1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

It's no longer just us. It feels like it is because it's been going on for 3 years, but other teams are catching up now. The other day I was seeing Palace fans saying they only had 3 of their starting 11 available.

Things are really bad all over right now and the Premier League, UEFA, FIFA, Sky, they are all either ignoring it or pretending it's just unfortunate timing. They are ignoring the obvious, and that is that players are pushing the human body beyond what it's capable of.

I started to notice it getting really bad when Lampard took over and it's not recovered since then. Tuchel losing Reece and Chilwell a couple of seasons ago really f**ked us over, and it's why I have no faith in us ever being a serious competitor because it doesn't matter how good our players are or how good we are these injury woes we keep getting are always going to hold us back. 

Edited December 17, 20232 yr by Victor90

8 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

It's no longer just us. It feels like it is because it's been going on for 3 years, but other teams are catching up now. The other day I was seeing Palace fans saying they only had 3 of their starting 11 available.

Things are really bad all over right now and the Premier League, UEFA, FIFA, Sky, they are all either ignoring it or pretending it's just unfortunate timing. They are ignoring the obvious, and that is that players are pushing the human body beyond what it's capable of.

This is unfortunately what happens when football governing bodies are corrupt and they ignore the science

As long as we are owned by a hedge fund who has certain off the field strategy, it is hard to really judge poch completely. 

There are many strange sign or red flag this season. Our board said that they want a manager they can work with. How much influence does the board have in term of general player selection? When we still had hazard, Cho and Willian who are lw always played on the right to accomodate Hazard. On the other hand, right now we have Mudryk on the left with Sterling playing like Willian. 

We also have Gallagher case. In any other team, he would have  signed a new contract last summer. The manager wanted him, the player wanted to stay, he is young plus he is an academy guy, it is a no brainer decision but it looks like he is a goner. 

Furthermore, most top team carry one or two young/raw player. We on the other are just loaded with wonderkids and there is clear reluctance to sign any experience player. 

 

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by Bob stark

14 hours ago, Victor90 said:

I started to notice it getting really bad when Lampard took over and it's not recovered since then. Tuchel losing Reece and Chilwell a couple of seasons ago really f**ked us over, and it's why I have no faith in us ever being a serious competitor because it doesn't matter how good our players are or how good we are these injury woes we keep getting are always going to hold us back. 

Honestly don't remember the last time we had with less than ten injuries, it's become a norm now for the last three seasons and now I've become desensitized to it. There was a time where it felt like a big blow when James got injured for example but now it just feels like business as usual when him or anyone else gets injured. 

44 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

As long as we are owned by a hedge fund who has certain off the field strategy, it is hard to really judge poch completely. 

There are many strange sign or red flag this season. Our board said that they want a manager they can work with. How much influence does the board have in term of general player selection? When we still had hazard, Cho and Willian who are lw always played on the right to accomodate Hazard. On the other hand, right now we have Mudryk on the left with Sterling playing like Willian. 

We also have Gallagher case. In any other team, he would have  signed a new contract last summer. The manager wanted him, the player wanted to stay, he is young plus he is an academy guy, it is a no brainer decision but it looks like he is a goner. 

Furthermore, most top team carry one or two young/raw player. We on the other are just loaded with wonderkids and there is clear reluctance to sign any experience player. 

 

Why should Poch influence the transfers of the club when the team isn't playing well? I hope things improve and he remains at the club next season but its also possible that things wont improve and he'll get sacked. Giving him control over what player gets to stay or leave will only leave a bloated squad for the next manager if he gets sacked which is what happened to Potter when Tuchel was sacked. IMO our sporting directors should continue picking who we sign and who we sell until Poch or whoever comes here manages to get the best out of the players and only then should they have influence in anything more than general player positions they want. A

36 minutes ago, Frankie8Lampard said:

Why should Poch influence the transfers of the club when the team isn't playing well? I hope things improve and he remains at the club next season but its also possible that things wont improve and he'll get sacked. Giving him control over what player gets to stay or leave will only leave a bloated squad for the next manager if he gets sacked which is what happened to Potter when Tuchel was sacked. IMO our sporting directors should continue picking who we sign and who we sell until Poch or whoever comes here manages to get the best out of the players and only then should they have influence in anything more than general player positions they want. A

If the goal of the dof/sporting director is footballing success then there is no problem. 

However, in our case I don't think that is really the goal. 

 

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by Bob stark

You can bet the owners want sporting success. They may be satisfied with top 4 but they want success. It's not just financial, although that also depends on success but its vanity. Those investment banker egos dont want to turn up at dinner parties and get pissed on by their mates for being losers. 
Just because they are going about it a different way, and it hasn't worked so far, doesn't mean they don't want to be successful.

Equally they have spent the capex. They may have spent the money badly like a naive sugar daddy on a hot date but the willingness cant be questioned. Annyow these comments should be in the owners thread.

As far as Poch goes he is being forced by circumstance into playing the team he should have played weeks and weeks ago. We finally have four attackers on the field. Silva finally missed a game, although he needs to miss more. He was still making mistakes last time out but just didn't have to pay for them.

if the injuries keep up he will eventually play maatsen at left full back but probably maatsen gets sold before that happens.

Getting Cole Palmer suggests to me they want success just may take longer than they realise.

@ozboy good point about vanity in the upper echelons of society and not wanting to back a loser. 

2 hours ago, ozboy said:

You can bet the owners want sporting success. They may be satisfied with top 4 but they want success. It's not just financial, although that also depends on success but its vanity. Those investment banker egos dont want to turn up at dinner parties and get pissed on by their mates for being losers. 
Just because they are going about it a different way, and it hasn't worked so far, doesn't mean they don't want to be successful.

Equally they have spent the capex. They may have spent the money badly like a naive sugar daddy on a hot date but the willingness cant be questioned. Annyow these comments should be in the owners thread.

As far as Poch goes he is being forced by circumstance into playing the team he should have played weeks and weeks ago. We finally have four attackers on the field. Silva finally missed a game, although he needs to miss more. He was still making mistakes last time out but just didn't have to pay for them.

if the injuries keep up he will eventually play maatsen at left full back but probably maatsen gets sold before that happens.

I agree on the first part them wanting success on sporting side. London is a massive marketarea for football especially but they want us to be the top dog.

They looked at Chelsea when they bought us and turned the club upside down in a second. I think they just want to start quick so the change doesn't take ages. 

If you change the Champions League winning side overnight to 20 year olds you have to realize the reality of that. Wins won't come right away. They might come after 4 years. 

I think we are in good hands. My biggest concern is if they feel everything that works in America should work here will backfire time and time again. Hopefully they listen to people 

12 minutes ago, evissy said:

I agree on the first part them wanting success on sporting side. London is a massive marketarea for football especially but they want us to be the top dog.

They looked at Chelsea when they bought us and turned the club upside down in a second. I think they just want to start quick so the change doesn't take ages. 

If you change the Champions League winning side overnight to 20 year olds you have to realize the reality of that. Wins won't come right away. They might come after 4 years. 

I think we are in good hands. My biggest concern is if they feel everything that works in America should work here will backfire time and time again. Hopefully they listen to people 

They almost certainly won't come at all.

When I watch world cups I remember hearing a pundit (Brazilian- Leonardo?) saying you need at least four world beaters in your team, ie players that could walk into any team.

 Under RA we had Cech, Terry, Lampard, A.Cole and Cavalho that for me could have walked into most top teams. Also we got forwards like Robben and Drogba that for periods were certainly world class and midfielders like Essien and Makelele so arguably at any one time we had at least 7 world beaters.

Today I struggle to see that, Palmer has potential, James was a candidate now a shadow due to injuries.

Sterling is on the decline though never quite sure he was top drawer. 

Enzo and Caicedo' s price tags suggests we were hoping we can develop them to that level.

Now unlike RA's early years we now have to comply with FFP so it is no easy task to get back to the top.

Hopefully we can stay in the cup and beat the Magpies tomorrow.

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Whats_The_Mata? said:

They almost certainly won't come at all.

And why is that? Liverpool, City and now Arsenal have shown you can achieve all that in these modern times. Buy smart, find the right coach and have luck.

Edited December 18, 20232 yr by evissy

1 hour ago, evissy said:

And why is that? Liverpool, City and now Arsenal have shown you can achieve all that in these modern times. Buy smart, find the right coach and have luck.

When do we get to the buying smart part?  Our business has been horrible,  comfortably the worst business I can recall from any football club in the sports history over a period of 3 windows.

Nothing about the fifa muppets dream we're pretending is a serious strategy has anything to do with what City, Liverpool and Arsenal have done.

We've simply pissed away a fortune to be late stage Wengers Arsenal without the new stadium, a lot of kids, a lot of money but no real chance of winning or challenging for trophies and we'll likely see our best young players cherry picked by more serious clubs.

1 hour ago, Whats_The_Mata? said:

When do we get to the buying smart part?  Our business has been horrible,  comfortably the worst business I can recall from any football club in the sports history over a period of 3 windows.

Nothing about the fifa muppets dream we're pretending is a serious strategy has anything to do with what City, Liverpool and Arsenal have done.

We've simply pissed away a fortune to be late stage Wengers Arsenal without the new stadium, a lot of kids, a lot of money but no real chance of winning or challenging for trophies and we'll likely see our best young players cherry picked by more serious clubs.

You are a cheery chap. May well be right although I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t want to be round you on a bad day. Lighten up a little. We may still be entertaining, even with Poch. 

9 hours ago, Whats_The_Mata? said:

When do we get to the buying smart part?  Our business has been horrible,  comfortably the worst business I can recall from any football club in the sports history over a period of 3 windows.

Nothing about the fifa muppets dream we're pretending is a serious strategy has anything to do with what City, Liverpool and Arsenal have done.

We've simply pissed away a fortune to be late stage Wengers Arsenal without the new stadium, a lot of kids, a lot of money but no real chance of winning or challenging for trophies and we'll likely see our best young players cherry picked by more serious clubs.

How can you tell the players we bought are not good enough? They are around 20 and have played very little football in the Prem. In 3-5 years we see how things are. Naturally we'll sell and buy more but players like Caicedo, Enzo, Mudryk, Lavia, Palmer and Gusto will probably be here at least 5 years.

Potter would be getting better performances than Poch.

Just get out. f**k off back to Spurs. Playing Gusto a LB and Disasi at RB absolutely sums his decision making up. Why have 1 fullback in an unnatural position who won't be able to provide any attacking outlet, when you can have two!

39 minutes ago, Zeta said:

Potter would be getting better performances than Poch.

Don't be daft.

24 minutes ago, Zeta said:

Just get out. f**k off back to Spurs. Playing Gusto a LB and Disasi at RB absolutely sums his decision making up. Why have 1 fullback in an unnatural position who won't be able to provide any attacking outlet, when you can have two!

f**king hell you're giving Whats The Mata run for his money here. 

I get it, it was frustrating to watch, but there's no pleasing some of you lot. 

We've somehow made it to a cup semi final.

 

Still don't think Poch should be our long term choice but fair play to him

He coached a easy 3-0 but for our players decision making which is just woeful both the youth and senior players they are all just woeful 

Got stick with him until it's absolutely unbearable. Sacking manager is just scapegoating those who failed just as miserably if not more, and means very little to players since we already sacked 2 in a season last year. He needs to get better, but if we only gives time for players but not manager, what hope do we have to turn it around. It will be another 1 Billion dollar reboot.

6 minutes ago, El regreso said:

He coached a easy 3-0 but for our players decision making which is just woeful both the youth and senior players they are all just woeful 

This sh*t again? "He coached a win" is all I heard last year under Potter. Coaching a win is coaching a team to play endless side to side slow passes is it? With no penetration? 

I just want to see players playing in correct positions now that everyone is fit. 

This 'balance' talk would make sense if it was actually working, IE CB's at fullbacks, inverted fullbacks, Gallagher and Enzo switching roles. 

He need to stop playing centre backs as full backs, especially Disasi.

Colwill can do a decent job at left back but Disasi offers nothing in attack and it’s really hurting us. Surely Gusto could have started the game

And can he concentrate on player movement please, the lack of passing options tonight was painful to watch.

At least we have a few things to build on from tonight, Petrovic, Mudryk and Nkunku.