8 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

Very naive with his subs again. I know we’re missing a few midfielders but bringing a young lad on for his debut wasn’t what we needed and Batshauyi was never going to hold the ball up to help relieve some pressure. Giroud should have been on there. 

Alonso could probably have come on for Barkley or Pulisic as a good outlet.

Agree with your points except 'again', don't recall him making poor substitutions before.

2 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

Agree with your points except 'again', don't recall him making poor substitutions before.

The Leicester game were all pretty much like for like that didn’t alter our formation and have much effect on the game. I’d say we were poorer for all three subs. 

3 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

The Leicester game were all pretty much like for like that didn’t alter our formation and have much effect on the game. I’d say we were poorer for all three subs. 

He made like for like subs after they had scored, I think that is ok though agree it did not work out.

2 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

He made like for like subs after they had scored, I think that is ok though agree it did not work out.

I don’t think it’s ok. We needed to change the game because we were on the back foot. If we had another right back available he may have even gone full Benitez 

6 hours ago, dkw said:

Anyone dissenting after 4 games is a f**king idiot. 

I think we have a fair amount of idiot fans (here and on The Shed).

40 minutes ago, bluedave said:

I think we have a fair amount of idiot fans (here and on The Shed).

Nah, it's great to see a 2 goals lead go away against a promoted team, what are we doing in the shed paying £50 for the game? Being idiots for that second half. (Never heard today booing, contrary to what happened with Sarri). By the way, I am all for Frank and don't want him get under pressure, as I supported Sarri or Conte.

Edited August 31, 20196 yr by RMH

3 hours ago, cuppaT said:

There’s no such thing as a transition season. When we won the CL that was not in a season where you would say we had a carefully put together side and strategy. It’s just an excuse for being rubbish. 

This is a transition season. Our team got a lot of kids playing and our defense is very thin. It's very easy to see it, Man City or Liverpool don't have a Tomori, a Mount, or young Pulisic and Tammy playing 90 minutes.

4 hours ago, Munkworth said:

Very naive with his subs again. I know we’re missing a few midfielders but bringing a young lad on for his debut wasn’t what we needed and Batshauyi was never going to hold the ball up to help relieve some pressure. Giroud should have been on there. 

Alonso could probably have come on for Barkley or Pulisic as a good outlet.

Didn't see the game myself but I was thinking Frank brought on a striker who hasnt played all season instead of Giroud who cant hold up the ball better than anyone. Also bringing on a 18 yr old for his debut was a poor choice, like you say Alonso would have made more sense with his experience, control etc.

I thought it was a bad time to put on Gilmour. Poor result and a flat performance, too. 

Got the feeling Lampard must have said the players at half time 'More of the same please, boys' whereas their manager must have lit a fire under them.

 

Gifted a 2-0 lead but could not lead the team to the win. 

Easy to say knowing the outcome but wrong subs. Frank is learning too, and needs to learn from this. Christensen is by far our best center back imo, rudiger included. Dropping him rather than Zouma was also a mistake.

No need to panic.

Rudiger, James, Kante, Loftus-Cheek, Pedro, and Hudson-Odoi were unavailable for selection for the Sheffield United match, and that's probably 5 nailed on starters, i.e half our best outfield team.  I am sure when everyone is available then we'll see results pick up.

I’m going to withhold judgment until Rudiger, James, Kante, Loftus-Cheek (though may take a while) are back. The thing I am worried about is that although the players will be back, the defensive organisation seems to be all over the place. Adding players to that won’t change anything unless they start to be organised. 

Frank has got to learn to shut games down and kill them. 

Im not sure why he dropped Christensen but if anyone should be dropped, it has to be Zouma. 

Disappointing results which puts potentially put Frank under pressure given that we have Wolves and Liverpool next. 

Not sure what happened with Christensen, maybe he was carrying something we weren't aware of. The last thing we needed yesterday was change the central defence, and get the understanding going between the defenders. As much as most people want the see the 'kids' play, we needed the senior players to win games, and not fault of Lampard we are missing a number of them. Glad the international break is coming, we don't need another game next weekend without Rudiger,Kante or even Pedro.

8 hours ago, RMH said:

Nah, it's great to see a 2 goals lead go away against a promoted team, what are we doing in the shed paying £50 for the game? Being idiots for that second half. (Never heard today booing, contrary to what happened with Sarri). By the way, I am all for Frank and don't want him get under pressure, as I supported Sarri or Conte.

It was hardly Bluedave's point to cheer how we did yesterday. He referred to the supporters who after 4 underwhelming matches gather a posse to hunt for Lampard's scalp.

BTW, I don't really get the dissatisfaction on display here. Many wanted Lampard as our manager, still wet behind the ears in management. And we got Lampard: in a season when we lost our best player, and due to the transfer ban our one new player is a 20-year old with no experience in English football. The players added to the squad are 18- and 19-year olds from the academy (another fervent wish granted), also still learning the trade. Plus there is a sort of new boy in Zouma, who had many doubters to begin with.The rest of the squad is the same as last season, with the same shortcomings we complained about since last November.. 

The term "transitional season" has me breaking out in a rash (we seem to have one every season), but if it was ever appropriate it is now. So we should probably brace ourselves for quite a few more mistakes, bad substitutions and lack of leadership. The CL matches may even be cringe-worthy.

Most of us claimed to accept a midtable position for this season, as long as it meant the integration of our youngsters and a manager "who knows the club". We got all that, so grin and bear it. Still, up the Chels despite it all, right?!

10 hours ago, Argo said:

11/12 wasn't a transition season because the team was mainly made up of old players, the following 2 season's were as we were phasing out the old guard for a younger core.

Yes the word transition sometimes is branded too easily but in terms of league consistency this is very much one.

11/12 was definitely a transition season, its just that it failed miserably by February.

in the last 10 years, i think the only seasons we havent been changing manager, philosophy, tactics, integrating a lot of players, is 14/15, 15/16. 

Every other season has been a transistion to sone degree. 

Im looking forward to when we next start the season, with a settled manager, and squad capable of challenging on all fronts. i think even if frank is successful, if will be 2 seasons before we are even close that again.

But at the start we wanted one of our own to bring through youth and this is what you will get so we just have to suck it up. This season top 10 really should be the target with an inexperience manager anything else is a bonus. Also I don't believe we are getting out of that CL group simply because we can't defend. I don't know what goes on in training but like Sarri says the defensive phase is sh*t at the moment and that's how you win games and titles with a strong defence.

I am actually now dreading going to Wolves on the 14th, I hope we can get a result it's I really do

I haven't seen anything from any other team so far this season that suggests we can't finish 3rd ... Liverpool and Man City are a level above the rest, but I don't think there is anything to be afraid of in the other 17 teams

Edited September 1, 20196 yr by Sexyfootball

I thought this season we would struggle to score and create chances but be alright in defence, guess i was wrong and its the other way around. Lampard needs so sort the defence out quick with Wolves and Liverpool up next.

1 hour ago, Valerie said:

It was hardly Bluedave's point to cheer how we did yesterday. He referred to the supporters who after 4 underwhelming matches gather a posse to hunt for Lampard's scalp.

BTW, I don't really get the dissatisfaction on display here. Many wanted Lampard as our manager, still wet behind the ears in management. And we got Lampard: in a season when we lost our best player, and due to the transfer ban our one new player is a 20-year old with no experience in English football. The players added to the squad are 18- and 19-year olds from the academy (another fervent wish granted), also still learning the trade. Plus there is a sort of new boy in Zouma, who had many doubters to begin with.The rest of the squad is the same as last season, with the same shortcomings we complained about since last November.. 

The term "transitional season" has me breaking out in a rash (we seem to have one every season), but if it was ever appropriate it is now. So we should probably brace ourselves for quite a few more mistakes, bad substitutions and lack of leadership. The CL matches may even be cringe-worthy.

Most of us claimed to accept a midtable position for this season, as long as it meant the integration of our youngsters and a manager "who knows the club". We got all that, so grin and bear it. Still, up the Chels despite it all, right?!

I agree, I t is stupid to hunt Lampard's scalp as you say it. But let's not kid ourselves, yesterday was a let down and disappointment for many in the ground. I did not expect to go back to the errors of the past like letting a goal in the first minute of the second half, or subs that no one really understood. Still, up the Chels, of course!

I haven't seen anything from any other team so far this season that suggests we can't finish 3rd ... Liverpool and Man City are a level above the rest, but I don't think there is anything to be afraid of in the other 17 teams

If Losing a 2-0 lead at home to a newly promoted team isn't something to make you sit up and take notice I don't know what will..

 

 

 

 

32 minutes ago, Brutos said:

If Losing a 2-0 lead at home to a newly promoted team isn't something to make you sit up and take notice I don't know what will..

But then if we don't get 3rd a team that lost at home to Newcastle, lost at home to Palace or a team with no forward players will get it.

By that I'm assuming I was dreaming when I saw Auba, Lacazette and Pepe on Arsenal shirts as no way they have attracted that type of talent without CL football.

3 hours ago, big blue said:

11/12 was definitely a transition season, its just that it failed miserably by February.

Was it? We may have appointed AVB but we were still playing the same ageing players that went stale the previous season.

 

3 minutes ago, Argo said:

Was it? We may have appointed AVB but we were still playing the same ageing players that went stale the previous season.

 

We switched to high line and attempted to phase out terry, alex, Drogba, anelka, and malouda, and cole. While bringing in mata, meireles, and torres, to change to a more attacking style of football. 

It was a massive transition attempt that failed miserably, avb got sacked, Robbie reverted to the old guard and a style we were familiar, and we managed one last hurrah in the champions league. 

Im not sure you can think it wasnt a transition season tbh. 

I don't get this Zouma as a no 1 starter.  If Rudi is fit for the Wolfes game, can easly see Zouma as the starter again. 

Maybe Jose's words "we don't need another CB because we have the best one in Kurt" somehow sat in Frank's mind.

This picture says it all

 

1 hour ago, big blue said:

We switched to high line and attempted to phase out terry, alex, Drogba, anelka, and malouda, and cole. While bringing in mata, meireles, and torres, to change to a more attacking style of football. 

It was a massive transition attempt that failed miserably, avb got sacked, Robbie reverted to the old guard and a style we were familiar, and we managed one last hurrah in the champions league. 

Im not sure you can think it wasnt a transition season tbh. 

Because we weren't really phasing them out despite AVB claiming so. Lampard, Drogba, Terry, Cole, Cech all still started any serious game of any note. The only youngsters that got serious chances were Sturridge and Romeu both of whom were dropped at the first sign of trouble. Meireles weren't that much younger than the old guard himself, Luiz was reguarly left on the bench for the Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry and Cole back four which combination wise was horrific, Mata fair enough but he's just one player. 

The true transition was the following season, all the old guard bar Cech were rotated more with younger alternatives and we were building around what was the next generation of players.