7 minutes ago, Argo said:

It's no coincidence with Kai back at false 9 we're all of a sudden a fluent team again.

However it was a bitter sweet watch knowing it's only temporary.

Thought we looked good before that too. We were already 2-0 up when Lukaku has do go off.

7 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Thought we looked good before that too. We were already 2-0 up when Lukaku has do go off.

We did but I felt we went up a level with our fluency and especially pressing after. 

If Tuchel will insist on playing Lukaku every game when fit I hope he tries him in the RF role he sometimes plays for Belgium, keeps Kai in his best position and I actually think he will do good there.

20 hours ago, Gol15 said:

I don't believe that we can win the league playing like this, there is not a single attacker right now that is performing good for us. We already looked strange in that regard prior to the international break and nothing has changed. I don't mind losing if we win more games and win them convincingly in the long run but our defense is a false sense of security right now, Brentford had a few clear-cut chances and hit the post twice.

Pep bought Grealish and he's making stuff happen, Klopp has Salah that creates chances, we don't have anyone right now, you first use the player in the best possible way and then you get the end product out of him, not vice-versa. This is the thing, at least Kai has an excuse because he was used in every possible position according to what was needed so naturally he won't be able to perform at the same level while being told to go from one side to the other and then back. Lukaku isn't getting any service, Werner is the same from last season and Mount has been missing in action so far.

Our best attacker is Dave because he creates a goal per match, I hope that wasn't the plan because he only puts in a few crosses per game and that's enough for him to contribute the most.

In any case, our expectations are not the same as before, specially not after winning the CL. Sarri's point was to go away from Conte's style and reduce the gap from Man City and Lampard just needed to secure top 4 in his first season.

As soon as Conte stopped getting the results nobody was happy with him, I bet that you would also change your opinion as soon as we were to lose a couple of games playing like this, suddenly it won't matter that we had a pretty stable defense overall. I guess I don't need to remind that Conte was also trying to make sure that our defense doesn't concede goals and that didn't help him in the long run.

Then your only option is to sack Tuchel because he's not going to make drastic changes and if he failed while playing this system, he's going to get sacked anyway. 

Grealish and Salah are both on form. Our players are out of form. It's that simple. Once they find that bit of form, it doesn't matter what formation we play. 

This is just a goals win games but defence wins championships debate. Can we get more goals? Yes. Depends on our players to turn up during a game. Formation and tactics are about putting the players at their most optimum position, if they don't score 1v1s, then it's not really a tactical/formation issue. 

Of course. We are a top team and we hired him to win trophies. Would I like it if we play good football, yes 100%. But would I take playing good football over winning? No. For me, the results are the most important. Good football is circumstantial anyway. 

We've had some crazy months right after Tuchel took over that have culminated with winning the CL, playing some amazing stuff on course to that, then it was the Euros where most of our main players have gone to the last phase of the tournament and a short break after that. Yes, we might not look that good as we looked six months ago, but IMHO it is a completely normal thing givengiven the success this set of players have had so far and the fact they have been playing non stop football for the past year and a half.

I don't really get the rather negative outlook of some. We clearly IMO played the long game, gave our incredible important but overplayed players (eg Mount + Jorgi) as much rest as possible while giving all sqad members ample time to play competetively while bringing in results - albeit not as dominant or just partly convincing. Both aspects should in theory (because who knows) help us quite a bit in the long run this season.

On 21/10/2021 at 15:49, Deino said:

Then your only option is to sack Tuchel because he's not going to make drastic changes and if he failed while playing this system, he's going to get sacked anyway. 

Grealish and Salah are both on form. Our players are out of form. It's that simple. Once they find that bit of form, it doesn't matter what formation we play. 

This is just a goals win games but defence wins championships debate. Can we get more goals? Yes. Depends on our players to turn up during a game. Formation and tactics are about putting the players at their most optimum position, if they don't score 1v1s, then it's not really a tactical/formation issue. 

Of course. We are a top team and we hired him to win trophies. Would I like it if we play good football, yes 100%. But would I take playing good football over winning? No. For me, the results are the most important. Good football is circumstantial anyway. 

This wasn't his style prior to being here though, so there should always be an option to change the formation and tactics when things don't work out. Not all managers do that but some good managers have done it. I think that the formation and how a team practices to play does matter and eventually tactics and setups get figured out, here is when a good manager learns from that or becomes a bit washed and hangs on his past glory for the future jobs.

On 21/10/2021 at 21:49, Deino said:

Then your only option is to sack Tuchel because he's not going to make drastic changes and if he failed while playing this system, he's going to get sacked anyway. 

Grealish and Salah are both on form. Our players are out of form. It's that simple. Once they find that bit of form, it doesn't matter what formation we play. 

This is just a goals win games but defence wins championships debate. Can we get more goals? Yes. Depends on our players to turn up during a game. Formation and tactics are about putting the players at their most optimum position, if they don't score 1v1s, then it's not really a tactical/formation issue. 

Of course. We are a top team and we hired him to win trophies. Would I like it if we play good football, yes 100%. But would I take playing good football over winning? No. For me, the results are the most important. Good football is circumstantial anyway. 

What is "this" system? 

It is interesting that people want us to play more "offensive". Right now we have 

Rudi - Chris - Azpi

Always at the back as insurance and people want us to change that into

Jorginho 

Rudiger - Chris 

 

 

5 hours ago, Bob stark said:

What is "this" system? 

It is interesting that people want us to play more "offensive". Right now we have 

Rudi - Chris - Azpi

Always at the back as insurance and people want us to change that into

Jorginho 

Rudiger - Chris 

 

 

This system as I see it is our 3 at the back where all 5 defenders defend as a unit and have 1 CB in a free role during the attacking phase with both wingbacks either going wide or tucking into midfield to create overloads in attack.

It's practically a signature of ours by now under Tuchel. No other team in the league does this so to change to a whole new "system" at this point will take us back to another learning curve period. 

 

6 minutes ago, Deino said:

This system as I see it is our 3 at the back where all 5 defenders defend as a unit and have 1 CB in a free role during the attacking phase with both wingbacks either going wide or tucking into midfield to create overloads in attack.

It's practically a signature of ours by now under Tuchel. No other team in the league does this so to change to a whole new "system" at this point will take us back to another learning curve period. 

 

Citu play similar system. 3 cb 2 mid, two 10,two winger one st. 

Remember when he had an agenda against the academy boys? 

Christensen, Chalobah, RLC, CHO, Mount, James all playing significant roles for the current league leaders. Up the Chels!

Academy lads done it again! 

Kova was fecking awesome. Chilly was amazing. 

Credit to Tuchel, never stopped pushing the team. Man was livid at 3-0 because the lads were sloppy

52 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

Citu play similar system. 3 cb 2 mid, two 10,two winger one st. 

Tuchel is a Pep admirer to begin with but pretty sure it was his coaching staff's decision to go this route on the plane to London as he was signing for us. He said it in one of the interviews.

Edited October 23, 20214 yr by Deino

Two poor opponents but still it's incredible how much more fluid we are with a false 9.

I hope when Rom comes back he's tried in the RF role, that could really suit him well, as the false 9 will drag players around and give him the space he thrives on.

Started the last 2 with real purpose. You can just see he's drilling the whole squad into a higher tempo style of play. He knows we've been flat this season even while getting results but now is the perfect time to go up a gear. 

Two moments I loved, early against Malmo he shouted at Chilwell for not being progressive with the ball and running away from goal. Today it was Odoi, who made some wrong decisions off the ball in attack. What a manager. 

He is up against the two best managers in the world, Liverpool look as good as they have ever looked under Klopp and have probably the most in form player in the world in Salah.

City is a machine and Guardiola is an animal during the course of a 38 match season.

If Tuchel can pull this off and win the league against these two sides led by these two managers then he should instantly be given a very long term contract. 

56 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

He is up against the two best managers in the world, Liverpool look as good as they have ever looked under Klopp and have probably the most in form player in the world in Salah.

City is a machine and Guardiola is an animal during the course of a 38 match season.

If Tuchel can pull this off and win the league against these two sides led by these two managers then he should instantly be given a very long term contract. 

Indeed, it is a near impossible task. 2 best managers in the world imo. Liverpool with the best first 13 or 14 players in world football, including by far the world's best player, City with the best squad.

5 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Indeed, it is a near impossible task. 2 best managers in the world imo. Liverpool with the best first 13 or 14 players in world football, including by far the world's best player, City with the best squad.

Even if we fail to win a single title this season, at least we have a top manager to hang on to. Top 2 in the league would be a massive upgrade considering that we haven't been able to challenge Man city for the title in quite a while.

5 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Indeed, it is a near impossible task. 2 best managers in the world imo. Liverpool with the best first 13 or 14 players in world football, including by far the world's best player, City with the best squad.

It's why we need to make the most of the next matches and go on a big winning streak before the festive period. Luckily after the NYE we meet a Liverpool team coming on the back of two high intensity matches in the span of only a few days v Leeds and Spurs.

2 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

It's why we need to make the most of the next matches and go on a big winning streak before the festive period. Luckily after the NYE we meet a Liverpool team coming on the back of two high intensity matches in the span of only a few days v Leeds and Spurs.

We certainly do. As City and Liverpool I expect win all their league matches between now and when they next face us or each other, whichever comes first. Then we will see how we improve in handling them and they do against each other.

If you play a back 5 you need to quality fullbacks, Dave is great in a back 3 but it's about time Tuchel realises James offers so much more going forward.

as much as football is about what others are doing.. i think even if Pool beat utd 5-0 its only 3 points. i think they will drop points just like everyone else.. We need to concentrate on our performances and ensure we dont drop points against teams we are expected to beat for starters. in the big matches under tuchel we have a decent record.. If we can get our attacking play sorted we will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.. 

He really vents out his frustrations to players who are not performing...well to be exact, make a stray pass. Havertz made a couple of wrong decisions in a game that was already in the bag and Tuchel yelled at him in frustration. I am guessing he is talking these through between games with the players and doesnt leave it at that. You could see straight after that Kai was running like a maniac trying to get back to good track...sort of old school but if you look at how "well" it is going for Ole or it ended with Frank, who never say anything, I prefer this type of man management on the pitchside. To be fair Kai needs to expect much better of himself.

Did Tuchel extend his contract in the summer…or did I imagine that?

18 hours ago, JM7 said:

Did Tuchel extend his contract in the summer…or did I imagine that?

I think by two and a half years back then. I thought it was some kind of clause that got triggered after qualifying for CL or agter winning it.. but got extended for certain.

Got away with one last night. 

Strange team selection and even stranger subs. 

If he's not interested in winning the League Cup that's fine but bit off an odd night for Tuchel last night.