19 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

In fairness we tried to play offensively against City the next season and got smashed 6-0, so he wasn't wrong.

 

One of the things I like most about Tuchel's reign is that we've been able to take on the best teams in Europe successfully without having to park the bus

He was wrong. There's multiple middle ground scenario's between going all out attack and setting up like San Marino, a balance even Sarri himself found in the other two fixtures against them.

Spurs and Arsenal win. After today more pressure ramping up on us in the top 4 and therefor more on TT. His first downturn at the club to deal with.

35 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Spurs and Arsenal win. After today more pressure ramping up on us in the top 4 and therefor more on TT. His first downturn at the club to deal with.

Looking at the fixtures ahead, and our ongoing challenges with injuries/covid, I think it is possible that we will dip a bit more in the near future and even drop out of top 4. Hopefully though the team rediscovers their earlier season form quickly and manages to get some points from the matches against City/Liverpool. No matter what happens in the January fixtures I still think we will ultimately finish in the top 4 this season.

On course for an 82 point season so far. 

2 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

On course for an 82 point season so far. 

And with 42 goals after 19 games, we are also on track for an 84 goal season, which would have only been exceeded twice by us in the Roman era ... in Ancelotti's and Conte's title winning seasons.

That's gone a bit under the radar !

If we took more of our big chances we'd be right up there with City and Pool who are both on track for 100+ again.

His press conference really showed how pissed he is that we are forced to play while other teams are getting their games postponed. I don't blame him and I 100% share those frustrations especially now that we have 3 new injuries. We've been done dirty by the Premier League. 

These last two games we have been a bit better. Solid at back and able to score the goals. 

Injuries, absentees and fatigue are still the theme. 

The early season showed us we are there abouts with Liverpool and City. Trailing City already 6 points is not optimal but if they are hit with an injury crisis like us it can turn around. 

I am glad if we are fighting with those two end of the season. Injuries you can't control. If that ends the title challenge it ends it. 

1 hour ago, Frankie8Lampard said:

His press conference really showed how pissed he is that we are forced to play while other teams are getting their games postponed. I don't blame him and I 100% share those frustrations especially now that we have 3 new injuries. We've been done dirty by the Premier League. 

He’s got a point but he could have kept some of the youngsters in the squad. They did well midweek. 

2 hours ago, Munkworth said:

He’s got a point but he could have kept some of the youngsters in the squad. They did well midweek. 

Good point, now they may face Pool instead.

Man TT did not hold back in that interview did he? He was seething. Probably won't help his mood hearing Wolves got a game postpone on Tuesday but when we asked for our game against them moved we were told no.

Edited December 27, 20214 yr by axman2526

 

16 hours ago, Munkworth said:

He’s got a point but he could have kept some of the youngsters in the squad. They did well midweek. 

Vale yes but Jude and Simmons are nowhere near ready.

On 26/12/2021 at 20:06, Frankie8Lampard said:

His press conference really showed how pissed he is that we are forced to play while other teams are getting their games postponed. I don't blame him and I 100% share those frustrations especially now that we have 3 new injuries. We've been done dirty by the Premier League. 

Yeah I suppose, but can you imagine if the games were postponed and delayed to Feburary, where we’d have to play our standard prem fixtures plus the re arranged ones, champions league, club World Cup and FA cup? Plus league cup if we make it.

Jeez. Can’t we just forfeit club World Cup?  It feels like such a pointless and needless tournament for us.

8 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

 

Jeez. Can’t we just forfeit club World Cup?  It feels like such a pointless and needless tournament for us.

I hope not, that trophy would be a new addition to the cabinet.

12 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Yeah I suppose, but can you imagine if the games were postponed and delayed to Feburary, where we’d have to play our standard prem fixtures plus the re arranged ones, champions league, club World Cup and FA cup? Plus league cup if we make it.

Jeez. Can’t we just forfeit club World Cup?  It feels like such a pointless and needless tournament for us.

I think a good solution would be to probably postpone the world club cup to the summer so it gets treated like an mini-international tournament/pre-season tournament. In that case we'll just cut our pre-season short.

Edited December 28, 20214 yr by Frankie8Lampard

12 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Yeah I suppose, but can you imagine if the games were postponed and delayed to Feburary, where we’d have to play our standard prem fixtures plus the re arranged ones, champions league, club World Cup and FA cup? Plus league cup if we make it.

Jeez. Can’t we just forfeit club World Cup?  It feels like such a pointless and needless tournament for us.

Nah, I get it will cause issues fixture wise but a chance to call ourselves world champions shouldn't be sniffed at.

I was so pissed when we lost it in 2012.

Has he held his press conference ahead of Brighton? Any updates?

17 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Has he held his press conference ahead of Brighton? Any updates?

Yes.

 

A direct comparison to the same home/away fixtures from last year (promoted teams compared to relegated teams in the order they were relegated/promoted) is a significant improvement at this stage of the season:

Given all the problems we have had with injuries/illness, I think that is a superb achievement !

 

You have to admit this is the most boring sort of football I've seen for ages, whats up with those players playing, its sh*te i tell you!!!!

League season is now reduced to making sure we finish top four. Personally I think that may be hard enough with the amount of injuries and fatigue we are dealing with. But Top 4 is the main objective now and then hopefully our situation may look a bit different when the Champions League start up again in a few months.

 

43 minutes ago, Ballack & Blu said:

You have to admit this is the most boring sort of football I've seen for ages, whats up with those players playing, its sh*te i tell you!!!!

It's not even the most boring festive football in the last two years.

Things aren't great right now but it's not even close to the poverty levels of this time last year.

Very Sarri-esque. Lots of pointless passing, no penetration. We've got to be the team that attacks the slowest in the league, it's like we intentionally wait for the other team to get back before trying to slowly probe them.

Lukaku has been really clinical, he doesn't need more than 2 chances to score. He's pure quality. This in turn shows that I was wrong when I said that there is something wrong with our current system. The problem still remains though, when you have to play Pulisic as a full-back things won't look as sharp but that's due to having so many injuries and not on Tuchel's tactic.

Brighton in all honesty and fairness had the ball twice in our box in the second half and scored from a cross, not much you can do about that.

once again injuries more or less scuppered any pre game planned substitutions. Players having to play 90 who are nowhere near ready for it. He really does have a point regards 5 subs. 

It's hard to predict where we will end up this season. The poor winter performances are destroying our season again, but this time we have more injuries on top than ever, so it's making it worse. 

I just can't see a way out of this mess right now. I don't see how we get anything out of the League cup semi finals and league games against Man City, Liverpool and Tottenham. We could very much be in a situation where sh*te like Arsenal and United overtake us. What a miserable season this is turning out to be after our most promising start in years.

Edited December 29, 20214 yr by Scott Harris