4 minutes ago, Kev56 said:

First home game f**king spuds, and if we don't get sorted which i don't think we will. We are going to get hammered, Can you imagine that ffs.

I know, yes... It's why I counted that as a draw to be honest... They look ready. We don't. And they have a world class manager now and some good forwards. But some things never change in football. Just like Paris and UCL, no matter how much they invest, I don't think they will win it anytime soon. Same goes for Spurs, no matter the manager they will still find a way to finish trophyless and behind the big boys, it's what they always do.

I have to say I didn't watch any of the game and haven't watched the highlights either however from reading the report it seems arsenal were better from start to finish. 

I think TT needs to be careful. He's never been one to publicly criticise his players or call them out. It's early days in the season but my early impression is something isn't quite right. He's making noises about needing more signings which usually only ends one way for managers. 

I saw that we tried to play a back 4 in the first half and it didn't work. If we are shifting to a back four permanently then we do need new players. 

I hope I am wrong and TT doesn't go anywhere but as I said it feels like something is not quite right at the moment. 

6 minutes ago, drjonesy1994 said:

e's never been one to publicly criticise his players or call them out. It's early days in the season but my early impression is something isn't quite right. He's making noises about needing more signings which usually only ends one way for managers. 

Could definitly go either way. But almost don't think he's got a choice at this point.

We are obviously in desperate need of signings and it's just as obvious that many of the players currently involved have no business being here. But the challenge here is that most of them are almost impossible to shift due to their wages so we are stuck with them. It's a terrible situation to be in for the manager and something need to happen.

Some obviously want Tuchel gone. I can almost guarantee that we will be in a much, much worse situation if he's sacked. 

2 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Some obviously want Tuchel gone. I can almost guarantee that we will be in a much, much worse situation if he's sacked. 

Agree 100%

18 minutes ago, Gentian said:

Funny thing is we will still beat arsenal when it matters so i wouldn't look at this friendly too much. 

However, i am still baffled that Tuchel is so stubborn with this system! Playing with 5 defenders for chelsea is simply not good enough. Players we have also don't suit that system. For instance Gallagher in the middle 2 is simply at best average. 

Yep, Arsenal produced these type of displays when it actually mattered at the back end of last season.

It's awful to lose to them in that way and the pre season has been pretty poor so far but the sweeping statements like we will be lucky to finish top 6 is getting silly, Liverpool got slapped by the same score to United.

If certain players lack motivation, why play them at all? We have a huge squad, has it gotten so bad we can't field eleven players willing to do their best?

There are several reasons why we're having problems. 

1. Sins of the past. The previous regime did a lot of good things, won all the trophies under the sun, turned us into a global brand and created one of the best youth academies in Europe. But they also burdened us with a group of players that looked like they were scouted by a blind man and were signed to the kind of contracts only a madman would approve of. Marina has become a popular scapegoat for everything that's wrong with the current state of affairs but who's the genius who was doing the scouting for the club all those years and is this person still employed by CFC? The list of terrible signings is incredible.

2. The UK government in its infinite wisdom decided to punish the club for things that had f**k all to do with football. As much as I'd like to criticize Boehly and Co, we were put in a situation where for months(!) we weren't allowed to negotiate with our current players (that's how we lost Rudiger) and couldn't do anything about the possible transfer targets. We're still playing catch up because our rivals had an advantage in the market.

3. I don't know if letting go of Marina/Cech was the right step under the circumstances and whether keeping them would actually make any difference but Boehly is clearly new to the scene and is learning on the job and while in a long run this experience may help him and the club, short term we're suffering. 

4. Apart from Sterling and Koulibaly, this is still a team that was built by Conte, Sarri and Frank. Tuchel needs to do better and he's been on the job long enough to figure something out, but he's not wrong on the 'same players' argument. He didn't ask for those players, he didn't buy those players, and all things considered he's done a good job with what he inherited.

5. We need five-six more signings at least, imo. Replacements for Azpi and Alonso, at least another CB, a right sided attacker and a striker. Ideally, I'd also like to  add a deep lying playmaker who can actually contribute something to attack, but that's probably too much to ask at this point. 

9 minutes ago, abramovich said:

Marina has become a popular scapegoat for everything that's wrong with the current state of affairs but who's the genius who was doing the scouting for the club all those years and is this person still employed by CFC? The list of terrible signings is incredible.

Scott McLachlan. Promoted by Marina and entrusted to work closely with her to pick targets in the transfer market after Emenalo left in 2017.

Marina isn't a scapegoat. She's mainly responsible for this complete mess of a squad so she deserves the criticism.

 

having just watched Tuchel's press conference, I am now a LOT more worried about the Club and the coming season. He was critical of virtually all the squad, especially players pushing to leave us (Werner I presume), But amongst other things he said "I can't guarantee that we will be ready for the new season",  "I am far from relaxed as we deserved to lose" "We were not good enough - not even competitive"  " I saw in Arsenal a physical commitment from them that we could not match" and "A lack of mental commitment that we cannot give as we have a lot of players that think of leaving " He then went on a rant about being proven right by this performance, in our need for more players and the failure to sign the players he wants (Kounde) 

This is worrying !!

Oh god, no sacking Tuchel please. We don't have anywhere to turn if that happens. There's no one else as good out there right now. That f**king Lukaku signing has been the biggest ballache of all time. Absolutely sh*te signing that has upset the harmony of the team. 

Let's see how we do vs Everton and Spurs.

Even if we had won this friendly it wouldn't have mattered later on so even if Tuchel has this temperament and is unhappy right now, the real problems can still be avoided if we sign 2 more players prior to the opening matches of the season. 

1 hour ago, Valerie said:

Oi! I praised our beautiful new socks when a hightlights video was posted of a friendly with Kanté and RLC. I"ve yet to see what we were wearing last night, but I keep an eye on what matters @Amputechture 

Question is: should I really bother with the highlights (for Arsenal anyway), or skip it and just mutter something about wake-up calls and how it's just about fitness at this stage?

Any sounds yet about the odds on TT getting sacked this season 

Definitely skip the highlights Val, unless you've got a tub of ice cream in front of you to help keep your eyes off the screen.

I wonder what the odds are on him getting sacked before the season begins? 😉

1 hour ago, Argo said:

Yep, Arsenal produced these type of displays when it actually mattered at the back end of last season.

It's awful to lose to them in that way and the pre season has been pretty poor so far but the sweeping statements like we will be lucky to finish top 6 is getting silly, Liverpool got slapped by the same score to United.

What's silly about that, we painfully scraped home last season playing the most dire turgid football, we haven't got a goal scoring forward (hopefully Broja turns up) we're getting ripped open at the back and if we play the sideways backward football for much longer we will not get in the top six, nothing silly in that statement at all. Too many think we have some divine rite to automatically be in the elite every year.

7 minutes ago, drjonesy1994 said:

I have to say I didn't watch any of the game and haven't watched the highlights either however from reading the report it seems arsenal were better from start to finish. 

I think TT needs to be careful. He's never been one to publicly criticise his players or call them out. It's early days in the season but my early impression is something isn't quite right. He's making noises about needing more signings which usually only ends one way for managers. 

I saw that we tried to play a back 4 in the first half and it didn't work. If we are shifting to a back four permanently then we do need new players. 

I hope I am wrong and TT doesn't go anywhere but as I said it feels like something is not quite right at the moment. 

It's gotten to the point now where I don't know when things felt right with the club. We have these really high moments that patch things up momentarily, but the club feels like it's in disarray most of the time. Just so much crazy sh*t happens with this club that doesn't seem to happen anywhere else.

If the media wanted to, they could write a hell of an article detailing all of the crazy sh*t that has gone at this club in the past 8 or so years. We are a club that will go through the lowest lows to the highest highs every few months. Whenever one crazy thing happens, you can be sure another one is just around the corner.

TT has to be ruthless now

players who don't want to be here should train separately 

we need to work extremely hard the coming 2 weeks 

if we have a good result against Everton the whole mood will turn around

I have just watched the press conference after the Arsenal game....
 

The biggest take away for me is one thing TT said. Essentially he said "the players are the same so why expect something different?"

That is outrageous and essentially him washing his hands of responsibility. As a coach, he has to coach, make players better, find solutions and systems that work and suit the players he has at his disposal.

A sunday league manager isn't going to get his team playing Tiki Taka because the players he has won't have the skills or ability to play that way. So he goes more direct. 

Likewise, it is TT role as our manager to get the best of the players we have. 

If Werner doesn't work on the wing, then don't play him there. If CHO passes backwards all the time and doesn't perform as instructed then don't pick him. If the system doesn't work because it stifles all of our attack, then change it!

Simply saying the players are the same and therefore you can't expect things to change stinks of him giving up. As does his admission that we won't be ready for the new season and can't compete. Those are conversations for him and Todd ...not the media.

Edited July 24, 20223 yr by nonotnowjim

1 hour ago, coombsie said:

having just watched Tuchel's press conference, I am now a LOT more worried about the Club and the coming season. He was critical of virtually all the squad, especially players pushing to leave us (Werner I presume), But amongst other things he said "I can't guarantee that we will be ready for the new season",  "I am far from relaxed as we deserved to lose" "We were not good enough - not even competitive"  " I saw in Arsenal a physical commitment from them that we could not match" and "A lack of mental commitment that we cannot give as we have a lot of players that think of leaving " He then went on a rant about being proven right by this performance, in our need for more players and the failure to sign the players he wants (Kounde) 

This is worrying !!

I don't think it's worrying at all. You have managers who act like everything is rosy while their teams capitulate and fans throw hate at that. And then you have Tuchel who says it like it is and fans are still worried. Nothing he said is overly critical or out of left field. And for once I'm happy that we don't have itchy-fingered Roman waiting in the shadows. Let's also not forget we are on a delayed schedule not just in terms of team fitness/matches owing to the sanctions.

If we sign one more defensive target we'll quite easily have one of the best defence and midfield combinations in Europe (fitness allowing). We have one of the best wingers in Europe now. We'll be good but I think it will take the full window and we simply won't be at full tilt by the time the season starts. If we can all just accept that.....onwards and upwards.

havent watched much of preseason, but i just read Tuchel saying we are off the place becayse theres uncertainty around the squad with players looking to leave. 

Why even take them then? Why is Batshuayi playing? 

Shouldve left behind all the players we either dont want, or the players looking at moves away, then just took a squad of players that are going to be playing next season, and use youth players to boost the numbers. 

Barlkey, Batshuayi, Kenedy, Emerson, Alonso, Sarr, Kepa. How many of these will be here next season? 

Should be Vale, Gilmour, Soonsup-Bell, Webster. Players that are playing for something. 

It seems we are a few weeks behind. I think we need at least 3 more including Kounde. 

Tuchel is a coach, i get the impression he isnt enjoying having to manage so much off the field stuff at the moment. 

4 minutes ago, big blue said:

Barlkey, Batshuayi, Kenedy, Emerson, Alonso, Sarr, Kepa. How many of these will be here next season? 

And do what with them? In addition to those Azpi, Werner and Ziyech want to leave. So that's 10 players in your senior squad that's both not good enough and/or who wants to leave. Vale and Gilmour who you mentioned as a potential replacements also wants to leave so that doesn't work. 

Of course that's a massive headache and it's not as simple as just leaving them at home. What do we do about them then? We pay them well over £50 million a year in total and no one is interested in taking them off us.

You can't go into a season with 13 or 14 senior players and then pretend that it's going to work out. It would never work. 

4 hours ago, Valerie said:

Oi! I praised our beautiful new socks when a hightlights video was posted of a friendly with Kanté and RLC. I"ve yet to see what we were wearing last night, but I keep an eye on what matters @Amputechture 

Question is: should I really bother with the highlights (for Arsenal anyway), or skip it and just mutter something about wake-up calls and how it's just about fitness at this stage?

Any sounds yet about the odds on TT getting sacked this season 

The Socks were the only thing of beauty last night, and the blue of our shirt, lovely..

8 minutes ago, Sindre said:

And do what with them? In addition to those Azpi, Werner and Ziyech want to leave. So that's 10 players in your senior squad that's both not good enough and/or who wants to leave. Vale and Gilmour who you mentioned as a potential replacements also wants to leave so that doesn't work. 

Of course that's a massive headache and it's not as simple as just leaving them at home. What do we do about them then? We pay them well over £50 million a year in total and no one is interested in taking them off us.

You can't go into a season with 13 or 14 senior players and then pretend that it's going to work out. It would never work. 

Make them train on their own at cobham and tell them to find a new club. Release a few on free. 

Mendy, Bettinelli, youth gk.

Silva, Koulibaly, Chalobah, ampadu, colwill, james chilwell, maatsen, sterling.

Jorginho, Kovacic, gilmour, webster, gallagher, mount, kante, RLC

Havertz, CHO, Pulisic, Broja, Sterling, 

Plenty of players there, results in preseason do not matter, but if the mentality is an issue, which Tuchel says is the case, then cut them from the squad. 

If you add Kounde, a solid midfielder, and another quality attacker to that group, we are set for the season. 

Now we have a group of 25 players with 10 that dont even want to be here. No wonder morale is low. 

2 hours ago, coombsie said:

having just watched Tuchel's press conference, I am now a LOT more worried about the Club and the coming season. He was critical of virtually all the squad, especially players pushing to leave us (Werner I presume), But amongst other things he said "I can't guarantee that we will be ready for the new season",  "I am far from relaxed as we deserved to lose" "We were not good enough - not even competitive"  " I saw in Arsenal a physical commitment from them that we could not match" and "A lack of mental commitment that we cannot give as we have a lot of players that think of leaving " He then went on a rant about being proven right by this performance, in our need for more players and the failure to sign the players he wants (Kounde) 

This is worrying !!

You’d expect from your place of work a tap on the shoulder, the sphincter tightening moment, ‘Todd wants to see you in his office’ scenario, 

Announce a new Captain ffs…

2 minutes ago, big blue said:

Make them train on their own at cobham and tell them to find a new club. Release a few on free. 

Mendy, Bettinelli, youth gk.

Silva, Koulibaly, Chalobah, ampadu, colwill, james chilwell, maatsen, sterling.

Jorginho, Kovacic, gilmour, webster, gallagher, mount, kante, RLC

Havertz, CHO, Pulisic, Broja, Sterling, 

Plenty of players there, results in preseason do not matter, but if the mentality is an issue, which Tuchel says is the case, then cut them from the squad. 

If you add Kounde, a solid midfielder, and another quality attacker to that group, we are set for the season. 

Now we have a group of 25 players with 10 that dont even want to be here. No wonder morale is low. 

"Tell them to find a new club"

Yeah, if only it was that simply we would have done that. But it's not reality. Because no one is going to match their wages and in that case they are perfectly happy to stay and pick up the hefty wage that Marina gave them.

And yeah, we won't be anywhere near Top 4 if we went into a season with that squad of yours there. Even if we did add Kounde and a midfielder. 

 

9 minutes ago, Sindre said:

"Tell them to find a new club"

Yeah, if only it was that simply we would have done that. But it's not reality. Because no one is going to match their wages and in that case they are perfectly happy to stay and pick up the hefty wage that Marina gave them.

And yeah, we won't be anywhere near Top 4 if we went into a season with that squad of yours there. Even if we did add Kounde and a midfielder. 

 

This was citys squad last night. How many senior players and how many from the youth team? 

Most of the players that want to leave have 12-24 months left on their contract. Batshuayi isnt getting sold regardless of what we tell him. He is going on loan. So leave him at home and tell him to find a loan club. Same as Barkley, and co. 

2 hours ago, Kev56 said:

What's silly about that, we painfully scraped home last season playing the most dire turgid football, we haven't got a goal scoring forward (hopefully Broja turns up) we're getting ripped open at the back and if we play the sideways backward football for much longer we will not get in the top six, nothing silly in that statement at all. Too many think we have some divine rite to automatically be in the elite every year.

We "painfully scrapped home" (not true, we always had atleast two games breathing space and ultimately made it with two home games to spare) because we had to juggle 5 tournaments with an unprecented ownership crisis and multiple injuries while Arsenal and Spurs had just the league to focus on at the business end.

I never said we had a divine right to be in the elite I can fully accept catching the top 2 will be a very very tough ask but for years now I've been getting told after a couple of bad results the North London duo are amazing and will gazump us and guess what, they never do.