30 Sep 2020 07:58:25
On one hand I can't believe the management and players are being judged in the current situation. No pre-season, loads of new players to bed in, key injuries etc.
But, on the other hand, you can only be judged on the situation you find yourself in. Not hypothetical situations of what if this or that hadn't happened.
Problems remain from last season, and they need to be fixed. New players need to be bedded in fast, as they form a significant part of our first team. This team needs an identity, a single focus that can be worked on and not chopped and changed every other week. Again, that's difficult with new players and key injuries. But, progress still needs to be made.
One thing is for certain, if improvements and progress aren't seen by December then an axe will likely fall.
30 Sep 2020 08:56:06
I don't think so. Lamps will be given a full 3 year opportunity to implement his ideas and style.
I agree with other parts.
30 Sep 2020 08:57:02
Fantastic post J, I couldn't agree with you more. I will keep saying 'I hope' Lampard is the man to steady the ship but I can't put wool over my eyes here. Your right problems from last season exist and worst yet there is no clear direction or identify. No fixed 11 either which pains me every weekend, players playing out position.
Tactically in the 2nd half Jose made a tweak and they were all over us. Tactically we need to be better in situations like the above.
30 Sep 2020 09:32:37
Being a legend helps to minimise criticism but I fail to see any improvement or style of play associated with successful managers. No identity at all, it's all individual play, no team.
Even Arteta that inherited a worse squad has improved his team. Personally am starting to get worried FL may not be the man irrespective of current injury situation. Am dead now I have talked about the legend. ðŸƒâ€â™‚ï¸ðŸƒâ€â™‚ï¸ðŸƒâ€â™‚ï¸ðŸƒâ€â™‚ï¸ðŸƒâ€â™‚ï¸ðŸƒâ€â™‚ï¸.
30 Sep 2020 09:32:38
I haven’t got a clue what the club will view as a successful season but if they start judging the season now they have lost the plot IMO.
I agree J, December would. be a good time to review the situation in a balanced way. I think the Champions League games could also be used as a marker!
30 Sep 2020 10:13:47
Good post J. My feeling also is that the nature of these first few games was almost inevitable given number of incomings, many existing players who are still relatively young and inexperienced, and presumably uncertainty among some in the squad about whether they were staying or going.
Plus the unresolved goalkeeping situation, deciding on the best CH combo, and no fully fit proper LB who was also a reliable/ good enough defender. Then there is the lamentable absence of Pulisic -- and I voiced concerns last season about his muscle injury record, and am sure club are being very careful right now about this and when he can return - and Ziyech.
Almost seems as though Frank is having to use these first games as a kind of pre-season try out of combinations and formations. For instance Giroud's performance last night was pretty ordinary but it was the first time he had been given a start. Frank has already used different combos up front in each match (I think), and that's even before Pulisic and Ziyech back again. So much work could have been done working out what might work best (and for different kinds of opposition) for first proper games if there had been a normal pre-season schedule
Frank will know that he cannot afford to drop too many points in the process of working all this out, but he clearly needs some time. Again, people soon forget how long it took Klopp to rebuild LFC back into title contenders. OK, our transfer business has been aimed at shortening the process, but you are right to remind us all to keep our cool given wholesale changes and no pre-season.
30 Sep 2020 10:29:01
The defence is still leaky and the midfield is not good enough. We miss a midfield general, someone who can boss a game like Kevin de Bruyne. We're not going to win anything with Kovacic and Jorginho. They sit so deep that there is a big gap between them and the front players and neither is capable of the kind of quality passes required. And we still play at such a slow pace. By the time we've got the ball forward the oppostion have most of their players behind the ball. Last night there were 3 minutes added on at the end of the game and all we did was play square passes for those 3 minutes. Not one goal attempt!
30 Sep 2020 11:43:49
BruCeFC,
With Kante, Kovacic and Jorginho in the middle, we won the Europa league. We've also been to another couple of cup finals with them. They're not as bad as you make out
With Puli, Havertz, Werner and Ziyech interchanging and dropping in, that fills " big gap between them and the front players" - Having more players further forward doesn't make sense and would leave the defence exposed.
It's fine margins. Disregarding players at this point, when we've not had a best 11 fit and firing is a bit silly, imo.
30 Sep 2020 12:09:16
Premier Leage: Kovacic, 1 goal and 5 assists in 65 appearances, Jorginho, 7 goals (mostly penalties) and 3 assists in 70 appearances, Kante, 10 goals and 10 assists in 167 appearances. Don't get me wrong, I would always have Kante in the team as playmaker is not his role, but where is the creativity coming from? And just as a contrast, Kevin de Bruyne, 37 goals and 67 assists in 157 appearances. I'm not for sacking Lampard, but we've just spent a fortune and we still miss the kind of player we haven't had since Frank stopped playing for us.
30 Sep 2020 12:27:58
The answer is Kai Havertz BruCeFC.