11 Mar 2026 22:14:28
We had a manager, Maresca, who schooled PSG, won us 2 pots, got us top 4 and put us in a semi-final of the League Cup. He asked for a CB, got told no. He changed the way we play to make sure our best keeper plays to his strengths. What do we do? Bin him off for Liam who is totally clueless, blows a semi-final v Arsenal, plays a total calamity of a goalkeeper in such a big game, plays suicidal tappy tappy football.
This is AVB all over again. I said it at the time and got slagged off for it, the grass is not always greener.
11 Mar 2026 22:27:59
After the first 15-20 minutes, I was thinking to myself, 'Has this bloke really set us up to counterattack, because Maresca beat them 3-0.'
Gareth Bale gave an interview recently, speaking about how at Madrid they didn't really have tactical discussions under Zidane (obviously a special team/place to be able to do it), and how, in today's game, the managers control everything, which stifles more creative players. Liam does seem like the perfect example of a bookworm manager.
Overthink how important you are, and it seeps into the amount you overthink tactics.
I thought Liam has done relatively well, and surprised me to this point. But it's clear, with how we set up against Napoli in the first half, the Arsenal second leg, and the way we played tonight, that while he yaps about 'winning is the most important', he really cares most about being seen as some sort of tactical wizard by the footballing world.
Imagine giving him a 6 year deal, haha.
11 Mar 2026 22:28:10
I wouldn't have sacked Maresca, but he clearly wanted out. Time will tell with Liam, but without Colwill we need a centre back and a keeper.
11 Mar 2026 22:34:27
I will give our manager time.
I remember one poster wanting Maresca sacked after the disastrous pre-season results, before he had even managed a Premiership game.
I will judge him after a pre-season and a summer window. Probably towards the end of this year.
11 Mar 2026 23:14:52
What was it, Greenaway? Don't wet your knickers.
Anyway, I really can't see why there's been around 10 posts from you saying that Liam Rosonier is the problem. This is a near 2 billion pound squad that has the same issues and makes the same errors 4 years in a row. Until this strategy is shifted, this will unfortunately continue.
12 Mar 2026 08:53:24
Standard, I absolutely agree with you.
LR has been here 5 minutes, and the SDs have been here a few years too long, in my view.
Greenaway, I know you were in love with Maresca, but he wanted to leave and made it quite clear through the media that he was leaving.
What happens now? Maybe another squad rebuild, as we are, as Yom said, a trading club and the SDs like to see shiny new toys to play with.
We all knew our GKs were second class at best, and Greenaway, rather than change tactics to suit a GK to avoid his weakness, how about buying one who has no weakness.
12 Mar 2026 10:37:11
It would be madness to sack another manager now, and EM leaving was surely, as much if not more, his wanting this than the club's, given that EM had been talking to Juventus and City.
None of us chose LR, but there seemed not many alternatives given the timing and who was available, and at least he knew some of our players.
I do think he made an error last night in not giving Sanchez the game, as Sanchez had done so well against this opposition in New York and PSG, not an Arsenal wrestling set piece outfit.
So Sanchez's largely agreed-on shot-stopping ability, his strongest asset, is more useful and tested in CFC colours than PJ's.
Also, LR should have given Jorgensen license to hit the ball long, not do what Sanchez did so badly in terms of getting caught out when pressed with the ball at his feet. Too much clever fiddling around at the back, at great risk, last night. PJ's howler cost us not just the game but the shoulder-slumping disaster that has just about put the tie completely out of our reach. Having said that, it was a PJ howler, and he should have been aware of players around him and just booted the ball into the stands if needs be. 15 mins to go and still 2-2, for goodness' sake, and that scoreline suggests we had done pretty well up to then.
Hardly worth mentioning the other glaring weakness in the side, the lack of steady, headed, quality, experienced CBs. Still, I think TC did a fair bit better than the undoubtedly skilled but hardly calm-headed reader of the game, WF, though both were out of position on occasion. Partly perhaps cos Cucu is not yet back to his best, and Gusto was pushing forward a lot, with not much assistance from either Neto or Palmer.
Would just add that the French league gave PSG the weekend off, and perhaps next weekend as well. I don't know. But the depth of their squad and fresher legs were pretty evident in those final 15 minutes. Delap's poor shot when he had his sole chance was disappointing in terms of the backup striker quality needed. At least Lavia is not injured again yet!
Enough said. The main aim for the rest of this season is to qualify for the Champions League again, and hopefully have a more competitive squad in terms of chances in it and also in the EPL. Just a few more upgrades are needed, and we know where.
Meanwhile, another massive game against Newcastle this weekend.
12 Mar 2026 10:43:38
Sorry, it is next weekend; PSG have been given off, not last weekend, while we have another must-win game v Newcastle. PSG also play in a much easier league, which they have tended to dominate with ease in recent seasons, or certainly never having to struggle in a highly competitive league like ours for Champions League qualification.
12 Mar 2026 12:50:09
I really don't understand why Sanchez was dropped. Although he's not fantastic, I haven't seen Jorgensen have one convincing game.
12 Mar 2026 13:50:40
Neither are at the correct level to win big titles or play in the CL.
12 Mar 2026 15:05:10
Probably not, Londonscot, but perhaps Sanchez is the safer bet to pick v PSG, given he had happy memories of heroics against them, and, despite other faults, is a high quality shot stopper.
Yes, but expect almost all of us on here believe an upgrade on both is surely needed.
12 Mar 2026 13:56:08
Make no mistake about it, last night was all on Rosenior.
You can blame Jorgensen all you like but he is under instruction to play like that. We could have Donnarumma or Courtois in goal and they would still be asked to play like that. Its suicidal and it looks like its dumped our asses out of the Champions league before we have even got to the 2nd leg which is a travesty. Maresca binned it off and told Sanchez to go longer which actually saw Sanchez improve but since Rosenior has come in, he has reverted to this style of play which is unforgivable.
Ultimately, it will cost him his job. Very sad because we have some great players and play some good stuff but we are always let down by the suicidal rollocks at the back and that is down to Liam and if you look at how he set up at Straasbourg he had Penders so high up the pitch it is like old school "rush goalies" for any of you who are old enough to remember how we played them as kids.
12 Mar 2026 18:23:05
Win, lose or draw, every manager is responsible for the result.
As far as goalkeepers are concerned, buy Costa and have, in my opinion, the best keeper in Europe. Of course, Penders would then probably want to leave.