4 minutes ago, dkw said:

We got battered on Saturday? Really?

What I mean is we conceded chances when Newcastle played the long ball to Rondon, Newcastle won the second ball and almost scored. The same happened at Wolves with Jimenez.

Quote

And you want Lampard as manager after 4 months as Derby manager? Really?

No, eventually. Maybe in 3 or 4 years idk.

Edited January 15, 20197 yr by the special one

3 hours ago, the special one said:

.................................but frankly it was a little embarrassing watch us get battered on Saturday ...........................................

What match were you watching?  We were as far from getting battered as it is possible to be.  Correct choice of language will ALWAYS help you get your point across.  Blatant hyperbole just makes you look a tiny bit silly.

18 minutes ago, yorkleyblue said:

What match were you watching?  We were as far from getting battered as it is possible to be.  Correct choice of language will ALWAYS help you get your point across.  Blatant hyperbole just makes you look a tiny bit silly.

Sorry it was a poor choice of words. It was just a lazy figure of speech I (and others) used to use when I played (a few years ago now) - we used the term "battered" to describe a loss of control in the middle of the park (usually in front of the defensive line). I realised after I posted what it may have sounded like. Apologies.

Edited January 15, 20197 yr by the special one

44 minutes ago, Valerie said:

That got him banned, thank f**k.

 

Not sure it was ban worthy, but he was one of the most negative posters I can remember. 

3 hours ago, yorkleyblue said:

I find it odd that so many people can be bored watching us dominate teams, going 12 (or however many it was) matches unbeaten, and really taking to the possession-based style of playing out incredibly well under the most intense pressure.  Personally, I'm enjoying the ride.

If you want boring, try struggling through a relegation season.

Got to pick you up on that YB - relegation battles are far from boring - we're both old enough to remember!

On the whole I am a fan of what Sarri has done, but cannot be a hypocrite - I too have found some of the games painfully dull & boring. Southampton, Leicester and even the 1-0 win over Palace were not great to watch. 1 goal in three matches with f**k knows how many passes but very few attempts on goal and opposition keeper with a cigar on is not my idea of enjoyable football viewing. I'm okay with it as I know it is a work in progress but I wouldn't want that week in, week out. As someone else said, it was Barca / Spain football but without the end product. No, in fact that's being generous it was just pretty dull & frustrating.

  

Edited January 15, 20197 yr by Nibs

3 hours ago, yorkleyblue said:

I find it odd that so many people can be bored watching us dominate teams, going 12 (or however many it was) matches unbeaten, and really taking to the possession-based style of playing out incredibly well under the most intense pressure.  Personally, I'm enjoying the ride.

If you want boring, try struggling through a relegation season.

Not sure I would call the relegation seasons boring but they were difficult to watch for different reasons.

14 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Got to pick you up on that YB - relegation battles are far from boring - we're both old enough to remember!

On the whole I am a fan of what Sarri has done, but cannot be a hypocrite - I too have found some of the games painfully dull & boring. Southampton, Leicester and even the 1-0 win over Palace were not great to watch. 1 goal in three matches with f**k knows how many passes but very few attempts on goal and opposition keeper with a cigar on is not my idea of enjoyable football viewing. I'm okay with it as I know it is a work in progress but I wouldn't want that week in, week out. As someone else said, it was Barca / Spain football but without the end product. No, in fact that's being generous it was just pretty dull & frustrating.

  

Hopefully the final product will be worth waiting for. Until then it seems as though Sarri is trying to strike a balance between implementing his style and getting results. 

I agree that when the style is ineffective it can lead to a pretty poor spectacle though. Still more direct football can also be pretty awful too, as we can probably remember in the mid table years of the early 90s

5 minutes ago, forbzy said:

Hopefully the final product will be worth waiting for. Until then it seems as though Sarri is trying to strike a balance between implementing his style and getting results. 

I agree that when the style is ineffective it can lead to a pretty poor spectacle though. Still more direct football can also be pretty awful too, as we can probably remember in the mid table years of the early 90s

Totally Agree.

What I think supporters are always hoping for is for things to evolve and improve. It is still early days for Sarri so we have to show patience, but if 12 months down the line we are still seeing pass, pass, pass & pass again with no shots on goal, questions will be asked. I think the majority of football fans are the same. I know there is always the argument about entertainment  v success. Some coaches (Mourinho prime example) will argue "I'm not here to entertain, I'm here to get results. Others (Pep prime example) will want to do things the "right way" and he won't want to grind out games 1-0 but try and win and entertain. Supporters will put up with "dull" football when trophies are coming in but even then there is a limit, hence coaches are always on borrowed time. Guadiola does seem to have got the balance right, but as good a coach as he is, he wouldn't have been able to achieve it without the Arab Millions.

 

39 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Totally Agree.

What I think supporters are always hoping for is for things to evolve and improve. It is still early days for Sarri so we have to show patience, but if 12 months down the line we are still seeing pass, pass, pass & pass again with no shots on goal, questions will be asked. I think the majority of football fans are the same. I know there is always the argument about entertainment  v success. Some coaches (Mourinho prime example) will argue "I'm not here to entertain, I'm here to get results. Others (Pep prime example) will want to do things the "right way" and he won't want to grind out games 1-0 but try and win and entertain. Supporters will put up with "dull" football when trophies are coming in but even then there is a limit, hence coaches are always on borrowed time. Guadiola does seem to have got the balance right, but as good a coach as he is, he wouldn't have been able to achieve it without the Arab Millions.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if he only lasts one more season due to fans wanting a change and of course if Frank Lampard starts making waves, the second Special One might return!

35 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if he only lasts one more season due to fans wanting a change and of course if Frank Lampard starts making waves, the second Special One might return!

I know this much for a fact, if Super Frank returns as manager I along with many supporters I speak to away from this forum won't care about the results, we'll follow him all the way to the National League... legend 

edit (yes, I know, I do realise how silly this sounds) 

Edited January 15, 20197 yr by the special one

15 minutes ago, the special one said:

I know this much for a fact, if Super Frank returns as manager I along with many supporters I speak to away from this forum won't care about the results, we'll follow him all the way to the National League... legend 

Yes for a while that might happen, yet you want to play a certain way you need certain players and they come at a certain price.

The wave of initial euphoria might win a few, sell a load of tickets and merchandise yet somewhere along the path results are needed.

I can't think of many examples where players have successfully gone back to their old clubs as managers. 

OGS is the current one in the spotlight.

 

21 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

I can't think of many examples where players have successfully gone back to their old clubs as managers. 

 

Robbie Di Matteo anyone 

1 hour ago, Strider6003 said:

I can't think of many examples where players have successfully gone back to their old clubs as managers. 

It’s actually really common.

Kenny - Liverpool, Alan Shearer - Newcastle, Vialli - Chelsea, Di Matteo - Chelsea, Inzaghi - Milan, Gattuso - Milan,  Solksjaer - United, Zidane - Real, Conte - Juve, Simeone - A.Madrid, Capello - Milan, Ancelotti - Milan, Cruyff - Barcelona, Guardiola - Barca

Ive probably missed a few.

3 hours ago, the special one said:

Sorry it was a poor choice of words. It was just a lazy figure of speech I (and others) used to use when I played (a few years ago now) - we used the term "battered" to describe a loss of control in the middle of the park (usually in front of the defensive line). I realised after I posted what it may have sounded like. Apologies.

Never any reason to apologise, mate.  I understand enthusiasm :)

11 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

It’s actually really common.

Kenny - Liverpool, Alan Shearer - Newcastle, Vialli - Chelsea, Di Matteo - Chelsea, Inzaghi - Milan, Gattuso - Milan,  Solksjaer - United, Zidane - Real, Conte - Juve, Simeone - A.Madrid, Capello - Milan, Ancelotti - Milan, Cruyff - Barcelona, Guardiola - Barca

Ive probably missed a few.

Not necessarily successful though, Newcastle went down under Shearer, Di Matteo though inspiring to the CL didn't last a full season. Solksjaer a WIP, Kenny before my time.

Though think a fair point with the European examples

57 minutes ago, Master&Commander said:

This speaks volumes. I understand at times we have been boring and lacked end product but and it's a big but we are changing an awful lot and it's not as if he's had hundreds of millions spent on players to fit the system as Pep did.

Given the lack of leadership from above in terms of recruitment for him i for one am really happy with where we are and where we are hopefully going next season.

Also the league is arguably a lot tougher now than it was in any of their first seasons.

Edited January 16, 20197 yr by DukesOfHazard

So here's a thought. 

Sarri only signed a 2 year contract with Chelsea. 

At what point would the club be assessing his performance with a view to extending his stay? 

For arguments sake, if we're sitting 4th this time next season are the club going to be satisfied with our progress? What expectations are there going to be to retain Sarri beyond his second year? 

 

i think the only reason we wouldn't extend is if he's sat outside the top 6 and looks to have lost the support of the players.

Hard to argue with Facts...but waiting in the spinners to try and spin this

57 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

So here's a thought. 

Sarri only signed a 2 year contract with Chelsea. 

At what point would the club be assessing his performance with a view to extending his stay? 

For arguments sake, if we're sitting 4th this time next season are the club going to be satisfied with our progress? What expectations are there going to be to retain Sarri beyond his second year? 

 

I thought he had signed a 2 year with a 2 year extension available or something?

9 minutes ago, dkw said:

I thought he had signed a 2 year with a 2 year extension available or something?

Possibly, just wondered what people thought would get the club to extended his contract. 

So if there's an option for a third year in just contract what would make the club trigger it. What will they be satisfied with and what would make them not renew and part ways come the end of next season? 

Other than our interim managers we've not generally offered our full time managers such short contracts. I think Di Matteo was the only other one and I don't think the club actually wanted to give him the post full time because they sacked him first chance they got (he was possibly better positioned than Sarri currently is with an arguably weaker squad). 

2 hours ago, Master&Commander said:

I've said it plenty times, but this season is arguably the most competitive we've seen in many years too. If decisions had gone our way in previous games we would probably be sitting in 3rd right now too. 

1 hour ago, ForeverCarefree said:

So here's a thought. 

Sarri only signed a 2 year contract with Chelsea. 

At what point would the club be assessing his performance with a view to extending his stay? 

For arguments sake, if we're sitting 4th this time next season are the club going to be satisfied with our progress? What expectations are there going to be to retain Sarri beyond his second year? 

 

I think they covered their backs to avoid shelling out if things go to pot like with Jose and Conte. There were murmurs that the club were planning to go in a different direction and looking to build something with Sarri at the helm.

The problem is, I fear the board will continue on the same path of not bringing the specific players in needed for a system. I hope I am wrong though. If Hazard goes this summer, the club need to seriously look to replace him and not rely on Pulisic and Willian/Pedro. Would be another step back in our progress. 

21 minutes ago, enigma said:

The problem is, I fear the board will continue on the same path of not bringing the specific players in needed for a system. I hope I am wrong though. If Hazard goes this summer, the club need to seriously look to replace him and not rely on Pulisic and Willian/Pedro. Would be another step back in our progress. 

Well so far they've been pretty accommodating to Sarri, arguably more so than they were with Conte. 

He's got Jorginho, who is supposed to be the conductor to his Sarri-ball philosophy. We bought in a ball playing goalkeeper to replace Courtois, despite links to the likes of Butland and Kasper Schmeichel. He was allowed to bring in Kovacic too despite us being pretty stacked in midfield that meant that Fabregas was essentially forced out and Drinkwater was exiled. 

Looking pretty likely we're bringing in Higuain too, when you consider how previous managers had to make do with Torres for years to get him a replacement halfway into his first season is interesting. 

So that'll be four of the starting XI changed to suit his system, I don't think a coach should need more than that to start delivering on their ideas.