5 hours ago, LongtimerLurker said:

After Saturdays horror show, Pulisic must be in line to start vs Madrid especially since he was the standout across both legs last season. Front 3 of Mount, Havertz and Pulisic should work with our usual 3241/3421 formation. Ziyech also has a shout but I think those 3 will press Madrid more relentlessly not to mention their chemistry is really good.

 

I'm curious as to what the heck happened on Saturday.  I was not able to watch because I was driving back from a family vacation but was shocked that Chelsea lost 4-1.

A 4-1 loss means there was also problems with the defense and not just the front 3.  So it doesn't matter how well the front 3 plays if they don't get it together defensively.  

That said I believe Chelsea once under Tuchel let a team (West Ham??) drop 5 goals on them but was much better the match after. 

Edited April 4, 20224 yr by Valpo

32 minutes ago, Valpo said:

 

I'm curious as to what the heck happened on Saturday.  I was not able to watch because I was driving back from a family vacation but was shocked that Chelsea lost 4-1.

A 4-1 loss means there was also problems with the defense and not just the front 3.  So it doesn't matter how well the front 3 plays if they don't get it together defensively.  

That said I believe Chelsea once under Tuchel let a team (West Ham??) drop 5 goals on them but was much better the match after. 

For me TT was thinking about Madrid by playing a back four with Alonso and Rudiger in back two.

I think he thought we would have enough and also fool any Madrid Scouts watching yet after playing possession football and eventually breaking them down they opened us up by counter attacking in numbers.

We may have got away with it if Havertz had converted a couple of our chances yet he didn't and we were poor defensively.

On 02/04/2022 at 14:43, axman2526 said:

Lol would be funny if England got pasted in all 3 games.

 

I actually England's roster this WC. You have a very young, talented, and hungry group.

4 minutes ago, haviet1 said:

 

I actually England's roster this WC. You have a very young, talented, and hungry group.

Despite making the final last year England's best shot at recent glory, ok fairly recently was 96. Team had immense talent but ultimately lacked the bottle to bring it home.

Since then England have had some amazing players, Rio, Campbell, JT, Ashley Cole, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Owen, Kane etc etc but no trophies won. Why? Imo, lack of bottle.

2 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Despite making the final last year England's best shot at recent glory, ok fairly recently was 96. Team had immense talent but ultimately lacked the bottle to bring it home.

Since then England have had some amazing players, Rio, Campbell, JT, Ashley Cole, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Owen, Kane etc etc but no trophies won. Why? Imo, lack of bottle.

Idk, a majority of those players have bottle but back then that England team were blessed with too many good players that don't fit a given system. The international managers were also terrible.

Beckham, Scholes, Gerrard, Lamps couldn't click on the field.

17 hours ago, strider6004 said:

For me TT was thinking about Madrid by playing a back four with Alonso and Rudiger in back two.

I think he thought we would have enough and also fool any Madrid Scouts watching yet after playing possession football and eventually breaking them down they opened us up by counter attacking in numbers.

We may have got away with it if Havertz had converted a couple of our chances yet he didn't and we were poor defensively.

I agree I expect TT to use the back 3 in the UCL and FA Cup and experiment with back 4 formations in the league. This is not a 433 squad, Alonso shouldn't really be played as a LB he needs cover behind him and Mount is much more effective higher up the pitch. TT would never start that 11 in Europe in that shape imo. 

Carlo is no fool though and suspect he will be expecting our usual shape. Madrid looked leggy in Paris and only caught their second win in Madrid after Benzema and Modric upped their game. As long as we play with our usual intensity in our usual shape I think we will look completely different to the weekend. Also hoping Havertz and Pulisic have their shooting boots on like the last round vs Lille.

15 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Despite making the final last year England's best shot at recent glory, ok fairly recently was 96. Team had immense talent but ultimately lacked the bottle to bring it home.

Since then England have had some amazing players, Rio, Campbell, JT, Ashley Cole, Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard, Owen, Kane etc etc but no trophies won. Why? Imo, lack of bottle.

England's national team certainly does seem to punch below it's weight.  Do you have any idea why that might be?  

Just in my limited experience it feels to me like there is within your footballing culture a massive emphasis placed club play and very little placed on the national team.  I believe I've seen on here some fans from England more concerned with if players were going to come back from international duty fit than how they would actually perform with the national team.

 

That attitude might make it's way down to the team to where players see national team duty as a distraction from their club careers.  That would be my hypothesis anyways.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Valpo said:

England's national team certainly does seem to punch below it's weight.  Do you have any idea why that might be?  

Just in my limited experience it feels to me like there is within your footballing culture a massive emphasis placed club play and very little placed on the national team.  I believe I've seen on here some fans from England more concerned with if players were going to come back from international duty fit than how they would actually perform with the national team.

 

That attitude might make it's way down to the team to where players see national team duty as a distraction from their club careers.  That would be my hypothesis anyways.

 

 

Over the years it has certainly become that way. Cannot speak for all but it certainly seems like most of the top clubs in the countries fans, City, United, Chelsea, Pool, and even the mid table rabble like Arsenal and Spurs, put their clubs first and England way way down the priority list.

I am the same, England results mean nothing to me, I had zero enthusiasm for them reaching the final of euro 2021 and been far more interested and invested in following the Canadaian men's team during the Concacaf qualify.

23 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Over the years it has certainly become that way. Cannot speak for all but it certainly seems like most of the top clubs in the countries fans, City, United, Chelsea, Pool, and even the mid table rabble like Arsenal and Spurs, put their clubs first and England way way down the priority list.

I am the same, England results mean nothing to me, I had zero enthusiasm for them reaching the final of euro 2021 and been far more interested and invested in following the Canadaian men's team during the Concacaf qualify.

See it's the opposite for me.  USMNT comes first.  Chelsea or any other club 2nd.  

I will say if you are neutral Canada is a good team to get behind.  They went from no bodies to one of the top teams in CONCACAF in very short order.  

 

Plus it's enjoyable to watch another team beat Mexico.  Our rivalry with Mexico is probably one of the most unfriendly rivalries between national teams in the world.  So I love seeing them lose.  As long as the Canadian fans don't start throwing objects at our players (And who can imagine a Canadian being that impolite?)  I'm sure our rivalry with them will be friendly. 

Edited April 5, 20224 yr by Valpo

10 minutes ago, Valpo said:

See it's the opposite for me.  USMNT comes first.  Chelsea or any other club 2nd.  

I will say if you are neutral Canada is a good team to get behind.  They went from no bodies to one of the top teams in CONCACAF in very short order.  

 

Plus it's enjoyable to watch another team beat Mexico.  Our rivalry with Mexico is probably one of the most unfriendly rivalries between national teams in the world.  So I love seeing them lose.  As long as the Canadian fans don't start throwing objects at our players (And who can imagine a Canadian being that impolite?)  I'm sure our rivalry with them will be friendly. 

My understanding is you have a sizeable Mexican population in parts of the US who are less than shy about voicing their support for their home nation.

It happens here with Nigeria and Jamaica though to be fair don't think it is too unfriendly yet we normally win.

 

 

1 minute ago, strider6004 said:

My understanding is you have a sizeable Mexican population in parts of the US who are less than shy about voicing their support for their home nation.

It happens here with Nigeria and Jamaica though to be fair don't think it is too unfriendly yet we normally win.

 

 

 

That is true as well.  Unless we play in a stadium up north than any match we play against Mexico is in effect an away game.  Fortunately US Soccer seems to have learned not to schedule matches against Mexico in places where the Mexican born US population is likely to outnumber our own fans.

 

My big problem with Mexico though is that their fans are not known for taking it well when they lose.  Gio Reyna received a head injury from objects thrown onto the pitch during the Nation's league final.  

 

That and it does not seem to matter how much or how often we beat them they still regard themselves as superior at the sport.  Just this last year we beat them in the Nation's League Final then beat them in the Gold Cup.  So before the first qualifying match against the US, what does their goal keeper say?   "Mexico is the mirror in which the US want to see themselves." 

 

Pulisic delivered our response after scoring against them.    

1 hour ago, Valpo said:

See it's the opposite for me.  USMNT comes first.  Chelsea or any other club 2nd.  

I will say if you are neutral Canada is a good team to get behind.  They went from no bodies to one of the top teams in CONCACAF in very short order.  

 

Plus it's enjoyable to watch another team beat Mexico.  Our rivalry with Mexico is probably one of the most unfriendly rivalries between national teams in the world.  So I love seeing them lose.  As long as the Canadian fans don't start throwing objects at our players (And who can imagine a Canadian being that impolite?)  I'm sure our rivalry with them will be friendly. 

Too much Chelsea hatred from various English sources soured me on the national side.

I follow Canada since I live there, and Wales as my mum is Welsh.

48 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Too much Chelsea hatred from various English sources soured me on the national side.

I follow Canada since I live there, and Wales as my mum is Welsh.

So are you Canadian or an Englishman living in Canada?  

 

28 minutes ago, Valpo said:

So are you Canadian or an Englishman living in Canada?  

 

English living in Canada.

Was hoping he might have more impact on the game against Madrid today, but he was quite average/poor.

 

Yeah he can’t even beat a man anymore. Not sure what’s going on, it might be for best if he goes.

Let me down today. Been banging the drum for him today but he was absoutley WTW (worse than Werner.)

Edited April 7, 20224 yr by axman2526

Been following CP for years here in the US. I honestly believe he is peaking and this is about as good as he will ever get. If he was not an American I think he would be much less well known. Which means I think this summer might be a nice time to sell him before everyone else figures out what we already seem to know... that he is a good but not great player.

Not influential enough or consistent enough.

Certainly doesn't seem to have the capability of taking a game by the scruff of the neck and driving team forward. 

 

10 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Yeah he can’t even beat a man anymore. Not sure what’s going on, it might be for best if he goes.

Him, Werner, CHO we wont have any wingers left.

9 hours ago, jack_super_class said:

Him, Werner, CHO we wont have any wingers left.

That's why they invented the summer transfer window.😃

Let's not pretend any of our attackers bar Havertz did anything of notice yesterday. Pulisic isn't really the problem he didn't get much service inside the box nor did Havertz or Mount (who I believe wasn't actually playing as a fwd but more as a dual 8 along Kanté).  

I'm still happy with the way the Pulisic project is going, could he be more consistent absolutely but he's still one of the best attackers in the squad. I'd stick with Havertz, Mount and Pulisic next game but line them up as a front 3 instead of a 2 also play Alonso or Saul at wb players that put balls into the box with their left foot from the left side. Finally Kova who looks to play the ball forward would be to the benefit of the front players.

Heck you could even start Ziyech too and go for a back 4 vs Real when we go to Madrid.

My biggest issue with Pulisic and his playstyle is that often teams will park inside their box and he's forced to dribble outside the box to no avail, when really his biggest asset isn't his dribbling but he is one of the few elite finishers.

1 hour ago, KingOfMilwaukee said:

That's why they invented the summer transfer window.😃

You really think we would buy 3 wingers in the summer?. We need a winger for the right side to compete with Ziuech too.

He has to go in the summer,done nothing since coming on for werner.

Choked.