The table is so tight there are only a couple of point between 3rd and 6th, let’s hope spuds get slaughtered today and at least there are 2 spots to fight for not 1. 

Interestingly I just read we have more goals in the last 15 minutes than any team in the league, maybe there is a bit of character in there somewhere..

 

Liverpool just went ahead early on Tottenham.  Tottenham doesn’t exactly have an easy run of games in either.  It wasn’t pretty today, and we got lucky, but the top 4 race is still wide open.

3 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Good, i figured you didn't have any good arguments for why we should extend his time.

Ok I’ll humour you. Let’s run through your scenario. 

Tomorrow morning Chelsea fire Sarri.

this happens in a situation where we are still contesting 4th place and in the Europa league.

in those circumstances what quality manager out there is going to fulfil the following two requirements (one of them spelled out by you in your post)?

 

1. Will actually want the job at a club that gets through about a manager every 1.5 seasons and just got rid of another one depsite  the team still contesting the above-mentioned; and 

 

2. Simultaneously going to be someone who will change Hazard’s or CHO’s mind about leaving  ( I grant you CHO will be an easier for case for you to argue).

 

 

 

RLC is a top player though can only play about 3 matches before his back plays up. Notice also Ampadu has a back injury. Great shame looks like both will never be regulars though skilful.

Looks like we got out of jail today and a ref turned a blind eye to our mis demeanours, we were due a bit of luck so that is good. Let's hope Sarri learns something too

 

10 minutes ago, Dean said:

- I understand the Sarri detractors, I really do. I have my doubts too. But give him a bit more time to adapt. It’s not an easy situation for him. At least give him till the end of the season (I’d rather longer but understand it may not be realistic in the short-termist world we live in). What good would it do firing him now?

The problem is, he's not even trying to adapt, he's setting us up the same way every single week, his plan A is terrible and he refuses to move away from it. There is a reason why we struggle against even the most average of teams, and that is because every coach knows exactly how to set up against us. He's not changing anything, he's playing the same players every week, he refuses to give Hudson-Odoi and Loftus-Cheek a run in the team no matter how poor Willian, Kovacic and Pedro play. Alonso keeps finding his way back into the team even though he is producing stinker after stinker.

Then there is the problem with Jorginho. Jorginho may be playing poor, but the manager is doing absolutely nothing to help him out. If he's not going to drop him, then change things up a bit, help Jorginho because Jorginho is seriously suffering right now.

He doesn't seem to have any knowledge of the game outside of Italy and comes out with bizarre comments in his interviews. People have lost faith in him and they are right to feel that way. I have seen no reason why Sarri should be trusted to take us forward, he's made no progress with us at all. This is the worst I have seen us look since Abramovich took over the club, actually, even before Abramovich we were better than this. 

Just now, Dean said:

Ok I’ll humour you. Let’s run through your scenario. 

Tomorrow morning Chelsea fire Sarri.

this happens in a situation where we are still contesting 4th place and in the Europa league.

in those circumstances what quality manager out there is going to fulfil the following two requirements (one of them spelled out by you in your post)?

 

1. Will actually want the job at a club that gets through about a manager every 1.5 seasons and just got rid of another one depsite  the team still contesting the above-mentioned; and 

 

2. Simultaneously going to be someone who will change Hazard’s or CHO’s mind about leaving  ( I grant you CHO will be an easier for case for you to argue).

 

 

 

I'll give you one right away. Steve Holland with JT as assistant manager. Or Frank Lampard, he'd leave Derby in a heartbeat to get a chance here.
Both of them would jump at the opportunity and Holland is a very, very capable coach who's been an intergral part of Englands success as well as success here at this club.
Loves to give the youth chances as shown by England and that could convince Hudson Odoi to extend. Right now we are getting closer and closer to the summer though and he's still not getting game-time when it matters.

If Sarri was sacked today and Zola remained interim head coach he would: play a midfield tandem of Jorginho-Kante. Start Ruben, start CHO and start Emerson. 

Sarri doesn't do so as he wants to show he is THE MANAGER and this is his vision. By that I mean Sarri doesn't want to play the players 'media and fans' want. 

1 hour ago, evissy said:

Did you see that?! Willian took a shot!!! 

Never in doubt LOL.Sarri must start picking our best 11 or he will be gone.Eden,RLC,Kante and CHO should start with Kante in his rightful position.Unfortunately i am quicker than Higuan and Giroud (im 63).The midfield trio were dire.What with a shaky defence and a mediocre keeper we look vulnerable,even against Wimbledon,sorry i meant Cardiff.Funny watching Warnock explode though.....UP THE CHELS !

Just now, Hemel Blue said:

Never in doubt LOL.Sarri must start picking our best 11 or he will be gone.Eden,RLC,Kante and CHO should start with Kante in his rightful position.Unfortunately i am quicker than Higuan and Giroud (im 63).The midfield trio were dire.What with a shaky defence and a mediocre keeper we look vulnerable,even against Wimbledon,sorry i meant Cardiff.Funny watching Warnock explode though.....UP THE CHELS !

I'd fancy you against Alonso and Jorginho as well mate.

We were very fortunate to get the win. And let’s be honest this will just paper over the cracks. 

For a good 80 mins of the game we were terrible. 

 

1 hour ago, Sindre said:

I'd fancy you against Alonso and Jorginho as well mate.

Possibly lol

We were very fortunate to get the win. And let’s be honest this will just paper over the cracks. 

For a good 80 mins of the game we were terrible. 

 

15 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

The problem is, he's not even trying to adapt, he's setting us up the same way every single week, his plan A is terrible and he refuses to move away from it. There is a reason why we struggle against even the most average of teams, and that is because every coach knows exactly how to set up against us. He's not changing anything, he's playing the same players every week, he refuses to give Hudson-Odoi and Loftus-Cheek a run in the team no matter how poor Willian, Kovacic and Pedro play. Alonso keeps finding his way back into the team even though he is producing stinker after stinker.

Then there is the problem with Jorginho. Jorginho may be playing poor, but the manager is doing absolutely nothing to help him out. If he's not going to drop him, then change things up a bit, help Jorginho because Jorginho is seriously suffering right now.

He doesn't seem to have any knowledge of the game outside of Italy and comes out with bizarre comments in his interviews. People have lost faith in him and they are right to feel that way. I have seen no reason why Sarri should be trusted to take us forward, he's made no progress with us at all. This is the worst I have seen us look since Abramovich took over the club, actually, even before Abramovich we were better than this. 

I don’t disagree with most of your points. It’s just that i wouldn’t write off his ability to adapt yet, and think it takes longer than we realise. 

Excellent execution of our game plan: give them hope for 80 minutes, then pounce.

That's my take on today's match and I'm sticking to it.

Just now, Dean said:

I don’t disagree with most of your points. It’s just that i wouldn’t write off his ability to adapt yet, and think it takes longer than we realise. 

Adapting is tough, it takes time, this is something we can all accept, but there comes a point where you need to see progress, what progress are we seeing? Sarri isn't showing any signs that he will ever adapt, we have been dreadful for months now.

I keep seeing people say "give him time, look at Pep and Klopp".....the problem is that unlike those two, Sarri is showing no signs that he is going to get things right. 

He should have been sacked after the City defeat, or maybe even the Bournemouth defeat. Those two defeats are two of the worst defeats we have ever had in the Premier League.

5 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Excellent execution of our game plan: give them hope for 80 minutes, then pounce.

That's my take on today's match and I'm sticking to it.

Well at least you can’t be accused of groupthink!

5 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Excellent execution of our game plan: give them hope for 80 minutes, then pounce.

That's my take on today's match and I'm sticking to it.

 

Sarri says we were lucky but we deserved to win.

Well, that's ok then. What's all the fuss about?

5 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Excellent execution of our game plan: give them hope for 80 minutes, then pounce.

That's my take on today's match and I'm sticking to it.

Well at least you can’t be accused of groupthink!

5 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Excellent execution of our game plan: give them hope for 80 minutes, then pounce.

That's my take on today's match and I'm sticking to it.

 

I can't get over how bad we are at the moment, I'm not going to let 3 points paper over the cracks, we were atrocious... 

17 minutes ago, Dean said:

Well at least you can’t be accused of groupthink!

 

 

When all else fails, revise history.

31 minutes ago, Dean said:

I don’t disagree with most of your points. It’s just that i wouldn’t write off his ability to adapt yet, and think it takes longer than we realise. 

Ability to adapt ?

41 minutes ago, Sindre said:

I'd fancy you against Alonso and Jorginho as well mate.

I never truly knew how slow that man was until I watched him in person, the tele does his lack of pace no justice 

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

The problem is, he's not even trying to adapt, he's setting us up the same way every single week, his plan A is terrible and he refuses to move away from it. There is a reason why we struggle against even the most average of teams, and that is because every coach knows exactly how to set up against us. He's not changing anything, he's playing the same players every week, he refuses to give Hudson-Odoi and Loftus-Cheek a run in the team no matter how poor Willian, Kovacic and Pedro play. Alonso keeps finding his way back into the team even though he is producing stinker after stinker.

Then there is the problem with Jorginho. Jorginho may be playing poor, but the manager is doing absolutely nothing to help him out. If he's not going to drop him, then change things up a bit, help Jorginho because Jorginho is seriously suffering right now.

He doesn't seem to have any knowledge of the game outside of Italy and comes out with bizarre comments in his interviews. People have lost faith in him and they are right to feel that way. I have seen no reason why Sarri should be trusted to take us forward, he's made no progress with us at all. This is the worst I have seen us look since Abramovich took over the club, actually, even before Abramovich we were better than this. 

Again, your arguments are reasonable. On plan A being terrible, based on the last few away games, I agree by and large. I just 1) don’t think that’s necessarily always been the case and 2)  think the last few away games is not enough for us to make a decision to sack him. Footballers play I don’t know how many 100s of minutes a week when you include training and everything. We get to see 90 or so - just a glimpse. And what happens in those 90 minutes can be quite random. And bad and good form in those 90 mins can come in clusters that can also be random (ie not necessarily a trend). We have no way of knowing how accurately what we see In matches  reflects what goes on in training. We don’t know really know what Plan A is. I don’t think, for example, Rudiger (who I thought was terrible today) ambling around the halfway line and then playing an awful pass straight to the other team under no pressure is part of Sarri’s plan A. There may be all sorts of routines, hundreds of drills that happen in training, but that just aren’t coming off on the pitch. We need to make an allowance for that possibility still. I distinctly remember watching Man City under Pep 2 seasons ago and contemplating whether Pep might in fact be a bit of a shxt manager who was just spoonfed the best teams to manage (I reckon I could have done ok managing THAT Barca team). I was almost certainly wrong. I think one can make the case that when you adjust for the strength of the respective squads relative to the rest, us finishing 6th (not a prediction) this season would be about equivalent to Citeh coming 3rd in Pep’s first season (basically he came 3rd with the best squad and most money in the league). To make the decision to sack Sarri, we need to be sure that’s the right thing to do. From where I sit (and I accept you won’t agree), we have insufficient evidence as things stand to make that call.