3 minutes ago, Argo said:

Not if his level dropped he wouldn't have.

Aguero is 32, one of the best strikers in PL history and is currently barely getting any minutes even when available. Many manager's would have put their fingers in their ears gone "form is temporary class is permanent" and shoehorned him back in somehow.

If you are other team maybe but no city. Why rush, not fit Aguero. 

You have Jesus, you have kdb playing false 9 and gundo scoring. You have wc player everywhere that really does not matter. 

18 hours ago, just said:

Actually spent an hour researching Kante and Jorginho's passing stats in the EPL this season. Makes interesting reading if stats are your thing.

Pass success percentage Jorginho 89% Kante 86.7%

Average passes per game: Jorginho 61.1 Kante 55.5

Long balls per game Jorginho 2.6 Kante 2.9

Key passes Jorginho 0.8 Kante 0.8

Assists Jorginho 1 Kante 1

So even analysing solely on the basis of Jorginho's alleged key strength, his passing, there is not much difference in their figures. And no difference at all in terms of key passes.

Closer than I thought to be honest.

I suppose Southampton was unusually bad in terms of passing at 78% and lots of possession lost.

But still, it's a shame he's not been able to replicate his early form for us in recent years. Probably mostly down to the system for me as Kante's obviously more suited to a sit deep and break kind of football. Think his greatest performance in the last few years was Liverpool in the Supercup in Lampards first season but we just don't see it often enough in my view.

 

I’m sad to say this but I don’t think I’m a fan of Kante under Tuchel, he doesn’t really suit the tactics.

I honestly think it wouldn’t be a bad idea if we built the team around Kante because he’s so good at what he does, we have won a title thanks to Kante playing a big part.

Must admit that watching Inter destroy Milan with some superb counter-attacking, I did get all nostalgic for the type of football we used to play pre Sarri. and which suited Kante much better.

It doesn't make much sense to build a team around a 30 year old at this point though. especially when we have a "generational talent" to build around instead 🙂

56 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Closer than I thought to be honest.

I suppose Southampton was unusually bad in terms of passing at 78% and lots of possession lost.

But still, it's a shame he's not been able to replicate his early form for us in recent years. Probably mostly down to the system for me as Kante's obviously more suited to a sit deep and break kind of football. Think his greatest performance in the last few years was Liverpool in the Supercup in Lampards first season but we just don't see it often enough in my view.

 

https://www.goal.com/en/news/tuchel-kantes-ball-winning-strengths-not-used-well-enough-by/1hktspsa28j0d11q9ubbqon1mq

 

1 minute ago, just said:

https://www.goal.com/en/news/tuchel-kantes-ball-winning-strengths-not-used-well-enough-by/1hktspsa28j0d11q9ubbqon1mq

 

Tuchel appears not to have noticed that Kante lost twice as many balls  against Southampton as he won back ... the verbals do make it sound like he has Kante close to "untouchable" territory though so we shall see how it all pans out I guess ... and who TT favours as the other player alongside Kante in the "double six".

Actually reading that article to the end, he is talking up Zouma as well, so maybe it's just vapour ware on Kante after all LOL.

As well as talking positively about Kante, Tuchel said he was impressed with Kurt Zouma, who also made his first league start for his new manager.

"Today I learned a lot of positive things about Kurt Zouma in his performance which was very positive," he continued. "We decided it late to put him on the pitch.

"He had a good game. He was present and clear in his actions. He fulfilled his role at the top level, very, very good. With Kurt and N'Golo, I am very happy.

"I saw [effort] all around the pitch. I saw it from Mason, N'Golo, Zouma, Azpi, Toni, Reece, Alonso and I saw it from all of them. All of the guys, you can't play less than 100% in the Premier League. It is not possible or to our standard. Our demands on ourselves are to be 100% sharp.

 

I think I must have been watching a different game to TT ... one of us needs new glasses for sure 🙂

Edited February 22, 20215 yr by Sexyfootball

5 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Actually reading that article to the end, he is talking up Zouma as well, so maybe it's just vapour ware on Kante after all LOL.

As well as talking positively about Kante, Tuchel said he was impressed with Kurt Zouma, who also made his first league start for his new manager.

"Today I learned a lot of positive things about Kurt Zouma in his performance which was very positive," he continued. "We decided it late to put him on the pitch.

"He had a good game. He was present and clear in his actions. He fulfilled his role at the top level, very, very good. With Kurt and N'Golo, I am very happy.

"I saw [effort] all around the pitch. I saw it from Mason, N'Golo, Zouma, Azpi, Toni, Reece, Alonso and I saw it from all of them. All of the guys, you can't play less than 100% in the Premier League. It is not possible or to our standard. Our demands on ourselves are to be 100% sharp.

 

I think I must have been watching a different game to TT ... one of us needs new glasses for sure 🙂

I'd agree with him on Zooms too. Played better than Rudiger IMO. Yep, both could have done better on the goal but it's not like it was a David Luiz style howler.

Just now, just said:

I'd agree with him on Zooms too. Played better than Rudiger IMO. Yep, both could have done better on the goal but it's not like it was a David Luiz style howler.

What annoyed me as much as the ball watching and crap positioning was the complete lack of awareness or effort from Zouma to sprint back and get in a position where he might have been able to block the shot. It was piss poor defending, which left Ings unmarked if the ball had broken to him (Azpi sliding across, busting a gut to try and deal with Minamino, leaving Ings all alone). I think JT might  have got back to hook it off the line in similar circumstances, albeit he'd not have been out of position in the first place 🙂

5 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

What annoyed me as much as the ball watching and crap positioning was the complete lack of awareness or effort from Zouma to sprint back and get in a position where he might have been able to block the shot. It was piss poor defending, which left Ings unmarked if the ball had broken to him (Azpi sliding across, busting a gut to try and deal with Minamino, leaving Ings all alone). I think JT might  have got back to hook it off the line in similar circumstances, albeit he'd not have been out of position in the first place 🙂

Oh I fully concur sexyfootball. Use JT or Silva as the benchmark here it wasn't great. Use Luiz, Christensen and Rudiger as your benchmark and we've seen worse. Just use Luiz as the benchmark for that situation and we've seen worse on a regular basis.

I'm all for JT and Silva centre-back pairing. 

49 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Actually reading that article to the end, he is talking up Zouma as well, so maybe it's just vapour ware on Kante after all LOL.

As well as talking positively about Kante, Tuchel said he was impressed with Kurt Zouma, who also made his first league start for his new manager.

"Today I learned a lot of positive things about Kurt Zouma in his performance which was very positive," he continued. "We decided it late to put him on the pitch.

"He had a good game. He was present and clear in his actions. He fulfilled his role at the top level, very, very good. With Kurt and N'Golo, I am very happy.

"I saw [effort] all around the pitch. I saw it from Mason, N'Golo, Zouma, Azpi, Toni, Reece, Alonso and I saw it from all of them. All of the guys, you can't play less than 100% in the Premier League. It is not possible or to our standard. Our demands on ourselves are to be 100% sharp.

 

I think I must have been watching a different game to TT ... one of us needs new glasses for sure 🙂

He’ll never admit to making mistakes, he’s an arrogant man after all.

Sometimes though, effort means nothing, talent also helps.

23 minutes ago, Wearyourcolours said:

He’ll never admit to making mistakes, he’s an arrogant man after all.

Sometimes though, effort means nothing, talent also helps.

He's playing with fire if you ask me ... digs out CHO for "lack of effort" in a 20 minute cameo, and then goes OTT praising Zouma, whose lack of effort actually did real damage and cost us a goal ... just plain weird !!!

3 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Must admit that watching Inter destroy Milan with some superb counter-attacking, I did get all nostalgic for the type of football we used to play pre Sarri. and which suited Kante much better.

It doesn't make much sense to build a team around a 30 year old at this point though. especially when we have a "generational talent" to build around instead 🙂

Sounds like we should sell Kante while he's still worth a lot.

3 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

Sounds like we should sell Kante while he's still worth a lot.

If we sell Kante then I dread to think who the board will line up to replace him.

10 minutes ago, forbzy said:

If we sell Kante then I dread to think who the board will line up to replace him.

A new CB would be nice IMO.

11 minutes ago, forbzy said:

If we sell Kante then I dread to think who the board will line up to replace him.

Maybe one of Baka or Drinkwater?  😆

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

Maybe one of Baka or Drinkwater?  😆

Marina will insist !

Probably still expecting her money back on that pair ... 🙂

4 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

He's playing with fire if you ask me ... digs out CHO for "lack of effort" in a 20 minute cameo, and then goes OTT praising Zouma, whose lack of effort actually did real damage and cost us a goal ... just plain weird !!!

His arrogance is already showing the little cracks that will lead to his demise, to actually say publicly his feelings bout CHO, showed immense crass ignorance towards the player, very very Mourinho,  like his treatment of Joey and as harsh as his treatment of Shaw, he will lose respect from the players rapidly if this is a sign, as for singing the praises of Zouma, he'd be the first i'd be looking at to get a few quid for..

3 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Marina will insist !

Probably still expecting her money back on that pair ... 🙂

How would you feel about those two ahead of a Jorginho in a 3?

 

Just, any thoughts?

8 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Must admit that watching Inter destroy Milan with some superb counter-attacking, I did get all nostalgic for the type of football we used to play pre Sarri. and which suited Kante much better.

It doesn't make much sense to build a team around a 30 year old at this point though. especially when we have a "generational talent" to build around instead 🙂

Even when Barcelona and Spain were getting called the best football teams ever, I always said I hated possession based football. It's just boring.  

 

13 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Even when Barcelona and Spain were getting called the best football teams ever, I always said I hated possession based football. It's just boring.  

 

I'd rather watch back to the wall defending for 90 minutes than 75% of a game be center backs passing back and forth on the halfway line was my thoughts back then........ perhaps bias, but I truly felt as good as that Barca team was they could be one of the most boring team to watch at times.

58 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Even when Barcelona and Spain were getting called the best football teams ever, I always said I hated possession based football. It's just boring.  

 

Barcelona in Peps pomb, was 'Death by a thousand passes' i wholeheartedly agree, should of just worked out how to get it to Messi fast, not score the perfect walk in goal, which i feel we try to do....

5 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Even when Barcelona and Spain were getting called the best football teams ever, I always said I hated possession based football. It's just boring.  

 

Spain was snooze fest, Barca on the other hand was quite fun because Messi. 

10 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Even when Barcelona and Spain were getting called the best football teams ever, I always said I hated possession based football. It's just boring.  

 

Ive said exactly the same for years, there's no worse football than teams that just pass for passing sake and to keep possession with very little effort to score. Thats how we played under Sarri, and how we are playing now, 75% of the ball, 1 shot on target, amazing.

1 minute ago, dkw said:

Ive said exactly the same for years, there's no worse football than teams that just pass for passing sake and to keep possession with very little effort to score. Thats how we played under Sarri, and how we are playing now, 75% of the ball, 1 shot on target, amazing.

The thing that frustrates me is how reluctant we are to take any sort of shot from outside the box ... you see them do it on the training ground, and then when it comes to a game no-one steps up ... even when the shot is clearly on ...