Just now, DarkMata said:

My issue with Felix is we all knew he wasn’t up to it a year ago and we go and sign him again.  Might as well bring back Koulibaly too.  

My biggest issue with Felix is his consistency. He's going to score goals, and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends the season with double digits, but he has games where he just doesn't take any chances at all. Everything will go over the bar, and even simple chances won't go on target. It's similar with Madueke where he will have a good game here and there, but lacks the consistency to be relied on. Personally, I am fine with him as a backup to Palmer, I'm much more concerned about other areas. I feel like Nkunku is wasted as a striker, Mudryk just isn't ever going to make it at this level, Enzo will never be a Premier League player and the defenders and goalkeepers which are at such a poor level that I don't think any real research went into how good they were when we signed them.

8 minutes ago, Jangz said:

Why the kids didn’t play on this is crazy. 

Played and got beat comfortably by Charlton last night

9 minutes ago, forbzy said:

The owners want Champions League if anything.

So do I.  Ten hag won man u the carabao cup and Fa cup in 2 years. I am sorry but this cup is the 4 most important.  Thankfully we had no injuries. 

Spurs lost werner and van de ven. Man city have lost savinho to a serious injury..

We threw that opportunity away tonight. Newcastle weren't good, they made some really nice goal saving blocks and waited for us to f**k up defensively, which we managed to do about 6 times in that first half, but that was all they needed to do to beat us. 

The fact that Maresca didn't put Palmer on at all tells me he was half hearted about this competition and pretty much gave up at 2-0. 

Santos, Paez & Estevao can't come any quicker.

I'm surprised Chuk isn't getting any game time as well.

Bizarre from Maresca making only 1 change.  Dispiriting for Chukuemeka, Chilwell, Guiu and Caedei. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Line up was never going to be good enough to bear several of Newcastles best side.

Is what it is. We picked them, this is the consequence.

11 minutes ago, abister1 said:

Some food for thought for us. Perhaps lay it on a bit too thick with the insults on some of the A team cast.

Suggested alternatives way below expectations and hype.

Jackson worst striker we ever had you know..

It’s weird seeing criticism of Felix, we all know he was just a pawn in the FFP game we had to play with Atletico. Shouldn’t be expectations there. I don’t even register him as a Chelsea player, haven’t done since he returned really; just a case of getting it over with until he accepts Saudi or whatever. 

9 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

The wait for a domestic trophy goes on ... we fell a long way short tonight. Maresca's most clueless game yet ... 

If he has prioritised competitions it is a dangerous game to play. 

Poch made the final and even Potter going out so early was kind of understandable in getting Man City in both competitions.

To go out of any competition before the turn of the year is a bad look for us and putting all of your eggs into a reduced number of baskets is all well and good but we can all see that we are two defensive injuries away from the wheels completely falling off.

For me, these so-called French defenders are stealing a living. That includes the two tonight and the consistently overrated Fofana.

2 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Line up was never going to be good enough to bear several of Newcastles best side.

Is what it is. We picked them, this is the consequence.

On paper it should’ve challenged. This B team just never looks arsed unless they are playing opposition too scared to press them. 

2 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

We threw that opportunity away tonight. Newcastle weren't good, they made some really nice goal saving blocks and waited for us to f**k up defensively, which we managed to do about 6 times in that first half, but that was all they needed to do to beat us. 

The fact that Maresca didn't put Palmer on at all tells me he was half hearted about this competition and pretty much gave up at 2-0. 

I think we also got further confirmation today that a lot of the second string are not good enough to start in the first team. A few of them are decent options from the bench or could cover when players are out injured, but several need to be offloaded.

Make that French so-called..

10 minutes ago, evissy said:

I think he decided long ago we will play this second string side in CC and he didn't budge. These lads need the minutes too. Newcastle really took this game to heart and deserved to win.

I'd say both deserved to be out 😅

Arrogant from Maresca to use not just B team but to have most of the starters out of the squad, not even on the bench. You can get away with it against some minnows in the Conference League, but not away at Newcastle. Clearly he didn't value the competition anywhere near as highly as Howe did.

There were some nice passages of play and if Felix was had his shooting boots on, could have been a different story. The backline gifting goals to opponents is nothing new, we knew they have bozo moments in every game/ It was also clear that despite all the struggles of building from the back, the team was instructed to keep doing the same thing, that's how Maresca wants to play. Jorgensen looked nervy, Badiashile is a useless turd, Disasi and Dewsbury Hall are a championship material. Enzo once again disappointed, not the player we thought we were getting, Mudryk was okay, Nkunku poor/ Veiga was a mix of some good moments and some not so good.

Also, it's becoming painfully apparent that without Jackson we don't have anyone who can play a target man up front. Nkunku is not it, and Guiu is better off on loan. 

1 minute ago, WhiteWall said:

If he has prioritised competitions it is a dangerous game to play. 

Poch made the final and even Potter going out so early was kind of understandable in getting Man City in both competitions.

To go out of any competition before the turn of the year is a bad look for us and putting all of your eggs into a reduced number of baskets is all well and good but we can all see that we are two defensive injuries away from the wheels completely falling off.

Normally I’d agree, but I think the entire club is at risk of collapse if we don’t get Champions League football. 

Just now, Sconnie Blue said:

Jackson worst striker we ever had you know..

I know. He sure is. 

With his barefoot sob stories, only fans chat and donkey brain.

What a Tosser! And I don't mean Jackson.

10 minutes ago, forbzy said:

We won't get what we paid for him. If we are lucky maybe we get something nearer to the amortized value by the end of this season (about 75m I think). Even that looks unrealistic currently.

I think you maybe right.

There's a history of South American players not settling in London. Crespo, Veron, Cuadrado, Higuain. etc. Add Enzo to the list.

Maresca was probably banking on Newcastle resting some players but as soon as they picked their strongest lineup we was toast.

There’s about 5 players who ain’t good enough to play against teams at this level.

You can’t win a football match against premier league opposition with only 6 players.

Well that was a tough watch.

4 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

On paper it should’ve challenged. This B team just never looks arsed unless they are playing opposition too scared to press them. 

Should off, but maybe it is a combination of players simply not good enough with others that perhaps resent being in the B team/cup side, say like Nkunku.

1 minute ago, forbzy said:

I think we also got further confirmation today that a lot of the second string are not good enough to start in the first team. A few of them are decent options from the bench or could cover when players are out injured, but several need to be offloaded.

My worry is the defence for the A and B team. They all make the same mistakes, just that some make more than others because they are worse. Maresca is simply failing to create anything that you can call a defence and failing to get the team passing out of the back successfully. We keep doing this waiting to a play a pass tactic that attempts to entice the opposition to press us, but it's simply not working. No team can play it this slowly out of the back against Premier League opposition, they will punish you. You need to move it out of the back quicker. Passing out of the back wasn't an issue in the 2nd half because as soon as the defenders had it at their feet, they would play it into midfield. We would cut 99.9% of the errors out of our game if we ditch this horrible tactic of trying to draw in the opposition from the back.

Veiga in midfield has never looked good, strictly a left back for me.