18 Aug 2019 23:28:45
Excellent performance in midweek against Liverpool playing a 4-3-3 after an awful defensive performance against United playing a 4-2-3-1, so Lampard decides to go back to 4-2-3-1? Why?. 4-2-3-1 does not suite us, it didn't last season and it won't this season. I thought during preseason it may be the best way forward to help defensively but it clearly doesn't work, we get overrun in midfield far too easily and once our players start becoming tired we're all over the place.

Add that with Pedro's and Willian's awful decision making going forward we get put on the back foot very quickly. We should've lost this game, lucky to come away with a point. Yes we could've easily been 3-0 up within the first 20 minutes but our players struggle to keep that intensity up, and once it goes down we become very open. It needs balance and we don't have that right now.


1.) 19 Aug 2019
19 Aug 2019 04:22:48
I mean, the difference between a 4231 and 433 is hardly anything to talk about. We do need someone sitting deep however, as we’re just run over in midfield. Willian is a poor player we should have sold him.


2.) 19 Aug 2019
19 Aug 2019 07:54:04
London Blue, I’ve been advocating some pragmatism from us. I think results are always more important than performance.


3.) 19 Aug 2019
19 Aug 2019 09:23:56
I think Willian used to be a player whose biggest asset was his willingness to run for the team, but he simply seems to have lost either capability or will to make these runs anymore, both offensively and defensively. I really think it's a shame, because I love Willian, but it seems like years ago we've seen him really, really work for the team.

{Ed001's Note - to be fair, he was not fully fit yesterday. It was a mistake to bring him on really as he should have been left out to continue recovering.}


4.) 20 Aug 2019
20 Aug 2019 22:03:25
In that case, I guess it makes sense that he wasn't playing as well as he could have! I suppose I might have over-reacted a bit with my comment out of frustration - hopefully it'll get better! :)

{Ed001's Note - fingers crossed. It is a shame clubs are not more forthcoming with the situation with regard to injuries, they have to be in American sports.}