02 Feb 2018 10:11:15
Morning all,

I have a question for you.

Are our expectations of this squad too high and should we actually be happy with how we are performing? I say this because last season we had a very good striker in Costa and we had ample time to re-energise between games. This season is not the complete opposite as I do believe we still have a very good striker in Morata (just needs to get used to the pace and physical side of things in this league), but we are playing a lot more games.

Looking at the squad we have, let’s be totally honest, it’s not a championship winning nor Champions League winning one is it? Yes you can point to Leicester but that was a freak season and 1 I doubt we’ll ever see again. I mean, we have 3 world class players in Courtais, Kante and Hazard and that’s it. We have very good players in Azpi, Willian, Morata, Christensen (not yet world class) . The rest you could say are good players. We don’t have the squads of United/ City with world class or at least very good players in each position and even in depth. I just think that maybe we do need to sit back and actually examine what we have and how well Conte is doing within this squad. Yes we’ve had some terrible results and performances as of late, but isn’t that just down to lack of confidence? We cannot say that the tactics aren’t working because they are/ were. We only lacked a striker who could put the ball in the net. We were definsively sound up until a few games ago with 6 clean sheets in 7 games. I don’t like Contes constant rotation of the back 3, we found the players working well together we should have left it. But is there reasons why he’s rotating them? He gets to see them every day, we don’t know how they are feeling or what knocks they may be carrying.

I just feel sacking Conte when to be honest he is doing a very good job in keeping us in the top 4 with the squad he has isn’t the answer. Neither will it be in the summer. With the World Cup on the horizon the pre season will be a short one. Won’t help a new manager coming in.

If you remember when Chelsea were looking at appointing Guardiola, he said we would need 10 players and let’s be honest, it’s the truth. We need upgrades all over the park. Cahill, Moses, Zappacosta, Fabregas, Pedro just to name a few. As I said a few weeks back we can go in 1 or 2 directions. Install the youth, maybe miss out on CL for a few years and progress with them, or shift out the players who no longer cut it and buy BETTER players not just squad players which we have been doing. We’ve wasted £200m so far since we won the league and not one of those players signed has made the starting 11 better.


1.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 10:35:45
Here’s my squad in MY OPINION:

Tibo - World Class
Willy C - good back up.
Eduardo - good 3rd choice - but could a youth take this?

Cesar - very good/ World Class.
Moses - good but good enough for CFC - No.
Zappacosta - good but same as Moses.
Christensen Very good - potential to be World Class.
Luiz - very good on his day.
Cahill - good but not good enough for CFC anymore.
Rudiger - good with potential to be Very good.
Alonso - good. Defensively suspect.
Emerson - unsure.

Kante - World Class.
Bakayoko - good - next season will tell us more.
Fabregas - good. But now too slow for CFC counter attacking.
Drinkwater - good, but good enough for CFC - not for me.

Hazard - World Class.
Willian - good/ very good on days when he can produce. Under-rated in my eyes.
Pedro - good, but lacks that something.
Barkley - unsure.

Morata - very good but needs to get stronger and get used to the prem.
Giroud - unsure but another squad filler.

So this is what I mean re squad capable to challenging for the major titles. Let’s be honest it’s not good enough. This is why I think Conte deserves more credit. We could have Jose, Guardiola, Enrique, Ancelotti etc as our manager and I still think we’d be in this position.

We were spoilt last season and need to realise that how good a manager Conte actually is. I still believe we will finish in the top 4. We won’t get past Barcelona but that could be a blessing in disguise by freeing up some resting time.


2.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 12:15:20
For the want of being controversial I do not think with have any world class players. Tibo is very, very good but his throwing and kicking are poor and I always felt Cech was a better shot stopper. Kante has had two excellent seasons and works his socks off but I think his limitations have come to the fore this year, passing and shot could improve as could his tackling, however his anticipation of what is going on around him is top rate. Now to Hazard, he is not in the Messi or Ronaldo class although exceptional. Far too inconsistent and does not score as many as his possession warrants and never really made an impact on the world stage. I personally think his style is best suited to the EPL than any other league because here defenders commit and he can use his low centre of gravity to get past them and across ready for the tap tackle; in International football and Spanish league they do not commit as much nullifying his impact and he is quick off the mark, not fast.


3.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 12:26:14
I think our squad is generally good enough to be in the top 3 nut not good enough to win title anymore.

The only problem we have is how the issues between the board and Conte affects the players. Conte needs to learn how to handle the media which is his biggest flaw. All these constant digs etc have pretty much confirmed his commitment to us and the players. His made it ao onvious.

If only the issues were kept away from the media, fans and the players then maybe it would have been different.


4.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 12:50:36
Well thought out process c1955 👏.

Even though Hazard is very inconsistent is that because too much is placed on his shoulders? Seems to me when he’s playing he’s the constant outlet for the back 5. And he goes “missing” for some games due to this? I do agree the Prem is the best place for him, but I’m not Hazard and nor his advisor!

Tibo - on his day he’s one of the best, cannot deny that. Cech was fantastic up until he had his injury. He changed after that. His aerial ability wasn’t as good as it use to be. I do agree about his distribution, it is poor but is that because he’s only 1 footed? His throwing i haven’t really noticed mainly because of the way we play out from the back.

Kante - I get your points but feel he’s doing 2 people’s job all the time. Fabregas’s defensive work and to an extent Bakayoko too. I’m still not 100% what Bakas role is. Kante is our own Makalele. I think Conte tried changing his passing vision when he should be just getting the ball back and laying it off. Keeping it simple.


5.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 14:38:09
Read lots of reports about sacking Conte. I don’t think this will come about, Unless we sack him before the end of the season. I think at the end of the season he will walk.
Also read the breakdown of team by cfcadam, on the whole I agree. I would like to see Ampedo and Hudson-odoi get some game time both very exciting prospects.
I think we are just playing a watching game, as although we want some of the young players to come through. The experienced old guard close ranks and resist those changes and that is I believe where performances against Bournemouth come from.


6.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 18:47:44
Man utd haven't got a better squad than us
Wake up Adam mate you should of been a agent for Conte or his spin doctor
He has been found out his Italia 90 style is boring predictable and dated end of
Pogba for Baka is about the only swap for like to like positions
And we won't beat Barcelona now lol.

We need a rest what for - Top 4 are playing same amount of matches as us do you hear city spurs, Liverpool, united moaning? no, you don't and there squads are lighter than ours bar city. Spurs have played the same team all year as have liverpool and there flying at minute.

We are lowest morale ever worst tactics ever and a manager who doesn't even want to be here so stop sticking up for a guy who is on his way out.


7.) 02 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 19:21:46
in my opinion morata isn't struggling with the league he's struggling with finishing with his feet that's nothing to do with pace of league or physical side of it his finishing has just been woefully bad. as for the squad fabregas isn't good enough nor is drinkwater zapacosta pedro etc. bakayoko deserves time pogba proved at united u need time he was poor his first season an turned it around second season so he deserves time. we should replace pedro an fabregas at least with 2 top players 1 winger 1 playmaker pjanic leon bailey probably realistic targets.


8.) 03 Feb 2018
02 Feb 2018 23:30:28
I think many fans have wild expectations these days. At the start of the season I felt like if we made top 4, a semifinal in a domestic cup and the quarters of the champions league, I'd call it a solid season.

Returning to champions league was always going to put a lot of strain on our relatively small squad, and we had a lot of players to move on and replace (matic/ costa/ terry etc) . People underestimate how difficult it can be to integrate new players, for every one that hits the ground running, many more need time to adjust to a new team's play style.

The only thing concerning me now is top four- I'd like a little more room over 5th place, but I feel pretty confident we can outperform at least one of pool, spurs, or manu between now and the end of the year. We're through the mayhem of the winter schedule, so I expect our injuries to clear up, which will help a lot.