3 minutes ago, Gonoir Beniashile said:

No way! Jose?

He's come home ...with Lukaku !

On 15/01/2024 at 16:05, Sexyfootball said:

Reason why is most probably that Silva is still our best centre back, but there hasn't exactly been much competition for places this season due to injuries.

Thiago is also the most vocal, organising etc, during a game. Not seen much of that from any of the others. 

That’s the point though.

Silva is such a legend so what Silva says on the pitch goes as far as the other defenders are concerned. It’s time for the others to stand up and take more responsibility.

Listen, I absolutely love Thiago but I’m convinced we’ll be a better team once he departs. 

I am curious what lineup that people want  poch to play that match this criteria :

1. 4/5 header in the team for set pieces purpose. 

2. Silva as ccb

3. Enzo doesn't have to defend big space. 

4. Everybody play in their "correct" position. 

Edited January 17, 20242 yr by Bob stark

3 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

That’s the point though.

Silva is such a legend so what Silva says on the pitch goes as far as the other defenders are concerned. It’s time for the others to stand up and take more responsibility.

Listen, I absolutely love Thiago but I’m convinced we’ll be a better team once he departs. 

Most of the stats sites have him as our first or second best defender in the performance ratings, so he's in the team on merit. 

He's also typically the defender who garners the most votes and comments in our various MOTM threads, so passes the "eye test" for being our best defender, as well as the stats test. 

Agree it is time for the others to stand up. Doesn't help when much of his competition is unavailable even for selection though (Chalobah, Fofana, Badiashile to a lesser extent).

Poch has ignored him for the captaincy, but unfortunately none of the others chosen for the armband thus far have demonstrated anything that I would call leadership. I'm hoping Gilchrist can nail down a starting place sooner or later, as he at least seems to have the right stuff in that regard 🙂 

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

Poch has ignored him for the captaincy, but unfortunately none of the others chosen for the armband thus far have demonstrated anything that I would call leadership. I'm hoping Gilchrist can nail down a starting place sooner or later, as he at least seems to have the right stuff in that regard 🙂 

I think it was reported that Silva did not want the armband..?

58 minutes ago, Girish said:

I think it was reported that Silva did not want the armband..?

You could well be right - I hadn't heard that 🙂 

3 hours ago, Girish said:

I think it was reported that Silva did not want the armband..?

You don't need an armband to be a leader. As Thiago proves.

6 hours ago, Bob stark said:

I am curious what lineup that people want  poch to play that match this criteria :

1. 4/5 header in the team for set pieces purpose. 

2. Silva as ccb

3. Enzo doesn't have to defend big space. 

4. Everybody play in their "correct" position. 

Petrovic

Reece*  Silva  Colwill

Gusto  Enzo  Caicedo  Chilwell

Palmer Jackson Nkunku

 

Palmer can drop into the middle when needed for an extra body and leave Jackson/Nkunku up top. 

 

*dependant on Reece's recovery. If his body can handle the load of playing wing back then he goes RWB and Disasi/Badiashile/Chalobah/Fofana at RCB.

He scores from time to time important goals, which appears to go unnoticed, and the other defenders should learn from him while playing alongside him. He may have dropped a level or two but, he’s still our most trusted defender and that’s on the rest who have not stepped up to take his place.

Signing so many youngsters gives us a problem of very few real leaders.

Remember what we used to have….

Malouda looks like he's trying to squeeze one out there.

1 hour ago, Gonoir Beniashile said:

Malouda looks like he's trying to squeeze one out there.

There’s only one thought in his mind;

’Don’t pass to Torres.’

Amazing considering Nando played for Liverpool at the time.

On thin ice now that mourinho is jobless

Few more losses then i think boehly might pull the trigger 

17 minutes ago, Wonmin said:

On thin ice now that mourinho is jobless

Hopefully Jose takes this Saudi job quickly so this nonsense can stop.

As critical as I have been of Poch I'll take him over this version of Jose 100/100.

53 minutes ago, Argo said:

Hopefully Jose takes this Saudi job quickly so this nonsense can stop.

As critical as I have been of Poch I'll take him over this version of Jose 100/100.

He won't take saudi , it's between Chelsea or Newcastle whoever sack their manager first

Mourinho is utterly the wrong manger at this time for this team and this management. He won’t get the job no matter how badly Poch does. 

Really, the ghost of Jose past haunting the club again? not sure he'd find the youth facilities at Cobham. Big fat no from me despite his legendary status. 

I don't get this manager talk. I really hope Pochettino is at the helm after two seasons from now if he just improves us month by month.

We are not yet a side that is made for winning anything. 

I would love us to keep improving so that, let's say, after two seasons our young players are top Premier League players and we are truly contenders against the top sides. Let's not go MU route or old Chelsea route, please.

15 hours ago, Argo said:

Hopefully Jose takes this Saudi job quickly so this nonsense can stop.

As critical as I have been of Poch I'll take him over this version of Jose 100/100.

I'm hoping the FA grab him for the England job. I can't see them doing it though, he's too much of a personality for them.

Edited January 21, 20242 yr by Scott Harris

10 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

I'm hoping the FA grab him for the England job. I can't see them doing it though, he's too much of a personality for them.

Again England is not right for him I think. The route that England has taken by instilling young players is good. Maybe in 4 years he'd be good for England.

Just watching the highlights of that Enzo goal back, pundits blaming the hybrid CB/CM for Borough, which they are right, but I think Poch has engineered the chaos. 

He has Chilwell and Enzo taking it in turns pushing onto the 3rd centre half. If you watch it back, Howson has Chilwell, who goes to drop back slightly. Howson see's this and stupidly assumes he is now an extra man and becomes focused on the ball. 

Enzo then pushes forward from deep, swapping with Chilwell, notices the overload at the front post and postitions himself perfectly in the space Howson has left. 

It's not much, but potentially something he's identified to create situations like the one we have profited from. Bit of credit for him in a time where he doesn't get much.

Edited January 23, 20242 yr by Niall1905

Props to Poch,  a cup final is always an achievement regardless of the run.

Going to be a tougher test, it may only be the league cup but as Jose said an early trophy sets the tone and culture at the club and we need to redevelop that winning culture.

One of our worst seasons and we could still win a trophy 🤣

Fair play to Pochettino, he got us into a cup final.

Hopefully we can go on and win it.

Edited January 23, 20242 yr by Jezz

On 19/01/2024 at 19:04, 19seventyone said:

Signing so many youngsters gives us a problem of very few real leaders.

Remember what we used to have….

This picture has done Malouda and Anelka dirty. Malouda has got the most "what about me?" face you will ever see and Anelka looks like he is going to cry 😆