2 hours ago, Argo said:

I actually think the fact they're running away with the league gives us a better chance.

When you've been playing for months with multiple room for error to all of a sudden be thrown into a do or die match has often caught teams cold, PSG are the best example of that down the years.

The thing about PSG is that they have been a strange team, they reached the CL final last season and only narrowly lost to a very dominating Bayern but at the same time it was in a different format, they barely passed BvB in a 2 legged tie and afterwards it was only 1 game played till the final, they barely won against Atalanta.

I think it's very valid to think that they get cold feet because they simply don't get enough strong games in their own domestic league... But then again Atletico being so far ahead in La Liga might just mean that they will go against us fully believing in themselves and to have a strong confidence alone can be a strong weapon in football but if we can get them to feel insecure or just a slight doubt about their ability anything can happen.

Historically we have been able to put up a decent fight against them. 

4 hours ago, Gol15 said:

The thing about PSG is that they have been a strange team, they reached the CL final last season and only narrowly lost to a very dominating Bayern but at the same time it was in a different format, they barely passed BvB in a 2 legged tie and afterwards it was only 1 game played till the final, they barely won against Atalanta.

I think it's very valid to think that they get cold feet because they simply don't get enough strong games in their own domestic league... But then again Atletico being so far ahead in La Liga might just mean that they will go against us fully believing in themselves and to have a strong confidence alone can be a strong weapon in football but if we can get them to feel insecure or just a slight doubt about their ability anything can happen.

Historically we have been able to put up a decent fight against them. 

At least they don't have prime Falcao anymore... I still had nightmares about that Super Cup game, David Luiz an absolute disasterclass. 

15 hours ago, Slojo said:

That Atletico game is in 2 weeks I believe? I've been watching some of their football this season, Felix and Suarez are in great form and they're coasting the league at the moment. We couldn't have faced a toughter side in the CL right now, just our luck really isn't it. Our last 16 opponents in the last 5 years have been ridiculous, can't catch a break, it's no wonder we've been so sh*t in it. 

Tuchel has his work cut out for him for that one. 

Well that is how it is. CL is the toughest competition there is to win. We are a couple of seasons away from being on that level. Bad luck maybe but we could have faced them in the next round as well. I hope we can really put them at work. If we lose there is no shame. None. 

What I love in this tie is Tuchel really has a chance to try something. Maybe give Atletico the ball as they wont like it. Something different. The games will be played at a neutral venue which throws a small curveball to that as well.

7 hours ago, Slojo said:

At least they don't have prime Falcao anymore... I still had nightmares about that Super Cup game, David Luiz an absolute disasterclass. 

Suarez is the leading scorer in La Liga. Not excited about facing him.

Let’s cross one bridge at a time.  The games are all big for us. We have to knock Leicester or liverpuddle out of the top 4 and stop Everton   Every game is big for us for the next few weeks at least. 

1. Barnsley 2. Newcastle 3. Southampton

These are the games we can/should win with the momentum we have. After that we are in for a tricky set of fixtures: Atletico, ManU, Leeds, Atletico and Liverpool.

Don’t really care about champions league, I’d prefer us to focus on league and FA cup.

40 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

Don’t really care about champions league, I’d prefer us to focus on league and FA cup.

I do. I love Champions League. I hope we really push Atletico. 

My ESP skill says we will get past Atletico not sure how perhaps Suarez pulls a hamstring.

Think semis of the FA Cup and 4th in the league.

Tuchel is working well so far with the limited talent and unbalanced squad he has.

3 Cbs works best for our squad just now and CHO looks really good there as a wing back and full of purpose unlike when he plays as just a wide forward.

Mount is looking a dangerous player again and we need those goals.

Goals may be why Alonso is preferred in the WB area.

None of Christensen, Rudiger or Zouma are great defenders more B- for me. They are all reasonable yet all have at least one major error per match.

Given the CB's weakness we need to be able to score 2 goals per match and that is the challenge as currently only Mount or Jorgy via penalties are scoring and that is not sustainable.

 

 

3 hours ago, ducavis said:

Suarez is the leading scorer in La Liga. Not excited about facing

 

It was shocking that Barca forced him out. The guy was/is still an amazing striker.

Simeone's team was always difficult to play against. Very organized, and greatly disciplined.

2 minutes ago, haviet1 said:

 

It was shocking that Barca forced him out. The guy was/is still an amazing striker.

Simeone's team was always difficult to play against. Very organized, and greatly disciplined.

They probably forced him out to get rid of his wages so they can pay Messi more.Messi is the GOAT,but he's becoming pretty toxic for that team .

45 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

My ESP skill says we will get past Atletico not sure how perhaps Suarez pulls a hamstring.

Think semis of the FA Cup and 4th in the league.

Tuchel is working well so far with the limited talent and unbalanced squad he has.

3 Cbs works best for our squad just now and CHO looks really good there as a wing back and full of purpose unlike when he plays as just a wide forward.

Mount is looking a dangerous player again and we need those goals.

Goals may be why Alonso is preferred in the WB area.

None of Christensen, Rudiger or Zouma are great defenders more B- for me. They are all reasonable yet all have at least one major error per match.

Given the CB's weakness we need to be able to score 2 goals per match and that is the challenge as currently only Mount or Jorgy via penalties are scoring and that is not sustainable.

 

 

IMO Tuchel should change to a back 4 formation when T.Silva gets back. We're winning so far but this formation won't do us any good against a top team when none of our attackers are in a good shape.

15 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

IMO Tuchel should change to a back 4 formation when T.Silva gets back. We're winning so far but this formation won't do us any good against a top team when none of our attackers are in a good shape.

Against which sides or types of formations do you see us using a back four.

Liverpool are a top team yet press really well are you suggesting a back 4 for them?

I actually thought the back 4 would be better against teams we see as being weaker than us unless they are good at pressing?

4 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

Against which sides or types of formations do you see us using a back four.

Liverpool are a top team yet press really well are you suggesting a back 4 for them?

I actually thought the back 4 would be better against teams we see as being weaker than us unless they are good at pressing?

My logic is that against better teams it will be much harder to get into a good chance in comparison to lower teams. So having one more player to organize an attack would help.

Against smaller teams we dominate anyway - with the 3 at the back we are more safe against a counter attack that can ruin our plans.

1 hour ago, Strider6003 said:

My ESP skill says we will get past Atletico not sure how perhaps Suarez pulls a hamstring.

Think semis of the FA Cup and 4th in the league.

Tuchel is working well so far with the limited talent and unbalanced squad he has.

3 Cbs works best for our squad just now and CHO looks really good there as a wing back and full of purpose unlike when he plays as just a wide forward.

Mount is looking a dangerous player again and we need those goals.

Goals may be why Alonso is preferred in the WB area.

None of Christensen, Rudiger or Zouma are great defenders more B- for me. They are all reasonable yet all have at least one major error per match.

Given the CB's weakness we need to be able to score 2 goals per match and that is the challenge as currently only Mount or Jorgy via penalties are scoring and that is not sustainable.

 

 

At the moment we are finding it hard to create chances and take the ones we do, Atletico have a meaner defence than any side in England can offer. I think it will be very hard to score against them, nevermind beat them.

11 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

At the moment we are finding it hard to create chances and take the ones we do, Atletico have a meaner defence than any side in England can offer. I think it will be very hard to score against them, nevermind beat them.

I don't disagree on any of your points, think if we had kept Barkley we would be scoring more yet 'c'est la vie.'

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

At the moment we are finding it hard to create chances and take the ones we do, Atletico have a meaner defence than any side in England can offer. I think it will be very hard to score against them, nevermind beat them.

In my personal opinion La Liga is incredibly weak this season (Sevilla have the same number of wins as Barca & Real and we slapped them around away from home) and even though Athletico are doing incredibly well this season it doesn't truly reflect their level. They finished their CL group on 9 points and got battered by Bayern in the process, in the CL their form has not been that great and I truly believe we have a good chance of getting past them.

https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/chelsea-coach-low-tuchel-target-first-season-stamford-bridge/tgp5rhro3jgt1bw33ugkio57e

Chelsea’s assistant coach Zsolt Low says Thomas Tuchel and his staff are aiming for a top-four finish in their first season at Stamford Bridge.

Low, who worked under Tuchel in his previous job at Paris Saint-Germain, also admitted they didn’t expect to find a new club until the summer but couldn’t turn down the opportunity of taking over at Chelsea.

Low, speaking to M1 in his native Hungary, said: “We didn’t arrive with the goal of winning the title in these few months.

“It would be a brilliant performance to be able to finish in the top four, which the club would be happy with.

"It's amazingly difficult to win against any team, not only to be prepared against sensational players, but the very best coaches are also working in the Premier League."

Why did Tuchel take the Chelsea job?

“We thought we would rest for at least half a year and spend time with our family and then possibly prepare for a new club in the summer,” Low said. “Life thought differently.

“If it weren’t for Chelsea calling us, we might have preferred to rest. But Chelsea is an exceptional professional challenge, a sensational club with a fantastic set of players in the best league in the world.

“Such an opportunity may not have been possible in the summer, so we took on the task with all the difficulties.”

7 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

Against which sides or types of formations do you see us using a back four.

Liverpool are a top team yet press really well are you suggesting a back 4 for them?

I actually thought the back 4 would be better against teams we see as being weaker than us unless they are good at pressing?

Back four is 100% the right approach for Liverpool. If there's any team conditioned to tear apart a 3atb it's them, Salah and Mane cause absolute havoc in the half spaces.

7 hours ago, Argo said:

Back four is 100% the right approach for Liverpool. If there's any team conditioned to tear apart a 3atb it's them, Salah and Mane cause absolute havoc in the half spaces.

Hmm, United has very good success using 3 at the back against pool. 

12 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

Hmm, United has very good success using 3 at the back against pool. 

You mean last season? At Old Trafford Liverpool had a major off day and at Anfield they were lucky to escape with a 2-0 loss.

35 minutes ago, Argo said:

You mean last season? At Old Trafford Liverpool had a major off day and at Anfield they were lucky to escape with a 2-0 loss.

I think it was at old Trafford. I thought United played well. 

It is not the front 3 that is the problem. You probably will be pinned back anyway so back 4 vs 3 st. Robertson is the problem. What is your plan against Robertson making constant overlapping run, last year was easy stick Willian there, he will track Robertson plus he will help you bypass pool press. 

We played mount on the wing against pool last year with good successes defensively of course offensively he offered nothing there. 

Edited February 10, 20215 yr by Bob stark

On 09/02/2021 at 09:58, ducavis said:

Suarez is the leading scorer in La Liga. Not excited about facing him.

Nobody is scoring goals for fun in La Liga this season ... even Messi only has 13 so far, and Barcelona and Real Madrid have fallen off a cliff compared to previous years. I'm not saying Suarez is crap, and isn't dangerous, but you have to look at the context that has him as the leading scorer ....

I highly doubt Atletico are looking forward to playing us, regardless of their current form and confidence level.

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

Nobody is scoring goals for fun in La Liga this season ... even Messi only has 13 so far, and Barcelona and Real Madrid have fallen off a cliff compared to previous years. I'm not saying Suarez is crap, and isn't dangerous, but you have to look at the context that has him as the leading scorer ....

I highly doubt Atletico are looking forward to playing us, regardless of their current form and confidence level.

I think our best bet is to give them the ball and let them play which they hate doing. They play a 3-5-2 and I reckon we might have to match them in the middle of the pack. Kovacic- Jorginho is a mismatch v Koke-Niguez with Kondogbia behind them.

Personally not looking forward to this game, they have lost 1 game in La Liga and conceded 12 goals in 20 games. I think leading La Liga with 5 points, potentially 11 is nothing to be sniffed at.

I think Atletico is a much stronger team at the moment. Keeper, defense, midfield and attack. The way they are playing and scoring consistently is amazing. Anything other than a loss would surprise me tbh.