8 minutes ago, reparto corse said:

Weird thing to say when Boehly`s non-sense is the reason we are in this mess. What does Abramovich have to do with it?

Being in this seasons CL was an outcome of the RA era, we sure ain’t in any euro comps next year 

What did I take from that?

Well it was an odd midfield to select given we needed 3 goals.. We play better with 3 at the back.. Crossing a football accurately is as difficult as quantum physics.. The idea, when shooting for goal, is NOT to hit it straight at the goalie.. We need a f**king STRIKER (if we keep saying it often enough surely someone will listen.)

Oh well - time to start planning for a season (or maybe two) without European football. Been there, seen that, got the t-shirt. TTFN.

Edited April 18, 20233 yr by ChumpX

Just now, SwedishEntity said:

The Brighton side that demolished you last week haven't got a striker with more than 4 goals in the PL this season.

Of course having a striker who scores 20+ goals is helpful but it really isn't necessary in modern football.

It isn't but you do need a central forward who is a natural forward. You need a focal point. Brighton have Ferguson and when he went off injured on Saturday de Zerbi brought on a replacement in Welbeck.

2 minutes ago, BordeauxBlue said:

Napoli out, what a shame. 

Such a shame, and even in the most grim times Osimhen still somehow manages to score. 

Poli just has Spalletti’s number.

Played alright considering. Chalobah is not a top class defender and as well as the awful attempt at first goal played everyone on side for second but he’s a trier and does alter gut as backup. 
I sort of lost interest when Sterling and Felix come on. Please no more of these two. Hasbeens on never where’s.

 

 

 

The feel good factor of having Frank back cannot be underestimated. Imagine how bad we'd feel had Toddy B not got him back in the nick of time! 

2 minutes ago, SwedishEntity said:

The Brighton side that demolished you last week haven't got a striker with more than 4 goals in the PL this season.

Of course having a striker who scores 20+ goals is helpful but it really isn't necessary in modern football.

Pretty much the point of my original post. So many people seem to think a striker who can score a lot of goals fixes us, but the whole team need to chip in.

We had two great chances to score and on balance were the better side, to be fair to Madrid they did look far more composed on the ball, however we were well in it.

Give them their dues they took their chances and killed us off without actually battering us.

In general I think the line up was as good as a shout as any, and even in hindsight I don't think there was much different to be done to the starting eleven.

A much improved performance, with a relatively low bar to compare against.

Our issues are not with Lampard, I struggle to understand how it can be argued that 3 managers in one season are all sh*t and constantly get it wrong.

6 minutes ago, andy said:

Disagree, think we will play with a bit more freedom for the rest of the season. Hopefully upset a few team enroute 

I'd be surprised.  This lot will be in flip flops the rest of the season. I couldn't see us getting 5 points before this.

21 minutes ago, enigma said:

Kovacic has been poor this season. No longer the player he used to be. 

He was never as good as he was made out to be. All fur coat and nae knickers like 95% of this squad. A central midfielder who scores and assists as little as him while not being the DM is criminal. He is far from the worst problem but he is part of it.

Enrique in, New Goalie in, Maatsen and Colwill in the first team, partner for enzo and for the love of fu*k........a bastarding striker. Who gets sold.........too many to choose from. There you go. Ive sorted it all out. Your welcome😀

16 minutes ago, Jezq8 said:

We need a reality check and it’s proper good we are out of this as this whole club needs a revamp. We need a massive restructure in the summer 

Exactly , rebuild come back stronger… pre season starts now

It’s got to be far deeper than just the first team. There’s no way the current team is that much worse than the one that won CL, on paper at least.

The dumb American owners had to change everything and completely disrupted the season.

2 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Pretty much the point of my original post. So many people seem to think a striker who can score a lot of goals fixes us, but the whole team need to chip in.

Having a "proper" striker though does create space for others, as defenders are drawn towards him.

Just now, ChumpX said:

Having a "proper" striker though does create space for others, as defenders are drawn towards him.

Yes thats true but what if the others can't score???????????

This is what we are talking about from a  week

2 minutes ago, ChumpX said:

Having a "proper" striker though does create space for others, as defenders are drawn towards him.

Makes me think we shouldn't have sold Werner, we look toothless without his runs 

1 hour ago, Valerie said:

 

Football is a dirty business. Who are we going to root for (sort of) if we don't progress? Anybody but City for me I think.

As a Londoner I can sort of live with them winning it if it doesn't happen this season will be soon I don't personally know any City fans. But Val if Spurs had won the champions league or Arsenal win the league then life as a shepherd in the Orkneys will be my next career move.

4 minutes ago, Term_X said:

Such a shame, and even in the most grim times Osimhen still somehow manages to score. 

Poli just has Spalletti’s number.

I would have liked to have seen them up against Citeh at some point in the knockout stages. Personally I think they would have been rudely and severely violated but it would have been a real test for them.

14 minutes ago, andy said:

If you didn’t massively lower your expectations for this season then you are as foolish as those running the club. After sanctions then bidding we were never going to pick up where we left off, that’s crazy. All the big clubs in the premier league have done it, i.e take a big step back, it is now our turn, simple as that.

we can only look forward, and I am confident that we will get back to where we were. But ……… I reckon it will take at least another season 

 

Could easily be 5 years or more. We think we have hit bottom, there could be a long way to go yet. Get the next appointment wrong on top of this shambles. Punitive measures for financial issues. There is still loose ground under our feet if we keep getting this wrong.

For whatever reason, this first season of control from the new owners, has been nothing short of catastrophic 

4 minutes ago, ChumpX said:

Having a "proper" striker though does create space for others, as defenders are drawn towards him.

It's amazing that so many cannot grasp this concept. 

Frustring as it may be Michael Owen on BT at the moment is bang on the money with his comments.

1 minute ago, WhiteWall said:

Frustring as it may be Michael Owen on BT at the moment is bang on the money with his comments.

Rio saying exactly the same thing too.

1 minute ago, WhiteWall said:

Frustring as it may be Michael Owen on BT at the moment is bang on the money with his comments.

What did he say? If Chelsea took their chances they would go through?

Drogba SLAMS Chelsea: 'I don't recognise my club anymore' | FootballTransfers.com

Just now, dansubrosa said:

What did he say? If Chelsea took their chances they would go through?

More about how we have royally fcked ourselves, cos any new bloke coming in will have to try to bomb off a load players that are on long contracts and big money. The club have made some massive mistakes adopting a strategy that has never worked, and we could be made to pay for a long time. Sobering but probably pretty much spot on.