Looks like Tuchel has finally addressed the lack of midfield options, recognizing only Kante and Kovacic as the experienced pair along with Jorginho. 

Little too late I'm afraid, and to only address this only now when 99% of the fanbase knew from the beginning Kante and Kovacic would continue to be unreliable due to injuries is utterly unacceptable. 

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Looks like Tuchel has finally addressed the lack of midfield options, recognizing only Kante and Kovacic as the experienced pair along with Jorginho. 

Little too late I'm afraid, and to only address this only now when 99% of the fanbase knew from the beginning Kante and Kovacic would continue to be unreliable due to injuries is utterly unacceptable. 

Not too late of we move quickly for the right player. Like Tieldmans from Leicester. He has 1 year left on his deal and they would likely sell than have him leave on a free.

Getting an amazing player is out of the question, but getting decent quality is not beyond us if we move now.

Could always re-sign Barkley LOL

The reality is that there aren't that many top midfielders in the market other than De Jong and getting him will be a whole mess with barcelona. Unfortunately this might be another season where we hope Kante and Kovacic don't get injured. 

 

4 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Not too late of we move quickly for the right player. Like Tieldmans from Leicester. He has 1 year left on his deal and they would likely sell than have him leave on a free.

Getting an amazing player is out of the question, but getting decent quality is not beyond us if we move now.

issue is our midfield needs “amazing” not “decent”. We are already covered “decent” wise, so unless we are loaning him till the end of the season to make up the numbers he wouldn’t be my choice. Don’t get me wrong he is pretty decent, my issue with him is he is slow with, & on the ball. 
I agree with Sconnie Blue though, think the manager dropped the ball regarding our midfield in this window. He had a chance to break it up, and rebuild it with many options available on the market. Fear is he will now panic & offer both Kante & Jorginho new contracts so he doesn’t have a repeat of this summer.

1 hour ago, ducavis said:

issue is our midfield needs “amazing” not “decent”. We are already covered “decent” wise, so unless we are loaning him till the end of the season to make up the numbers he wouldn’t be my choice. Don’t get me wrong he is pretty decent, my issue with him is he is slow with, & on the ball. 
I agree with Sconnie Blue though, think the manager dropped the ball regarding our midfield in this window. He had a chance to break it up, and rebuild it with many options available on the market. Fear is he will now panic & offer both Kante & Jorginho new contracts so he doesn’t have a repeat of this summer.

So how do West Ham get to sign a Brazilian international midfielder...and we don't...the nerve

10 hours ago, CFCCAN said:

So how do West Ham get to sign a Brazilian international midfielder...and we don't...the nerve

Just another player that our scouts didn't notice cause of Aubameyang and Gordon...

2 hours ago, Gol15 said:

Just another player that our scouts didn't notice cause of Aubameyang and Gordon...

I think we have Boy Scouts.   Other teams always manage to find good players at bargain prices, our scouts have somehow managed to overlook them. Makes you wonder what they are looking at 

So as we are in the last week of the window, anyone tell me where our attack is and the cover for them? just asking like.

9 minutes ago, Kev56 said:

So as we are in the last week of the window, anyone tell me where our attack is and the cover for them? just asking like.

We're way beyond the last week, the glacial way this club operates. They agreed the Fofana fee at the weekend, he still hasn't even finished his medical yet, let alone signed for the club.

I just cannot see us getting any deal over the line now in time, so in answer to your question

 

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

We're way beyond the last week, the glacial way this club operates. They agreed the Fofana fee at the weekend, he still hasn't even finished his medical yet, let alone signed for the club.

I just cannot see us getting any deal over the line now in time, so in answer to your question

 

Just as I thought, Sterling is not going to get a brace every week, Havertz might get one just before the World Cup. I’m seriously worried about this.

Edited August 30, 20223 yr by Kev56

4-3-3

Defenders:

James/Azpilicueta Silva/Fofana Koulibaly/Chalobah Cucurella/Chilwell - all of them more than capable in these positions. Chalobah is the only question mark for me.

Midfielders:

Gallagher/RLC Kante/Jorginho Mount/Kovacic - apart from Jorginho all in their natural positions as 6's and 8's. Jorginho plays that position for Italy but he has more defensive players alongside him. 

Attackers:

Sterling/Pulisic Havertz/Broja Ziyech/New guy - all in their natural positions apart from Kai who is still capable of roaming around the attacking areas.

For me this switch would make more than sense. Currently so many players are off position including Mount, James and Gallagher. 

Tuchel probably has a reason for this but for our struggles I would try it.

46 minutes ago, evissy said:

4-3-3

Defenders:

James/Azpilicueta Silva/Fofana Koulibaly/Chalobah Cucurella/Chilwell - all of them more than capable in these positions. Chalobah is the only question mark for me.

Midfielders:

Gallagher/RLC Kante/Jorginho Mount/Kovacic - apart from Jorginho all in their natural positions as 6's and 8's. Jorginho plays that position for Italy but he has more defensive players alongside him. 

Attackers:

Sterling/Pulisic Havertz/Broja Ziyech/New guy - all in their natural positions apart from Kai who is still capable of roaming around the attacking areas.

For me this switch would make more than sense. Currently so many players are off position including Mount, James and Gallagher. 

Tuchel probably has a reason for this but for our struggles I would try it.

Fofana won't be on the bench. I would think it more likely to be Fofana/Chalobah & Koulibaly/Silva. Silva will be better on the left than Chalobah.

Also in midfield, I think the natural pairings are Mount/Gallagher (attacking midfield/high press) and Kovacic/RLC (both ball carriers from deeper). Jorginho and Kante aren't exactly similar, but are the only pair left LOL. 

Interesting comments by Tuchel today that none of our options on the bench are giving him a selection headache.

Coupled with the fact he's playing attacking midfielders on both wings and that we're apparently after 2 new wingers before the window shuts I think it's clear he's completely lost faith in our deadwood wingers on the bench.

3 minutes ago, HazardousChoice said:

Interesting comments by Tuchel today that none of our options on the bench are giving him a selection headache.

Coupled with the fact he's playing attacking midfielders on both wings and that we're apparently after 2 new wingers before the window shuts I think it's clear he's completely lost faith in our deadwood wingers on the bench.

I suppose we can give him credit for trying to stop flogging dead horses ...

Boehly has already seen with his own eyes enough of our forwards in matches to know they aren't very good, and that better options are needed.

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

Fofana won't be on the bench. I would think it more likely to be Fofana/Chalobah & Koulibaly/Silva. Silva will be better on the left than Chalobah.

Also in midfield, I think the natural pairings are Mount/Gallagher (attacking midfield/high press) and Kovacic/RLC (both ball carriers from deeper). Jorginho and Kante aren't exactly similar, but are the only pair left LOL. 

Kante and Jorginho can handle the deeper role. Depending on the opponent you choose a playmaker/metronome in J or Kante in destroyer. 

My point is we have much more natural players for 4-3-3 than for 3-4-3. 

When does the awkward question become a serious one?

I haven't seen football this bad since Mourinho 2016...

Edited August 30, 20223 yr by Sconnie Blue

On 24/08/2022 at 22:58, Nibs said:

No way TT will get sacked in the near future unless our form drops off a cliff, we are way down the PL by November and in danger of not making out of the group stage of CL.

At times the football has been good, but more often than not lately not so good. Thhink he is showing too much loyalty to the wrong players and some of those who started the Leeds game, deserve to be dropped.

I still like TT. Think he's got a lot of integrity and has been through a lot and with his proven record, he deserves a good amount of time to turn things round. Can't see any better out there. But that's football. One or two more bad results and Liverpool fans will be calling for Klopp to be axed!

Well that's what I believe will happen. I doubt we'll make top 6 this year, let alone top 4. 

Our football is atrocious, I don't see us picking up enough points. And to make matters worse, we're only interested in defenders.

 

Hate to say it, I think Pochettino may be Chelsea manager before long. I love TT and wouldn’t get rid if I was in charge. 

But something isn’t right at Chelsea at the moment and when that becomes obvious then there’s usually a managerial change. Tuchel could be in trouble if this form continues.

I 100% don’t want Poch but he is the “best” of the names that are currently available. 

5 minutes ago, drjonesy1994 said:

Hate to say it, I think Pochettino may be Chelsea manager before long. I love TT and wouldn’t get rid if I was in charge. 

But something isn’t right at Chelsea at the moment and when that becomes obvious then there’s usually a managerial change. Tuchel could be in trouble if this form continues.

I 100% don’t want Poch but he is the “best” of the names that are currently available. 

Potter is a better name. Poch is a fraud. I'd be furious if we got Poch. There's probably 5 names out there better than Poch. 

Just now, bisright1 said:

Potter is a better name. Poch is a fraud. I'd be furious if we got Poch. There's probably 5 names out there better than Poch. 

In terms of availability though, Poch is the main one I can think of who isn’t currently attached.

Probably time to stop blaming all the players, but instead point the finger where it needs to be.

Every single player have gotten progressively worse under TT.

Chelsea will likely be outside the top 10 after this week.

 

 

2 minutes ago, drjonesy1994 said:

In terms of availability though, Poch is the main one I can think of who isn’t currently attached.

Potter is manager of Brighton. We ring, he joins. If we get Poch we don't win a trophy until he's sacked. 

Tuchel will have another 2 months to see what happens, but this should be the season he's created something and it's sh*t.

I'll spend the rest of my years wondering how sarri would have got on in year 2. 

But Jesus Christ, not Poch. Anyone but Poch. Gamble on someone who could be great, not someone who isn't. 

Quote

Enough is enough. Tuchel out.

 

4 minutes ago, haviet1 said:

Probably time to stop blaming all the players, but instead point the finger where it needs to be.

How can you not blame the players? You saw Pulisic when he came on.

How can Tuchel be blamed for players having no natural talent or basic ability? Someone giving the ball away every possession because he can't dribble or pass

I think Tommy got a lot wrong today, you simply can't start Azpi and a 37 year old Thiago Silva on the same side of a back 4 and he's going to come under pressure but the lack of talent in forward positions is clear for all to see.

If Tuchel goes you'll see it under the next manager just as we saw it under Lampard.

Edited August 30, 20223 yr by HazardousChoice