23 minutes ago, SFL82 said:

Express (I know) have said Frankie and Marina have clashed as frank is pushing for Havertz and she wants a more balanced team and to invest in defence. 

If true shouldn’t she be leaving that part to petr as she isn’t from a football background.

I can see the logic but I also see the logic in doing it over 2 seasons. Havertz is a big opportunity to solidify a world class attack and midfield line up.

Defence can be worked on in the next window, could be nothing great in the market just now as far as top CB’s.

I’d rather get Hevertz and a decent 30 mil LB than w**k it away on Chilwell and risk on a CB that will likely be no better than what we have and wait for the right CB next window. 

I’d be happy to go in with Zouma and Tomori if we had that slick team in front of them. 
 

                   kepa

Azpi   Zouma    Tomori     Tagliafico 
    
                    Kante 

     Kova                       Havertz

Ziyech          Werner           Pulasic 

That’s title contenders, and about 110 mil away, we can afford it especially if we offload Jorginho, Emerson, Barkley. Add defensive players next window and that’s a top class team. 

Havertz for me is a luxury rather than a necessity. The defence on the other hand appears more critical. But there remains a lingering doubt in my mind that our defensive struggles have as much to do with our tactics as the players. When you've got 2 players behind the ball it doesn't matter if they are Terry and Desailly you'll still concede goals.

That said I agree that it is likely to be a 2 year job. We can't do it all at once particularly if we don't make the CL.

7 hours ago, SFL82 said:

Express (I know) have said Frankie and Marina have clashed as frank is pushing for Havertz and she wants a more balanced team and to invest in defence. 
 

If true shouldn’t she be leaving that part to petr as she isn’t from a football background.

I can see the logic but I also see the logic in doing it over 2 seasons. Havertz is a big opportunity to solidify a world class attack and midfield line up.

Defence can be worked on in the next window, could be nothing great in the market just now as far as top CB’s.

I’d rather get Hevertz and a decent 30 mil LB than w**k it away on Chilwell and risk on a CB that will likely be no better than what we have and wait for the right CB next window. 
 

I’d be happy to go in with Zouma and Tomori if we had that slick team in front of them. 
 

                   kepa

Azpi   Zouma    Tomori     Tagliafico 
    
                    Kante 

     Kova                       Havertz

Ziyech          Werner           Pulasic 

 

That’s title contenders, and about 110 mil away, we can afford it especially if we offload Jorginho, Emerson, Barkley. Add defensive players next window and that’s a top class team. 

 

That was an Ian Mcgarry article. He is a terrible journalist.

Just to add, tbe express also put an article out about 3 weeks ago saying, marina snd lampard clashed over Sancho. Only this time the narrative was flipped. Marina wanted Sancho, Lampard wasnt keen. 

Edited July 11, 20205 yr by big blue

7 hours ago, Spiller86 said:

Havertz for me is a luxury rather than a necessity. The defence on the other hand appears more critical. But there remains a lingering doubt in my mind that our defensive struggles have as much to do with our tactics as the players. When you've got 2 players behind the ball it doesn't matter if they are Terry and Desailly you'll still concede goals.

That said I agree that it is likely to be a 2 year job. We can't do it all at once particularly if we don't make the CL.

I totally agree about it being tactical, good defensive teams are normally well drilled vs relying on world class talent, look how many lower table teams sh*t us out. 

Having said that those teams sit behind the ball if you want to play expansive football you need special defenders that can get you out of jail when you get caught pushing forward so it’s a balance of both I suppose 

On 09/07/2020 at 14:23, the special one said:

I like the lineup but it's too "streaky" for me, we'll concede as many as we score imho. Personally I'd prefer to see a more contained 4-3-3 with Havertz as a second striker (in a role similar to Firmino at Liverpool);

                                        Kepa/Caballero
Azpi/James - Zouma/Christensen - Rice/Lovren - Chilwell/Azpi
              Kovacic/Kante - Kante/Rice - Mount/RLC
        Willian/Ziyech - Havertz/Abraham - Werner/Pulisic

Havertz worst position for Leverkusen is when he had to fill in up top, why waste his talents up there.

23 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Havertz worst position for Leverkusen is when he had to fill in up top, why waste his talents up there.

Yeah definitely a waste to play Havertz up top, he is much more a creator than a finisher. Playing Havertz in the midfield, putting through balls and driving forward is what hes best at.

 

27 minutes ago, driller97 said:

Yeah definitely a waste to play Havertz up top, he is much more a creator than a finisher. Playing Havertz in the midfield, putting through balls and driving forward is what hes best at.

 

Arriving to box to finish off crosses and passes is what he is brilliant at. Something Frank was master at. He gives teams goals. 

9 minutes ago, evissy said:

Arriving to box to finish off crosses and passes is what he is brilliant at. Something Frank was master at. He gives teams goals. 

Exactly, hes like another Frank. But to just have him up top not actually doing much isn't where his talent lies. Midfield 3 with Havertz, Kante and Kovacic could be something incredible

4 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Havertz worst position for Leverkusen is when he had to fill in up top, why waste his talents up there.

That isnt really true, 6 or 7 goals in 10 games. It is his most prolific position, but i think he is better utilised deeper, where he can pick passes and arrive late, but if he needs to play up top, he is more than capable aswell.

A couple weeks ago I was so confident in getting Havertz, but now knowing we are likely to miss out on a CL spot I've lost all hope.

What a f**king shambles.

Hope one result doesn't affect our long term plans this badly. Would be massively bad planning if it did. 

38 minutes ago, evissy said:

Hope one result doesn't affect our long term plans this badly. Would be massively bad planning if it did. 

Exactly. By the sounds of things neither real nor Bayern can afford him this summer and would need him to stay at Bayer, who will only be in the CL if they win the Europa League.

So if his options are Bayer with probably no CL and Chelsea with probably no CL then is up to him, help us reach it the following season or stay and wait.

We got many outs, still possible to finish 3rd,4th and even if 5th there is a chance to play CL, if tomorrow Man City gets at least 1 season ban in Europe.

CL secures us this extra epic player IMO. Otherwise if we lose out, we still need LB,CB as key targets.

Wolves are 5 points behind us and we have 3 games to play. I feel we have to win Norwich. Liverpool we could win as our style is perfect against them. Wolves game is the tough one and it is the last. Maybe it is down to that last game.... 

37 minutes ago, evissy said:

Wolves are 5 points behind us and we have 3 games to play. I feel we have to win Norwich. Liverpool we could win as our style is perfect against them. Wolves game is the tough one and it is the last. Maybe it is down to that last game.... 

We cannot defend and they have the best offense in the league. Yup we are suited to play liverpool...lol

Just now, axman2526 said:

We cannot defend and they have the best offense in the league. Yup we are suited to play liverpool...lol

Have you seen us play them? We struggle against low block teams. 

Just now, evissy said:

Have you seen us play them? We struggle against low block teams. 

True but liverpool are on a different level to us at the moment mate. If Liverpool are up for it they will put up a cricket score against us. We have to be honest, they are a really good side and we are not.

6 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

True but liverpool are on a different level to us at the moment mate. If Liverpool are up for it they will put up a cricket score against us. We have to be honest, they are a really good side and we are not.

To be honest we played them this season at there pomp and were arguably the better team in majority of the fixtures, currently they have been struggling and seem to have dropped there level slightly & without Henderson they lose that industry and leadership in Midfield. 

If we can get Kante & Kova back and firing I would fancy us to beat them. 

Edited July 12, 20205 yr by Imran_CFC

1 minute ago, Imran_CFC said:

To be honest we played them this season at there pomp and were arguably the better team in majority of the fixtures, currently they have been struggling and seem to have dropped there level slightly & without Henderson they lose that industry and leadership in Midfield. 

If we can get Kante & Kova back and firing I would fancy us to beat them. 

Would be happy to be proven wrong on this one mate, thought Sheffield would simply out fight us and they did. Maybe we can do the same to liverpool in spite of the gulf in class.

Pool have nothing to play for and we are built to play a side that is always stretched. Sheffield and Manchester United are the sides and style we struggle against. Low block willing to sit back and break at pace. 

When we get better quality and gel as a team we will win those tough ones as well. 

4 minutes ago, evissy said:

Pool have nothing to play for and we are built to play a side that is always stretched. Sheffield and Manchester United are the sides and style we struggle against. Low block willing to sit back and break at pace. 

When we get better quality and gel as a team we will win those tough ones as well. 

They really do not like us though. Guess we will see on the day if they are up for it or on the beach.

3 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

They really do not like us though. Guess we will see on the day if they are up for it or on the beach.

They have quality to beat us even if they are not at their peak. They are a team. We are a collection of players with a fresh manager. 

6 hours ago, evissy said:

Wolves are 5 points behind us and we have 3 games to play. I feel we have to win Norwich. Liverpool we could win as our style is perfect against them. Wolves game is the tough one and it is the last. Maybe it is down to that last game.... 

Liverpool has nothing to play for, no real motivation so I think we have a decent chance against them, they are maybe the only big club that we always played good against this season...

1 minute ago, Gol15 said:

Liverpool has nothing to play for, no real motivation so I think we have a decent chance against them, they are maybe the only big club that we always played good against this season...

They want that points record, and they want to beat another "top" team in the league, they're not going to just let us win.

Just now, driller97 said:

They want that points record, and they want to beat another "top" team in the league, they're not going to just let us win.

I know they won't let us win but they won't be as hungry as we should be and that's a huge advantage.

1 hour ago, Gol15 said:

I know they won't let us win but they won't be as hungry as we should be and that's a huge advantage.

I think they will be very hungry. They won't want to lose their unbeaten run at home.