Only thing that might save us is that their defence is shocking.

It's largely just the way we play. We look no more or less clunky than we have on the whole for the past 5 or 6 years. We have on occasion had moments (eg at the end of 09/10 and beginning of 10/11  under Carlo or against Arsenal and Spuds under Robbie D) but for mine the game against Everton was the same game as we have played 50 times over against a team who sits deep and closes down the passing lanes.

We were bound to burn out eventually....

I would rather we lose champs league and concentrate on the league.

Striker striker striker... 3 times last night Torres was put in to good positions and he failed to finish things of. It can be really fustraiting for the players and I think it transalates in to performance

Jaded? Possibly. But I prefer to think of it just being down to inconsistency. Coming off the back of defeats, it seems our football becomes very cagey for a few matches. It was the same earlier in the season. We lack composure on the ball which is to be expected when your front 6 include Ramires Schurrle and Torres. The squad remains a little imbalanced.

Striker striker striker... 3 times last night Torres was put in to good positions and he failed to finish things of. It can be really fustraiting for the players and I think it transalates in to performance

Bit harsh on Torres last night, I though he did pretty well, scored an excellent goal, was unlucky on a one on one and made more impact than pretty much all our other attackers.

Bit harsh on Torres last night, I though he did pretty well, scored an excellent goal, was unlucky on a one on one and made more impact than pretty much all our other attackers.

 

Have to agree djw. How can anyone single out Torres? Sure, he made errors but he was still better than Schurrle, Hazard and Willian who I thought were all poor last night. The decision making, final ball and just general play in the second half was as frustrating as its ever been. Folk will say all three ran their socks off but that alone is just not enough.

Bit harsh on Torres last night, I though he did pretty well, scored an excellent goal, was unlucky on a one on one and made more impact than pretty much all our other attackers.

I think you look at a couple Or the positions he got in and a top player does better, two times he was in nice position on the right side in the box both times he tried to do the defender on the outside and both times he was easily dealt with. When hazard put him through, a top striker finishes that 8 out of 10 times, can you Say that was one of the two times for Torres because I wouldn't bet on him the other 8 times..

I just think it can affect a team when they don't feel they have a man to finish things of in the final third and sadly we don't

Striker striker striker... 3 times last night Torres was put in to good positions and he failed to finish things of. It can be really fustraiting for the players and I think it transalates in to performance

 

Although that said it was the first goal scored by one of our strikers in 8 games.

 

Eto'o started the previous seven and has failed to find the back of the net... As scary as it sounds, Torres the biggest goal scoring threat of our striking options. 

It's largely just the way we play. We look no more or less clunky than we have on the whole for the past 5 or 6 years. We have on occasion had moments (eg at the end of 09/10 and beginning of 10/11  under Carlo or against Arsenal and Spuds under Robbie D) but for mine the game against Everton was the same game as we have played 50 times over against a team who sits deep and closes down the passing lanes.

 

Absolutely.

 

One thing in particular stood out over Ancelotti's golden period- we came flying out of the blocks and scored two goals early. It allowed us to control the game.

Galasataray didn't sit back, and in fact in that second half they actually out did us for possession whereas we sat deep and tried to counter-attack. The problem this season seems to be specifically in the middle of the match when we are a goal ahead; our performances against Everton in both ties this season, although they differed in results, gave evidence to the fact that we can lay siege to the opponents' goal if we want to. 

 

The operative word is want; for some reason we rest on our laurels on a goal lead and play little more than hopeful clearances. The structured counter-attacking game that tore apart Man City vanishes into thin air.

Yes we are on our arse just now.

We do a power of work in games especially Hazard, Willain, Oscar and the lone striker with tracking back and bursting on the break.

When you consider we have not been rotating this makes it all the more draining.

Problem is Shurrle has looked poor while Mikel and Lampard are not bossing the middle of the park like we need them to. Ramires has been plauged by an injury acording to Jose so we only really have Matic who is fresh in the middle of the park.

Salah needs to start some games to get some match practise because he is rapid and will have more in the tank than others.

Strikers between Torres and Eto'o who both are feeling the effects of the season with Torres having multiple injuries and Samuel's older legs feeling the pace of English football.

We need an injection of freshness while getting our form back, no easy feat granted but if anyone can do it then Jose can.

Striker striker striker... 3 times last night Torres was put in to good positions and he failed to finish things of. It can be really fustraiting for the players and I think it transalates in to performance

<br /><br />One of the only times in a while that Torres has made the right run and at the right time. 90% of the time he either makes the wrong run (which he did not long after he scored the goal) or no run at all. <br /><br />Hazard had the ball on the right flank, near the byline and his central area was blocked by 3/4 players. The only option is to hit it across the 6 yard box. Torres makes a far post run and my BP goes up a notch.

I think these last games of the season will be very gritty and hard fought.  I can't see a ton of high flying free scoring games coming form this team, and especially not at this time of the season.

 

Expect us to grind out results, and don't get mad at "lack of creativity."