1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

Both those mins per G/A for Sancho and Neto are worse than we saw from Sterling in 23/24., and even more so if we make it on PL only.

 

We never did struggle for G/A under Poch though, which brings us back to the earlier point of is it the players that are the issue or the suffocating recycle possession system they’re being forced to adhere to. 
 

I personally feel there is a top class player in Sancho as witnessed twice at Dortmund but once again in this system he will not flourish.

He's just lazy, great players always demand the ball and want to take opponents on, rather than do a couple of flashy acts and sleep walk the rest of the game. His work rate it defending is even worse, may not be his top priority but most top teams demand their wide attackers to do their share of defending ( unless you offer much as Hazard in attack. There's a good player in him, but so far several managers have failed to get it out of him after he left Dortmound.

3 hours ago, The Boehly Babes said:

We never did struggle for G/A under Poch though, which brings us back to the earlier point of is it the players that are the issue or the suffocating recycle possession system they’re being forced to adhere to. 
 

I personally feel there is a top class player in Sancho as witnessed twice at Dortmund but once again in this system he will not flourish.

Key here is Dortmund; he had more space in the German league, slower intensity than the PL, never faced a low block, and wasn’t constantly double teamed. His two stand out seasons was when he was 18 & 19yrs old, never replicated it in his third, and certainly not when he went back on loan. There is a reason they never bothered buying him back even at a bargain.

He is like Felix; a former youth prodigy who has never reached the heights of his promise as a youngster. It’s ridiculous our SDs have decided to take a punt on the two like they are some geniuses.

 

https://metro.co.uk/2025/02/14/chelsea-told-find-a-way-cancel-man-utd-transfer-agreement-22557243/?ito=newsnow-feed

i agree he started off really good, wanted to run at defenders, BUT since christmas he is scared too beat his man and likes too play safe and go backwards

Whoever negotiated the ‘remove all motivation to prove your worth’ fixed buy-option for a mid-table finish needs a lobotomy. Absolute madness. 

The collapse in form is all by design. 14th is the aim this season, just to avoid making this deal permanent.

20 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

The collapse in form is all by design. 14th is the aim this season, just to avoid making this deal permanent.

Pretty sure he can't do it all by himself, but not hard to get help these days🤔

No winger can play for this coach.. his tactics are bizarre where he wants his fullbacks to play like mids .. wingers as fullbacks.. 

he is on record saying he doesn’t like his fullbacks to overlap.. so yeah leave the winger up against two in the wide areas.. no wonder they struggle so much.. 

it’s painful to watch this tactic.. why are we the only club who wants to play their FB in mid as default.. some games I understand .. but all the freakin time.. just stupid coaches thinking they are better than the game..

he gets away because he comes from the continent.. 9 games 9 points -  others get sacked for far less

8 hours ago, Jangz said:

he is on record saying he doesn’t like his fullbacks to overlap.. so yeah leave the winger up against two in the wide areas.. no wonder they struggle so much.. 

We looked great early in the first half when Mitoma had to stay forward as their counter-attacking threat, meaning Madueke was actually 1v1 vs Lamptey. Once that changed it all fell apart. Neto skinned Mitoma only to be easily covered by Lamptey, whereas earlier a good dribble meant Adam Webster being taken out of position and Palmer/Nkunku/Fernandez able to get unmarked in the box.

 

13 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

We looked great early in the first half when Mitoma had to stay forward as their counter-attacking threat, meaning Madueke was actually 1v1 vs Lamptey. Once that changed it all fell apart. Neto skinned Mitoma only to be easily covered by Lamptey, whereas earlier a good dribble meant Adam Webster being taken out of position and Palmer/Nkunku/Fernandez able to get unmarked in the box.

 

Probably the biggest issue I have in Maresca's system.

The wingers are always in 1 vs 2 or 1 vs 3 situations, which is made worse when they are inverted wingers. They are never in the dangerous areas when they receive the ball, as you commonly see with Liverpool & City's wingers. Palmer likes the ball to feet, so he's not going to underlap to have the ball play ahead of him. Enzo isn't a box to box despite what Maresca thinks. 

Think he looks more comfortable on the right

1 hour ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Think he looks more comfortable on the right

That’s where he played at Dortmund wasn’t it?

7 minutes ago, Remodez said:

That’s where he played at Dortmund wasn’t it?

Yes, mainly.

1 hour ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Think he looks more comfortable on the right

Are you sure he doesn't just look more comfortable against the worst team in the history of the PL?

So far, I’m definitely taking him for 25m. He’s a decent squad player and for that price you can’t argue with it.

I did expect a little more from him but I’m going to give him time and hopefully at some point we’ll see a purple patch.

1 hour ago, Zeta said:

Are you sure he doesn't just look more comfortable against the worst team in the history of the PL?

He's a creator not a goal scorer so looks more comfortable on his strong foot rather than having to cut in imo

Cucurella now has more goals this season.

52 minutes ago, Wearyourblue said:

Cucurella now has more goals this season.

Ouch 😂

Don't diss the super poodle.

Little Marc kicks in your general direction.

14 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

So far, I’m definitely taking him for 25m. He’s a decent squad player and for that price you can’t argue with it.

I did expect a little more from him but I’m going to give him time and hopefully at some point we’ll see a purple patch.

A squad player especially a winger is someone you bring on to change a game, what characteristics does he have to do that? He lacks pace, can’t shoot, isn’t a fox in a box. Tyrique George has done more in last 2 sub appearances.

Fans & the directors keep looking at the low fee but keep forgetting you won’t find buyers for him at that price. Even at a £100k/w wages which is a drop from his old £300k/w wages, he will be one of the highest earners at most clubs outside the top sides who won’t be interested. You won’t be able to shift his wages, and no one will pay £25m for him.

6 hours ago, ducavis said:

A squad player especially a winger is someone you bring on to change a game, what characteristics does he have to do that? He lacks pace, can’t shoot, isn’t a fox in a box. Tyrique George has done more in last 2 sub appearances.

Fans & the directors keep looking at the low fee but keep forgetting you won’t find buyers for him at that price. Even at a £100k/w wages which is a drop from his old £300k/w wages, he will be one of the highest earners at most clubs outside the top sides who won’t be interested. You won’t be able to shift his wages, and no one will pay £25m for him.

People have paid that for a lot worse players than Sancho and 100k is not that much for any team above mid table in any league. Pretty sure Betis are paying close to that for Anthony on loan and they aren’t exactly rich.

I have no issue with keeping Sancho (Don’t have a choice anyway) but we definitely need to start selling some wingers to make room for incomings and George as well.

I’d like to see him more on the right once we actually get a box presence.

Still the best winger we have

17 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Still the best winger we have

We are really going to sit here and say that a player with 2 goals & 4 assists 7mths into the season is our best winger.

He is a waste of a squad place IMO & if the £25m obligation to buy wasn’t in place, a large majority will be happy to see his back at the end of the season.

1 hour ago, ducavis said:

We are really going to sit here and say that a player with 2 goals & 4 assists 7mths into the season is our best winger.

He is a waste of a squad place IMO & if the £25m obligation to buy wasn’t in place, a large majority will be happy to see his back at the end of the season.

Its infantile to measure someone's ability purely on output. You'd have hated Damien Duff.

Out of interest, who's better? Only Madueke has an argument.

Edited February 28, 20251 yr by Ukraine Bolt