Rudiger has disappointed me more than any player this season. 

Kepa has been a disappointment but we still weren't 100% on him, he just seemed like an upgrade on Tibo at the time, Kante has been disappointing but he's had a lot of injuries that aren't his fault. But Rudiger was supposed to be the man, I know he isn't that old himself but he's experienced, for me he looked captain material and the character we needed back but he's having his worst season yet. Almost every game now I've watched he's making a mistake at the back, he's almost as bad as Luiz was at times, he was absolutely shocking in that Bayern game. Christensen had a bad 2nd half but Rudiger was awful throughout all of it, where was that Rudiger against Barcelona two years ago? We really could've done with him on Tuesday night, what a crying bloody shame. 

The story of the season is this, our youngsters and new arrivals have really helped us out, they've been the silver lining, our experienced old guard have let us down and gotten worse. I'll give Willian and Jorginho some credit, they've had some good performances and I would say they're playing well, but they're also dropping a lot of stinkers when we need them most. But I’m still with Frank 100%, I think he has the right vision and I’m still happy with what we’ve achieved this season under the circumstances, because I remember all to well just how negative I was in August.

Think Rudiger is that sort of defender who needs a world class defender next to him to bring the best out of him. 

13 hours ago, Slojo said:

Rudiger has disappointed me more than any player this season. 

I wouldn't go that far but he does get off lightly when it comes to critisism.

Stop with the high press and some of our defenders will suddenly be better players.

Just now, Gol15 said:

Stop with the high press and some of our defenders will suddenly be better players.

In what way does our high press affect individual battles being lost in defence ? We've conceded loads of goals from dead ball, every time we give away a corner i expect us to concede a goal. Why should our high press be blamed for that ?

10 minutes ago, coco said:

In what way does our high press affect individual battles being lost in defence ? We've conceded loads of goals from dead ball, every time we give away a corner i expect us to concede a goal. Why should our high press be blamed for that ?

I agree that it wouldn't affect the poor man marking but it would most likely result in some players being less exposed and they might win more duels as a result.

We gain almost nothing with our high pressing, I haven't seen a single good thing to come out of it, really can't remember when we managed to steal a ball and score from, on the other hand part from some recoveries in midfield our high press has been very easy to deal with and so many teams find open spaces and open players to pass to and that results in many created chances and goals conceded.

I'm not a fan of the high press either, especially when we don't have the personnel for it. I used to love our counter attacking style with a powerful midfield (Ballack, Essien, Lampard). 

15 hours ago, Slojo said:

Rudiger has disappointed me more than any player this season. 

Kepa has been a disappointment but we still weren't 100% on him, he just seemed like an upgrade on Tibo at the time, Kante has been disappointing but he's had a lot of injuries that aren't his fault. But Rudiger was supposed to be the man, I know he isn't that old himself but he's experienced, for me he looked captain material and the character we needed back but he's having his worst season yet. Almost every game now I've watched he's making a mistake at the back, he's almost as bad as Luiz was at times, he was absolutely shocking in that Bayern game. Christensen had a bad 2nd half but Rudiger was awful throughout all of it, where was that Rudiger against Barcelona two years ago? We really could've done with him on Tuesday night, what a crying bloody shame. 

The story of the season is this, our youngsters and new arrivals have really helped us out, they've been the silver lining, our experienced old guard have let us down and gotten worse. I'll give Willian and Jorginho some credit, they've had some good performances and I would say they're playing well, but they're also dropping a lot of stinkers when we need them most. But I’m still with Frank 100%, I think he has the right vision and I’m still happy with what we’ve achieved this season under the circumstances, because I remember all to well just how negative I was in August.

Problem is when players are out injured they suddenly become world beaters in fans eyes, personally I've  always thought Rudiger is a centre back for clubs like West Ham or Villa.

I'm not a fan of the high press either, especially when we don't have the personnel for it. I used to love our counter attacking style with a powerful midfield (Ballack, Essien, Lampard). 

Then you don't like Lampard's style of football. He will absolutely force that style and make personnel changes accordingly.

Lampard looks knackered to me, suspect this is much more stressful than he bargained for.

I wouldn't be surprised if after a couple of seasons he decides to become an armchair pundit, at least unlike some the others he would be able to speak from experience.

You know by then perhaps JT will be entering management...............

2 hours ago, Gol15 said:

I agree that it wouldn't affect the poor man marking but it would most likely result in some players being less exposed and they might win more duels as a result.

We gain almost nothing with our high pressing, I haven't seen a single good thing to come out of it, really can't remember when we managed to steal a ball and score from, on the other hand part from some recoveries in midfield our high press has been very easy to deal with and so many teams find open spaces and open players to pass to and that results in many created chances and goals conceded.

I agree the high press has not been effective most times, Mount is pretty good at it, and has won some crucial tackles, if we had 3-4 like him we would be much better at it. But i still don't blame that on most of the goals we have conceded this season.

37 minutes ago, coco said:

I agree the high press has not been effective most times, Mount is pretty good at it, and has won some crucial tackles, if we had 3-4 like him we would be much better at it. But i still don't blame that on most of the goals we have conceded this season.

Bad defending/poor marking mixed with counter attacks have probably been the biggest reason for the goals we conceded, If we compare it to the previous season.

Next season we'll really see how Lampard wants the team to play when we buy more players (hopefully) and sell some that he doesn't fancy. I'm guessing that Pulisic, Ziyech and Mount pressing could be a great thing but pressing with more players has been a problem, I notice for example that Liverpool does press with their 3 attacking players but the most times they win the ball back is when they close down the areas in their own midfield where the opposition player with the ball is pressured by 3 players or more...

Our defenders need to either come more up or our midfield needs to be better at pressing as a unit.

Mount is working very hard but I want to see him doing better with the ball next season when our wingers are back (CHO Pulisic) and when Ziyech joins. *I just assumed that Willian and Pedro are leaving.

Edited February 28, 20206 yr by Gol15

Look at the goals we have conceded in the league this year, our worst period. 

Working back ..

CFC 2 - 1 Spuds  - Spuds score from a break,  Rudiger gets back into position, but still misses the tackle, a little unlucky it was deflected, but still in position so should of dealt with it.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IajXpkxzDKE

CFC 0 - 2 Man utd  -  United score twice after both Christensen and Ruidger get done in the air.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnbzhBhEI10

Leicester 2 - CFC 2  -Leicesters first goal was down to James and Christensen not tackling Barnes, again a little unlucky with a deflected shot, but make the tackle and their is not shot. 2nd goal Willy goes a wandering, Chilwell scores.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dCwOCg8VAs

CFC 2 - 2 Arsenal  -  Arsenals first goal from a break, but its ok Kante is in position, but he slips leaving Arsenal a gift, cant really blame Kante, just one of them things. 2nd goal, Emerson and Tammy both get turned inside out on the right of our box, leaving plenty of room to get the shot off, Rudiger and Kepa both miss the incoming shot, goal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgil0ILQSr0

Newcastle 1 - 0 CFC  -  We were robbed late on when they get a corner, Rudiger loses the aerial battle against Hayden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoycxvPwqp0

Brighton 1 - 1 CFC  - A wonderful goal overhead kick, but again from a corner that should of been cleared. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCNqYnAaZYw

Arsenal 1 - 2 CFC  - Arsenal took the lead, from a corner again, should of been cleared, Emerson asleep back post. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acDYEhJ_aUY

 

None of those goals were from a breakaway that we shouldn't of dealt with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The biggest problem for our defence has been the lack of continuity in selection for me.

We've played 39 games in all competitions this year, and Frank has picked 19 different combinations of defenders in those 39 games, and the most that any one combination has played is 6 games.

The combination that has played 6 (won 5 drawn 1 lost 0) is Azpi at RB, Zouma and Tomori at centre back, and Alonso at left back. Lamps really ought to be giving that quartet an extended run.

I'm not sure how we are supposed to have any consistency in defending when the defenders are rotated so much.

I've colour coded it to show which combinations have played in which games, so hope it makes sense !

 

 

 

8 hours ago, evissy said:

9 hours ago, Malcolm9 said:

I'm not a fan of the high press either, especially when we don't have the personnel for it. I used to love our counter attacking style with a powerful midfield (Ballack, Essien, Lampard). 

Then you don't like Lampard's style of football. He will absolutely force that style and make personnel changes 

It only works if you have players that can play in that way, we don't have enough which can.

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

The biggest problem for our defence has been the lack of continuity in selection for me.

We've played 39 games in all competitions this year, and Frank has picked 19 different combinations of defenders in those 39 games, and the most that any one combination has played is 6 games.

The combination that has played 6 (won 5 drawn 1 lost 0) is Azpi at RB, Zouma and Tomori at centre back, and Alonso at left back. Lamps really ought to be giving that quartet an extended run.

I'm not sure how we are supposed to have any consistency in defending when the defenders are rotated so much.

I've colour coded it to show which combinations have played in which games, so hope it makes sense !

 

 

 

I think the reason the defence is rotated so often is that none of them have performed well enough to retain their place.

I am surprised that the quartet of Azpi, Zouma, Tomori & Alonso has the best stats as it's not a back 4 I would have confidence in. Although they have the bests stats, it was the defence in the 4-4 with Ajax - great game but shocking defending that night!

James is the future and HAS to retain his place but right now we just don't have the quality in defence that we used to. The saying, you don't know what you had until it's gone has never been truer - how we are crying out for a Carvalho, Gallas, Ashley, Ivan or JT. A new centre back and left back are a must before next season.

 

 

It's been a very harsh season for Frank, no transfers, players kept getting injured, individual mistakes all over the place,and a few VARs get in the way. I don't think he had much chance with that team on Tuesday, once Bayern got that act together and we were there for the taking. The only chance we had was getting a goal in the first half and defend with our lives, and we couldn't take the few chances we got. Let's hope he has a plan for today's game, because we have played this type of game too many times this season.

1 hour ago, Malcolm9 said:

It only works if you have players that can play in that way, we don't have enough which can.

Even if you don't have the sheer numbers of personnel right now to play a specific way consistently if that's your long term vision then you stick with it and bit by bit get the suitable players in.

This notion that we should be pragmatic until the right players are in doesn't really work in practice, in reality that would mean a total reset and would take where we're trying to get to even longer.

Plan A vs Plan B,

"can't switch to plan B if plan A isn't working, We need to get Plan A work first "

"You don't know what you are doing"

"You only have plan A"

Where have I seen these comments before [emoji848][emoji848]

11 hours ago, Brutos said:

Plan A vs Plan B,

"can't switch to plan B if plan A isn't working, We need to get Plan A work first "

"You don't know what you are doing"

"You only have plan A"

Where have I seen these comments before

 

Plan A in previous seasons has been given it to Eden’. Franks has had to come up with a completely new Plan A without one player able to win games single-handedly. 

So that’s only 19 points from the last 16 League games now. Thats 2015-16 form. The squad is weak, there have been injuries too, but Frank has to be doing better than that with these players. They’re not great, but they’re not that bad.

He has tried every single defensive combination possible, but nothing changes. I don't think Lampard is completely blameless for our defensive problems, but I don't think he is the main culprit. The main issue is that we have filled this team up with a bunch of wimps. The great defenders we have had in recent times must be cringing watching this lot try and defend a set piece. Even when they get their positioning right, they are completely overwhelmed by the physical presence of the opposition. Look at Bournemouth's equaliser today, there wasn't much wrong with the positioning of our players, but as has been the case all season, Christensen is completely dominated by the attacker alongside Kovacic. Christensen is possibly the weakest CB I have ever seen and still has the build of a teenager, and Kovacic is never going to win an aerial battle, is it really suprising that we concede so many goals from set pieces when the majority of the squad are the same build? 

Pretty much every game we play we win the technical battle and lose the physical battle. Do you ever watch any of our games and think we have been out played with the ball? no, it never happens (apart from the Bayern Munich game where we were dominated in every area) It's almost always the physical side of the game that lets us down. 

I have seen so many people throw passing stats around in recent times and I'm rolling my eyes. This is what Arsenal fans always used to do when Drogba was destroying them every time we played them. I couldn't give a sh*t about passing stats. The Premier League has always been about quick attacks and having a strong physical presence. Fill the team up with a bunch of skinny players and your are always going to struggle, no matter how good they are with the ball at their feet.

Edited February 29, 20206 yr by Scott Harris

We can all see it. The defense has to improve Frank. Yes the players we have are not good enough to keep out Bayern but they surely are to keep out a side as rubbish as Bournemouth. If they are not they have no business being here.

7 minutes ago, The Brit said:

So that’s only 19 points from the last 16 League games now. Thats 2015-16 form. The squad is weak, there have been injuries too, but Frank has to be doing better than that with these players. They’re not great, but they’re not that bad.

I actually think they are that bad..  Willian , Pedro, Giroud, Bats, CHO are not a top 6 starting forward line. 

Zouma, Christensen, are band average.. Rudi has not been great... 

Mount, Tammy are good players but its their first season in top flight...

--- Only real quality we have is in midfield that is why we look pretty in the middle of the park but average 30 paces up are down,,

31 minutes ago, Jangz said:

I actually think they are that bad..  Willian , Pedro, Giroud, Bats, CHO are not a top 6 starting forward line. 

Zouma, Christensen, are band average.. Rudi has not been great... 

Mount, Tammy are good players but its their first season in top flight...

--- Only real quality we have is in midfield that is why we look pretty in the middle of the park but average 30 paces up are down,,

Totally agree - although still a lot of hope that CHO will be at the level when fully fit. But add Barkley to that list. He's never had a football brain and is going backwards. Another frustratingly average player who isn't going to get us to the level we want to be at.