31 Dec 2021 12:43:41
I recall Ed saying there was an issue with bringing lukaku back and someone high up was against it, that person must be pretty smug right now.
31 Dec 2021 12:56:00
I never fancied signing him as a player and because of the comments he made about replacing Drogba but I think his comments are not as bad as I first thought.
Anyway, we all make mistakes and I think he will come out and apologise for any misunderstanding.
31 Dec 2021 13:03:40
I saw on Twitter people saying they’ll boo him, I mean, really, idiots, I vent in here but I wouldn’t boo or jeer players at the ground, how does that help the team when the team Needs all the help of can get, Rom has now to show he wants to be here, I don’t actually care about the comments about inter, just the parts about unhappy and system we play, hope ya well Tom and have a good new year mate.
31 Dec 2021 14:33:05
Good post Matt. Let’s get to the nub of this. Tuchel is a defensive coach. As a result Chelsea are a poor watch in the PL as compared to Liverpool or City. Not one player in the forward end of the pitch has improved under him. I remember when Lamps was sacked there were comments on how Tuchel would improve the two German players and with his knowledge of Pulisic would get the best from him also. None of those players have improved 1% under him. He struggles with the attacking side of the game, he simply refuses to trade with other teams. He has a strange history when dealing with strikers. At Chelsea Tomas binned Tammy, (fair enough) but not to have the boy on the bench in two cup finals v English clubs was bizarre. I accept that Tammy was short V the very best, but against someone like Leicester he would have been handy at 1-0 down. £100m has been spent on a No 9 and I think he is struggling as to how to deploy the team to play to his strengths. Rom has mentioned this (foolishly) but so has Antonio Conte. Coaching badges break match play into three phases, in possession, out of possession, and the important transition or turnover. In possession is governed by the quality of the players at your disposal, out of possession is down to your organisation, transition is down to your intent, speed and range of the first forward pass when won for example, who springs who drops who overlaps who stretches. Chelsea enjoy most of the ball in most games but they play slow, as a result forwards seldom receive the ball on the 1/ 2 turn, they seldom run in behind because opposition drop and allow Chelsea to play square and safe allowing themselves to get into shape, added to this they know that Chelsea will offer up a chance or two. For me It is a tiresome nervous watch and the results are that Chelsea have to win games because as a spectacle there is little to see. Other aspects are at work as well as Tomas’s game philosophy. The club have been dashed unlucky with injuries and I personally would not have spent the £100m on Rom, instead Declan Rice should give been bought with the £100m. That imo would have changed the dynamic of Chelsea and Rom would not have been required. Chelsea would have traded with more teams punch for punch with Declan sitting as DM so to speak. The speed merchants of Pulisic and Werner would have worked better as I believe earlier and longer range passes would have been hit more frequently. Kova, Kante and Mason would have been more free and hence more devastating whilst Silva/ Christiansen would have been protected better protected by the PL’s alpha DM that Rice clearly is.
31 Dec 2021 16:33:17
I enjoyed your post Stephen.
Happy New Year.
31 Dec 2021 17:03:47
Thank you TomB. I know I go over the top. Btw that’s me cooled back since I retired from coaching ?…… Have a happy and a safe new year Tom. Here is to Chelsea FC becoming the Club World Champions 2022.
01 Jan 2022 09:47:30
Excellent post Stephen. Great summary and I couldn't agree more.
01 Jan 2022 10:05:27
Great Post stephen.