9 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

Clearly left him out as he had a very distracted week. I think he'll feature more regularly from here on out.

I hope so. Tammy is off form and Batman is just terrible.

On Dave Baby’s lampard comments I’d add. 
1.. the team lacks match fitness. Eg Cho consistently goes missing at the end of games. In the last 1/3 of games we mostly resort to the defenders punting the ball long downfield in a hasty fashion and that’s because the midfield aren’t freeing themselves up. Obviously James’s attack is way better than his defence and part of that is fitness 

2.. on the other hand lampard has used the young players and the boys seem to like playing for him. That has to count for something. 
 

personally I just wish he’d give Mount a rest. I don’t mind mount but just don’t think he’s good enough. It would be nice if RLC could just slot straight in but I doubt it will be that simple. In the meantime I agree with either a back three or at least playing Kovacic instead of mount. 

Edited February 2, 20206 yr by ozboy

Another positive was United and Wolves drawing. Keeping us 6 clear of both. Hopefully City and Burnley do not loose tomorrow and then we will have come through a tough fixture still in a good position going in to the United game.

3 hours ago, dkw said:

You complete f**king idiot. 

 

I see you lot has been blindsided by your love for your legend. I'll leave you be.

 

50 minutes ago, haviet1 said:

 

I see you lot has been blindsided by your love for your legend. I'll leave you be.

 

Rodgers sets his team up well and no doubt and Frank isn't without his challenges, but two things I'd say:

1. Rodgers has had a while with this team and a few windows to influence the squad. Hence they are very well organised.

2. Frank is playing with a stack of kids and a collection of signings of three different managers who played totally different styles. He's not doing too bad in my view to have us where we are.

6 hours ago, dkw said:

You complete f**king idiot. 

One of many dkw.I can't believe some of the crap on here.A draw at Leicester is a good result,fourth position with a young team and manager is decent in my book.I have complete faith on Frank and a lot more patience than some on here.....UP THE CHELS !

I don’t really get the criticism of Lampard. For me, he’s rinsing the most out of this squad and the fact we’re 6 points clear in 4th is beyond most’s expectations, certainly mine before the season started. There are glaring issues with the squad that even Klopp or Guardiola couldn’t fix. 
One thing he needs to think about is the Giroud situation. We might as well use him now even if it’s the odd 10 min sub appearance.

Beat United and that might well be 4th done. Late Giroud winner...

It was definitely a good result for us and I thought we were the better team in the first half. The second half was a different story, with Leicester improving a lot. Our squad weaknesses (GK, the whole left side, an alternative to Tammy) were once again glaringly obvious. Hopefully we can use the next few months to properly plan our transfer targets for the summer. Pulisic‘s return will give us some width down the left, but with Pedro and Willian both looking set to leave in the summer I think we need to recruit a couple more wide players.

I’ve been starting to miss Hazard lately. I can only imagine how much better we’d have been today with him on the left and CHO/James combining down the right. He also had that ability to produce a bit of magic and tip closely fought games in our favour, which we lack completely now. I thinks it’s important to consider how much of a loss he was for us when judging our progress this season. To still be in fourth despite everything and after a difficult winter period is very encouraging.

Quote from @Davey Baby

Quote

.........................................a long mixture of rambling thoughts, some of it sensible and some of it just plain silly, blaming the manager for Tammy missing the ball completely (twice) and CHO doing the same, blaming the manager for Kepa being not quite as good as we were led to believe, given the price, but, worst of all, blaming the manager because, as @coco identified, the pies in the concourse at the Bridge aren't as good as the ones at Leicester..................................................................and then some other stuff as well

 

Edited February 2, 20206 yr by yorkleyblue
technology got the better of me

11 hours ago, just said:

Last season Loz I was one of Jorginho's biggest critics. This season I definitely warmed to him more, love his attitude. But, like Kovacic, he has not maintained a high level of consistency in his performances across the entire season. They are good players on their day but can both drift in and out of a game. Neither are world class IMO.

Eh? Kovacic has been superb, he has barely played since Kante has come back so how can he be blamed for consistency? 

Jorginho's form has dipped recently for sure, he doesn't play well next to Kante and it's obvious. But once again people are picking on our midfield quality when it really isn't the problem. 

16 hours ago, Davey Baby said:

There are weaknesses in our squad but the real weakness right now is the manager. We are so open. We can't keep a clean sheet to save our lives. It's 1 in every 6 games I think, which is comical. Coaching. Jorginho is the holding midfielder, which only works if every single player in the team presses, and presses hard, and remains compact at all times. It has to be like clockwork, engrained into the team. Then there's movement, and options on the ball, so that when he receives it every player knows where to go. This just isn't happening. We play a far more open, a far less structured style under Frank, which is fine, but Jorginho is completely the wrong guy. He's not a holding midfielder to save his life. You need a real tactical mind to use Jorginho, otherwise his limitations come to the fore. Our defence had no protection. Zero. There was space behind Jorginho all day long, in front of our defence, and Leicester were finding it. They were by far the more cohesive side, especially after our initial spell. Second-half, from open play, there's only one side that looked like scoring, again and again. That has f**k all to do with the transfer window, and the sooner Frank realises the better.

 

Some people don't want to hear it, because they love Frank, as I do, but right now we're on a run of 15 points from 13 games, and more than anything, the reason for that is the coaching. I don't care about top four this season, it isn't a big deal for me, I'm happy Frank's here I'm happy he's playing the kids I'm sure he'll get the chance to shape the squad more in his image in the summer, but people pointing the finger at the board or the players should be really focusing on the manager.

 

Second-half Leicester were immeasurably superior to us, they were finding those pockets of space in front of our defence, they were creating chances and we weren't. Frank did nothing to change it. We went ahead from a corner as soon as the second-half started, after which they took control and deservedly went 2-1 up. We could see it coming but Frank did nothing. We scored from a corner again, at which point Frank made changes, but they had missed a few gilt-edged chances.

 

Some of you will think this is harsh, but the game lasts 90 minutes. Sure, we missed a few chances early doors, but the game goes on, Leicester get a foothold and but for two goals from set-pieces we're losing that game, very easily, and then a lot of you would be being harsher. Over the course of the game we were second best, and that has nothing to do with personnel, and everything to do with coaching.

 

Lastly, Kepa. He's been poor this season, undoubtedly, but nobody has ever mentioned the role Frank may have had in this. Kepa last season was pretty good. He had a very encouraging season, generally, although there is obviously a problem in claiming crosses. He was excellent with his feet, and Sarri wanted a keeper that could play, to fit his style, and that gave Kepa confidence, because there was a strategy, because Sarri's a very meticulous manager, every time Kepa had the ball at his feet the defenders and the midfielders knew exactly where to go, so that Kepa had options, and he didn't have to think. It was drilled into them in typical Italian style, until it's on auto-pilot. As a result, Kepa was calm, cool, composed, and oozed confidence. I'm not letting him off this season, as his primary job is to stop goals and he hasn't been doing that, but a lot of that calmness and serenity at the back has left us. We're shipping way more goals than last season, and Derby shipped a lot of goals last season. We're playing out from the back but not in a structured way, and we're not pressing from the front as a team, and I think that's impacted the whole team including the keeper. A lot of you will scoff at that and so be it, but that's my theory, It's not all to do with how we play, I'm saying it's played a part, however small, and it's got into his head, and maybe the manager can help him out more. He's a good keeper, from what I saw last season. We'll be getting rid in the summer, maybe for somebody who's more suited for us. Which brings me to this.......

 

What are we? As a team? Does anybody know? We're a bit of a muddle. We're half one thing and half another. That's okay, we're a work in progress, and I like managers that let their players play, but if you're going to let your players play, play your best players. Kovacic has to be in that midfield, ahead of both Jorginho and Kante. Kante's another one, does Frank really know how to use him properly? All these questions are far more important than who we might have signed as a back-up striker. What are we? Who are we? Is there a method? These are the questions I want answered as Frank's tenure at the club ensues. People talk about planning with the board. What about planning on the pitch? This is what I'd really like to see some more of, and I'm hopeful we will as Frank grows into the job. I think the kids could do with a bit more method. Right now it all looks a little bit higgledy-piggledy to me.

Thank f**k we have you on back on this forum. A bit confused with the comment about top 4 though, we are in the driving seat, top 4 is vitally important for us right now. But we were horrendously open last game, Jorginho had a stinker unfortunately. The first goal they scored was ridiculous, that pass just went straight through and it was happening all the time in the 2nd half, one ball that cut through our entire midfield and they were on the offensive, it was too easy for them. 

Christ are you not bored of this kovacic/Jorginho sh*t yet Slojo. We get it, you think Kovacic is the bestest midfielder ever and Jorginho is dog muck. Move on and talk about something f**king else. 

1 hour ago, bluedave said:

It was definitely a good result for us and I thought we were the better team in the first half. The second half was a different story, with Leicester improving a lot. Our squad weaknesses (GK, the whole left side, an alternative to Tammy) were once again glaringly obvious. Hopefully we can use the next few months to properly plan our transfer targets for the summer. Pulisic‘s return will give us some width down the left, but with Pedro and Willian both looking set to leave in the summer I think we need to recruit a couple more wide players.

I’ve been starting to miss Hazard lately. I can only imagine how much better we’d have been today with him on the left and CHO/James combining down the right. He also had that ability to produce a bit of magic and tip closely fought games in our favour, which we lack completely now. I thinks it’s important to consider how much of a loss he was for us when judging our progress this season. To still be in fourth despite everything and after a difficult winter period is very encouraging.

We get Pulisic and rlc back and fit and suddenly our options are greater, thery bring exactly what we are lacking  at this time. Also, we really need someone out there to drive the team, especially when the game starts getting away from us like the 2nd half yesterday, and currently no one does that. Only Jorginho seems to be vocal out there, evern Rudiger seems more subdued since his return. Dave certainly doesn't do it. 

2 minutes ago, dkw said:

Christ are you not bored of this kovacic/Jorginho sh*t yet Slojo. We get it, you think Kovacic is the bestest midfielder ever and Jorginho is dog muck. Move on and talk about something f**king else. 

Well that's a load of bollocks isn't it, because I highly rate Jorginho. 

And don't you get bored of acting like a sanctimonious bell end? You spend 90% of your time complaining about people complaining. At least Yorkley is funny when he does it and does it in good spirits. 

1 minute ago, Slojo said:

Well that's a load of bollocks isn't it, because I highly rate Jorginho. 

And don't you get bored of acting like a sanctimonious bell end? You spend 90% of your time complaining about people complaining. At least Yorkley is funny when he does it and does it in good spirits. 

No, I don't. I'm bored of reading the same f**king sh*te about those 2 midfielders every day on here, it's incredibly tedfious with neither side willing to acknowledge the positives of the other. Both are excellent players and I'm happy they are in our squad, and I think Frank needs to find a way to play both. 

 

Ah sh*te, I'm talking about them too now. 

4 minutes ago, dkw said:

No, I don't. I'm bored of reading the same f**king sh*te about those 2 midfielders every day on here, it's incredibly tedfious with neither side willing to acknowledge the positives of the other. Both are excellent players and I'm happy they are in our squad, and I think Frank needs to find a way to play both. 

 

Ah sh*te, I'm talking about them too now. 

Well what do you want me to talk about? I could just complain about people being melodramatic but what does that add to the discussion? At least mine is relevant to football. Yes, I'll give you that I've been pretty repetitive lately and I've said it myself I'm sounding like a broken record so I’m going to tone it down because I'm sick of hearing myself say it, but I simply disagreed with what Just said. Midfield isn't the issue, I'm not sure why people keep going on about the midfielders lacking quality, it's easily the strongest area we have. 

I don't even think you read what I say otherwise you would know I'm a big fan of Jorginho, it's Kante I’ve been a big critic of this season and I've just said he had a good game, much better than Jorginho that's for sure. 

Edited February 2, 20206 yr by Slojo

Thought it was a fair result myself,  with sitters missed, the game could have gone either way. And with Leicester coming back into the game, then going on to take the lead, it's all too easy to forget how dominant we were early on. 

Edited February 2, 20206 yr by Upsetter

I will add was lovely to come away from a game of ours having enjoyed the game, with some lovely football played by both sides, and some optimism. 

3 hours ago, dkw said:

No, I don't. I'm bored of reading the same f**king sh*te about those 2 midfielders every day on here, it's incredibly tedfious with neither side willing to acknowledge the positives of the other. Both are excellent players and I'm happy they are in our squad, and I think Frank needs to find a way to play both. 

 

Ah sh*te, I'm talking about them too now. 

Your not doing it properly if Kante is not brought in to the debate too mate.

Edited February 2, 20206 yr by axman2526

3 hours ago, Slojo said:

Thank f**k we have you on back on this forum. A bit confused with the comment about top 4 though, we are in the driving seat, top 4 is vitally important for us right now. But we were horrendously open last game, Jorginho had a stinker unfortunately. The first goal they scored was ridiculous, that pass just went straight through and it was happening all the time in the 2nd half, one ball that cut through our entire midfield and they were on the offensive, it was too easy for them. 

 

I never thought we'd get top four at the start of the season, in fact, I thought we'd end up in the bottom half. Frank has done better than I expected, and I really wanted him here, and I really wanted the kids to play, so that was enough for me. Anything else is just a bonus.

 

First 12 games, 26 points. At that stage I'm thinking we're getting top four and Frank is far exceeding expectations. Last 13 games, different story, 15 points. Let's see what the final third of the season brings, but the way we're playing, I'd be very surprised if we get top four, and it really wouldn't bother me at all if we don't. Despite my criticisms of Frank, I never expected him to be anything other than a guy learning on the job, and I'm really happy to give him time and see if he has what it takes.

 

Right now, we're not really creating, aside from that first half yesterday, which really surprised me. We created a few good chances, and that was encouraging. Second-half was more typical, no chances created from open play, and ridiculously open, as you say. For me, that's the biggest worry and the thing Frank should be focusing on if we're to have any chance of achieving top four. We're not scoring freely anymore but we can still win games if we learn to see out games out and if we bring a bit of stability to our game. We are just ridiculously easy to score against, and our goals against column illustrates that. We never look like keeping a clean sheet.

 

Our best performances this season, Ajax away, Tottenham away, we looked stable, controlled, disciplined, well-drilled. We looked like a serious football team and that gives me hope for the future. Those were amazing performances. Most of the time, as you rightly say we saw yesterday, one pass bypasses our midfield and suddenly Maddison, Perez or Barnes have got the ball in that pocket of space in front of our defence, and then we're really in trouble.

 

We've got a chance of top four. We have far less points than at this stage last season but luckily the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Utd have their own problems, so we've got a chance, but we've looked porous all season and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon, and that for me is the likeliest thing to prove our stumbling block. It's easy to blame it on personnel but for me a lot of it is about the way we set up. There's a lack of control about our game most of the time, and that always makes us vulnerable, in my opinion.

3 hours ago, Slojo said:

At least Yorkley is funny when he does it and does it in good spirits. 

Yeah right. 

7 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Yeah right. 

It's good to have people on the forum who will weed out the idiots and constantly negative folk, I would say Yorkley is one of those. 

The forum wasn't the same when he was banned, I bet even RIPMourinho missed him. 

Edited February 2, 20206 yr by Slojo

39 minutes ago, Davey Baby said:

 

I never thought we'd get top four at the start of the season, in fact, I thought we'd end up in the bottom half. Frank has done better than I expected, and I really wanted him here, and I really wanted the kids to play, so that was enough for me. Anything else is just a bonus.

 

First 12 games, 26 points. At that stage I'm thinking we're getting top four and Frank is far exceeding expectations. Last 13 games, different story, 15 points. Let's see what the final third of the season brings, but the way we're playing, I'd be very surprised if we get top four, and it really wouldn't bother me at all if we don't. Despite my criticisms of Frank, I never expected him to be anything other than a guy learning on the job, and I'm really happy to give him time and see if he has what it takes.

 

Right now, we're not really creating, aside from that first half yesterday, which really surprised me. We created a few good chances, and that was encouraging. Second-half was more typical, no chances created from open play, and ridiculously open, as you say. For me, that's the biggest worry and the thing Frank should be focusing on if we're to have any chance of achieving top four. We're not scoring freely anymore but we can still win games if we learn to see out games out and if we bring a bit of stability to our game. We are just ridiculously easy to score against, and our goals against column illustrates that. We never look like keeping a clean sheet.

 

Our best performances this season, Ajax away, Tottenham away, we looked stable, controlled, disciplined, well-drilled. We looked like a serious football team and that gives me hope for the future. Those were amazing performances. Most of the time, as you rightly say we saw yesterday, one pass bypasses our midfield and suddenly Maddison, Perez or Barnes have got the ball in that pocket of space in front of our defence, and then we're really in trouble.

 

We've got a chance of top four. We have far less points than at this stage last season but luckily the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Utd have their own problems, so we've got a chance, but we've looked porous all season and that doesn't look like changing anytime soon, and that for me is the likeliest thing to prove our stumbling block. It's easy to blame it on personnel but for me a lot of it is about the way we set up. There's a lack of control about our game most of the time, and that always makes us vulnerable, in my opinion.

Same here, I mean who did? A tiny minority would have been that optimistic. But we've put ourselves in the driving seat, no reason why we shouldn't get it now, it will be disappointing if we don't. But I think you're hitting the nail on the head, Frank deserves a lot of the blame. However, have to keep in mind that this is a big job for him and he's just got into coaching, in no way do I want him sack. I know I get on his back a lot lately but I love what I've seen from him so far, I hope he's here next season and I think he will be even if we crash outside the top 4. 

2 minutes ago, Slojo said:

It's good to have people on the forum who will weed out the idiots and constantly negative folk, I would say Yorkley is one of those. 

The forum wasn't the same when he was banned, I bet even RIPMourinho missed him. 

Sure. 

For me he's the defenition of a internet-troll. 

The forum would be much better of without him.

9 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Sure. 

For me he's the defenition of a internet-troll. 

The forum would be much better of without him.

I know he can fan the flames and start arguments a lot, but a lot of it is tongue and cheek. Now I think you're a good poster, I agree with you a lot on here, but I can see where Yorkley is coming from, like myself you can be dramatic and hyperbolic.