The Liquidator

Home Tottenham

So we couldnt get past the broken down Bus manager? Seems funny, all these years on from Jose describing other clubs doing the same at Stamford Bridge as parking the Bus infront of the goal, he shows he is no better. To be fair I admire inferior teams setting up not to concede against better sides & putting in a shift you rarely get out of "above average" players. The Spurs players looked shattered come the final whistle after chasing around after the ball n breaking "like the wind" each time they fooled the ball. It was a performance of a club determined to win something, while ours was handicapped by a young manager selecting wrong starting players & doing nothing to help his side until it was far too late.

A fair few of you have voiced against me since I have pointed out that Tammy has replaced Jorginho as "the passenger" in our team. Sundays game is the perfect example of wrong selection as our best chances were wasted by a CF who closes his eyes when attempting to head a ball. We have a real weapon from the right in James & Ziyech crosses, but until we have someone who is going to finish them off we are going to drop important points. I am now not alone pointing out Tammy, just a month behind me.

Why it took so long for Frank to do ANYTHING to change the game is beyond me. I believe he cost us 2 points with his weak inexperienced management. I have accepted before, this is the price we have to pay while he graduates as a sideline General, but for fuck sake its bloody frustrating watching & not being able to express my anger at him in the ground. Fingers crossed some of us will get that chance again soon.

Quick word on Silva. Damn that guy is class. Reminds me so much of Ricky & a player back in the 80's, Colin Pates. Pates was captain n very classy on the ball back in the day a CH first instinct was to kill their CF. Silva obviously a better all round player n a breath of fresh air to our backline. Loads of you have been praising Zouma as our best defender this season. I will not change my opinion. Roy Keane's "Car crash waiting to happen" quote should have been labeled on our Happy, as every game he has his moment where he gifts a chance. Granted he is improving, but best defender? Do me favour & express your opinion on a different sport.

Kante looks wonderful back in his rightful position. Too think two years of his Chelsea career have been wasted. Another price paid by the club by changing managers too bloody often. I must say I do like the 3 man midfield Frank has stumbled upon. Kantes two partners have huge work rates, just lack a little forward telling passes. I guess that's for the players infront of them, but Havertz could well be the player to knit midfield to forwards.

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Klopps bleeting, it's as thou he has never managed a top club before ~ Impressive United comeback points towards manager still has their heads ~ Raul Jimenez ouch! Truly hope he recovers to play again ~ Fulham wow! ~ Arteta sounds wonderful when addressing the media, but on the pitch his team do not look to be progressing?

 

Away Rennes

I very much enjoyed the game as from very early on I felt no threat of them getting any kind of result. Obviously that almost went to pot late on, but with just a few mins left I had a feeling we had another goal in us.

A good all round performance qualified after 4 games. Need to win both outstanding games to finish first, something when we havent has bitten us in the ass.

Mount very good+ CHO nice output over all his mins, You need to be football blind not to see the difference in CF play once Giroud came on.

 

Away Newcastle

Well that was an outstanding result. The only reason I say this is because St James Park has been a Bogey ground for us for a number of years where we have dominated games and left with our tails between our legs. I hope more opposing managers set up like this against us, something we should bare in mind with who is visiting this coming weekend.

Probably difficult to asses exactly how good we was as we pushed aside another bottom half team. Some nice performances with Kante for me standing out as the best. Taken him a year, but I think Frank has finally let the penny sink on where we need Kante. I wont hold my breath till we see through the season.

Tammy getting much plaudits for his performance, but I thought he was bang average. The free header he got in the first half he could not have dissected the middle of the goal any better. Of course that would be exactly where their goalie would be, who saved, if you can call it a save. As luck would have it he had a few more chances & at last took one.

Werner, hmmm. A few weeks back a member here spoke with a warning on Werners finishing. This weekend is the first I would say shows fair evidence of that warning. He still contributed with an assist & proved to be very lively, however before the wonderful run to set up Tammy, he did something similar and should have taken a poke, but weakly passed. I saw a couple of pundits state Werner will play through the middle when Pulisic returns. Hmmm

We are playing better, however we wont know what we have until we get through the upcoming better fixtures. Only then can we make a fair guess where we will be come the end of the season.

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How poor was the officiating at Old Trafford? The idiot in the middle at Villa park wernt much better. Sheff Utd doomed? Fulham probably are. What price Frank reverts to 3 at the back next weekend?

 

On 14/11/2020 at 21:43, LFCMadLad said:

@The Liquidatorsaid he wouldn't improve Liverpool 

I was right

Sheff Utd Home

Pretty obvious that there were parts of the game which were a marked improvement on what we have seen previously & I am sure this is what Frank is striving for more consistently.

Again I must stress the opposition was rank. No more than a Championship side lucky to be in the top league who look like they may struggle for sometime. However, they are a team who stuffed Franks season one offering last season & managed to get a draw at our place too, so it feels right to put them in their place.

Look I know I have been like a broken record beating the drum since Jorginho joined the club that we have been playing with 10 men as he is a passenger, but surly even the most football blind person must now see the difference with or without him. Saturday the ball moved quickly and more importantly with much more purpose through the midfield onto the forward players. With Billy back in full training I have fingers crossed we will see less n less of Jorginho before its time for me to drive him to the airport.

With the passenger removed we have to turn our attention to whoever else fits that description and I am afraid to say Tammy is next in line for that name tag. Leading the line isnt easy. That's a given so I fully accept his age and experience is against him. However, now he is surrounded by all these gifted individuals Frank has brought to the club his inability to be a consistent focal point will prove frustrating for both those players & us watching. He can get away with it in fixtures like Saturday's but there will come times this season when we will need top notch CF play to get us results against better teams. I am not confident Tammy is consistent enough to lead our line to the level thats going to be needed. I would love to be proven wrong & nobody would be more pleased for him than I.

Hakim Ziyech is so laid back in his after match interviews with cheeky knowing smile as he fends off pressing questions on his match winning performances. The Dutch said he was as popular off the pitch as he was on with both fellow players & fans and it's not taken long to see why. I agree with ABCBlackfoot & OriginalBlue, some of his play reminds me of Alan Hudson who would float across the grass & produce all the ammunition Ozzie & Huttchie needed to down Leeds Arsenal ect. I doubt many of you saw Huddie play so another who offered much the same was Micky Hazard who we got out of Spurs back in the day and soon became a club fav. Micky, when picked by Bobby Campbell who I never took too, would supply another of our great forward partnerships Dixon & Speedie. For obvious personnel reasons I hope Ziyech continues to excel, but he needs to quickly learn to look after himself as he is so lightweight he might end up another Pulisic.

Yet another crappy International break kills football for 2 weeks or so. One hopes all our players return safely with enough rest time as we are the 12.30 kick off up at Newcastle.

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Talking of which, I agree with everything most of the top managers have said about fixtures times ect. It's coming up to 15 years since Jose started this off and very little has been done. TV companies dont give a fuck (sky the most guilty since losing CL & EL to BT). They paid their money n want their pound of flesh. I have always said its about time PL got their own channel to pump out their stuff and if they did have it now, they wouldn't have been so embarrassed over the current PPV.

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I try n limit the number of games I watch live these days, however I did watch City Liverpool from kick off to final whistle. For the said best two teams in our league I thought it was a sorry affair.

Because of that disappointment I skipped the first half of Arsenals outstanding performance against Villa, a Villa who have a new player pulling up trees in their midfield. I agree with everything written on our board about Barkley since his loan. I got tired of writing I felt there was a real player in him. Well those standing on the side for Villa are getting it out of him weekly.

Everton lost again & I felt for Carlo being faced with a stat of first time he has lost 3 league games back to back. He handled it ok, but you could see he did not appreciate the news.

I looked up the youtube channel so recommended by many of you produced by Watford goalie Foster ~ Yep you are right "Outstanding"

OMG Lookman  

2 hours ago, Redcanuck said:

I think Pochettino is a good manager, but the situation at United needs more than a good manager to fix.  Woodward's role and the need for a DOF are issues that aren't going away.  What Pochettino wants regarding those issues and how much control the Glazers and Woodward will give him remains to be seen.

In the end United might not want to change the present situation enough to make it a good fit for Pochettino.

He looked and sounded confident today. Really dont help some of the boys he played with putting the boot in after every poor result.  You have to wonder whoever they have been talking too don't fancy Sancho. Not sure about Poch. He made his name at the perfect club for not winning anything. United are a different animal who are desperate for success to return. Taking note of all the big name free agents the Glazers have attraced to their gridiron team has to make you wonder why there is a lack of going for it at their real football club?

@Redcanuck

Will Ole still be in his job come the next window?

Home Rennes

Rennes president Nicolas Holveck summed it up in a nutshell. The man of the match was German referee Felix Zwayer. It's not often I am uncomfortable when we benefit from things that should not be, but last night the game was made to be a mockery with awarding of a second penalty & sending off of a player who for me did nothing wrong.

I guess if we are honest enough to accept we truly benefited from one there, it must also be accepted without those two penalties, we looked very unlikely to score. Many changes again to starting line up, for me, left us disjointed. No flow to our possession, a bit like a trial game with 11 hopefuls hoping to secure a contract with a new team. Rennes did not look like a CL side which again highlights what a wonderful job Drogba & Malouda did with the warm balls.

I have to say I really enjoyed big Pete blowing his own trumpet before the game. I have never felt he has got the plaudits he deserves for his time at the club. I felt and said at the time Jose made the wrong call when big nose was also at the club. You only had to listen to one interview with the Belgium stopper to know he wasnt a person to be trusted. I am happy Pete is back at the club as I am Frank. Just wish the latter would learn a bit quicker.

 

Chelsea under 18's in FA Youth cup final tonight live on BT sport tonight 7pm

Away Burnley

I am amazed by the high fives n back slapping thriving between my fellow Chelsea fans after the past 3 results.

We are the only Premier League side not to win at Old Trafford this season. Our opponents in the CL are one of the weakest ever to play in the group stages AND they had a huge injury list. Burnley too have plenty of injuries and are suffering at all levels to find themselves this season, bottom of the table and a club we have scored at least 3 goals at their ground the past few seasons!

Tinkerman Frank swapped his starting line ups as thou he is playing FIFA career mode on a play station.

Some of you are claiming he has found his preferred starting 11. Has he fuck! He will change as each game comes and for me he still has no idea what his best 11 are.

So, why the change of sides for Zouma & Silva? Why are so many Chelsea biting on other fans getting at Mount? Can Frank please explain why our best CF is no 3 in his pecking order. It's all well and good Frank saying Havertz is a nice lad & don't mind playing in different positions. That might be great for his Tinkerman no fucking idea approach to football management, but it's not helping the boy find himself in our football. What has Kovacic done wrong?

I am not going to add to the Matt Law CHO bombshell from late last week other than I said the kind of people behind him before he made the first team squad & they have done nothing to prove me wrong.

Thank you for the kind words towards me for my evaluation of Hakim Ziyech while at Ajax. While I said he would be perfect for us at the time, I had no idea he would turn up with boots under his arm. While he has started well I must state if I highlight the low level of opposition we are currently winning against, it must also be said thats all he is playing well against. I must say I do have fingers crossed for him, and my son cry's out "Willian" everytime Hakim does something with the ball lol.

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Everton lose again ~ Villa weaknesses exposed again ~ Would Arsenal have got their penalty without ours being highlighted last weekend?

 

Krasnodar Away

I feel there is far too much being made about last nights performance. 0-4 flattered us. Didn't agree with the starting line up, but understand we needed the win. Opposition were weak because of injury's and Joe Cole's glowing summing up of the game was not the game I sat through.

By the last 25 mins they were shattered & only then did we boss the game. Not enough was made of the standard of Krasnodar & I am not allowing myself to be hoodwinked on performance set up or "that ones for you boss" in reference to Roman being in attendance.

Fans in stadium ~ Wish it was me

Man utd Away

Well Frank is consistent. Yet again he reverts to a 5 for games against Utd. Shame he didnt remember the player who made the difference at Wembley last season, but at least this became more evidence of why Giroud should play. Two goalless games in which we looked like we wouldnt score in a brothel, it's obvious to a blind man we lack that focal point that will bring all the new players together. Yes it takes time, but I stress, Frank isnt doing himself any favors & he is a lucky boy there are no fans at games.

Not much to be said about the penalty. They have been getting away with defending at corners n free kicks like that against us at Old Trafford for over a decade. No surprise.

Goalie looks ok and Silva is class. Other than that very little to say about a boring 90 mins in which we was set up not to lose rather than win.

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Oops Bamford ~ Fulham look doomed ~ Everton bubble burst? ~ Is Vardy Arsenals new Drogba?

On 22/10/2020 at 00:19, carefreeluke said:

My preferred starting eleven below:

Before people point out certain exclusions, they'll be heavy rotation needed with the fixtures this year so just because I've left certain players out, it doesn't mean they won't be getting enough game time. For me, we played our best football last season in the shape below and it also I think suits the attacking players we have.

Zouma on the left I'm unsure about. I think it gives us the most balance. Mount centre left being able to come in on his right, Havertz centre right being able to come in on his left. Mount's work rate will help us out defensively and it puts him in his best position. Pulisic and Ziyech also in their best positions. Giroud up top to act as the focal point for the attacking players and to also help us out physically. He also gives the full-backs someone to aim for with their crosses.

 

I can fully understand you only going with Kante as your holding player. Afterall, he is used to playing on his fucking own when coupled with Jorginho.

Giroud will bring everything together. It's a very simple thing, which is escaping our Frank since the backend of last season.

Interesting you went without Timo. It does look a little like a balancing act to find places for all the new players.

Frank better start winning or he wont just have Olivier knocking on his door.

Your back four looks about right. Zouma could be replaced by Rudiger or Tomori at anytime if he continues being "old faithful"

Weird as it maybe, but I think if we asked 100 different Chelsea fans today what their preferred starting line up would be we would struggle to get more than half a dozen the same.  Thanks for sharing your choice. I very much enjoyed the post.

So, anyone notice the change in ball retention philosophy last night? Another press was overcome by defenders & goalkeeper by-passing our terrible midfield selections & handing the ball to their defenders instead of pressing forwards n midfielders. Huge change from Frank. Shame he left the perfect guy to hit with these by-pass passes on the bench unable to help us. I am tired of saying it & Giroud himself must wonder why he is still at the club. With the passenger handing the ball to them with his first couple of touches & booked within 15mins for a bad foul, Frank isn’t helping himself with consistent wrong starting selections. I know Zouma is playing wrong side for him, but the guy is full of mistakes & is homed in on by all opponents. As much as the good work he does stands out he isn’t good enough to play the wrong side for him.

Very disappointing again & I guess we should br thankful for the point against a side who were more than comfortable all game.

So much to like in the first half. We exploited their high line, probably foreseen by the manager judging by his starting line up. Timo showing his worth, although we should had more during the 45 mins. When they got their goal, well the manor they got it, we who sit n suffer shudder in the knowledge that there is probably more to come.

The second half we were out-managed. Truly pathetic how we could not get past the way the manager has us to bring the ball out from the back. The back 4, five with Kepa found a non existent midfield as they struggled to move the ball backwards n side to side. It difficult to really get a flavour of what all the players are doing when watching via a TV screen. Those who could see the whole pitch report they pinned all outlets knowing our poor on the ball defenders would make a mistake. Zouma was due & like “old faithful” he spurted up another. Some say the goalie chickened out on clearing it, but to be honest I am past caring on anything he does. I just want to fucking know who saddled us with him. Anyway, what fucked me off more than the result was more conformation our guy is unbelievably slow on the uptake. After the game during the time he is either smiling like a Cat who got the cream or showing what a complete & utter fraud his education is proving to be, he let everyone know what we should have been doing as a side in the 2nd half!! Yes by-pass the press…. FUCKING SIMPLE… so why didn’t he get Kepa or any of the defenders to go long? Its down to him, not the players, they are just trying to carry out his instructions, poorly for the most part. If he had told them to by-pass we would have seen evidence of it. They just did the same & he only helped the team with a few mins to go with James. It’s costing us a fortune in points while Frank learns his trade by not being good enough to make the right calls during a game. I know we bought into it from his appointment, but I got to say the guy is far slower on the uptake than he should be, after all, the Southampton manager did EXACTLY the same as last year & must have got cock out for a rub when he saw Jorginho in midfield again.

Last point. Dave gives away more cheap free kicks than Rudiger & is a liability in a defence full of not good enough defenders.

In a season which is looking to be more open than any in living memory, any team who can find a half decent defence should be shoe-in’s for top four. Frank needs to improve. John stands by unbeaten stealing a wonderful loan from his mate all the time gaining knowledge in the correct way to better yourself pre management. Another couple of these out-managed episodes, Frank could be watching someone else benefit from the massive talents we have top end of the pitch.

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How the fuck does Pickford go unpunished. What was Chelsea fan Dunk doing to our Gary?? How many Frank changes to CL game? Even when we are feeling so down, Jose brightens our day!

Crystal Palace Home

Pretty sure that was not a 4-0 performance, but beggars cant be choosers during pre seasons so its nice to finish what really is the end of the pre season with a big win.

Pre-season? Well from what I understand from most PL clubs, they are looking towards the first International break as the end of pre-season. If true, nice of the clubs to get the players ready for the waste of time Internationals we all have to endue far too many times during the calendar year.  

First half of this fixture was more of the same we have seen this season. Slow build up unable to move the ball quickly lack of movement from forward players as the ball moved from one side to the other through back four n middle midfielders. Jorginho’s one ball other than short is thrown out wide to the left which was easily dealt with by Palace and Kante continues to find it difficult to find anyone further forward than other in midfield. What I found very noticeable but hasn’t been spoken about since the game was in the second half our two central defenders by-passed Jorginho and Kante and forced the ball into a willing Havertz & two wide players. Once CHO hitched his skirt up and took on the young Left back instead of fucking checking all the time, he looked like a player. Suddenly we were much quicker as a team and chances were made. I have a theory on Callum. He and his hanger ons love money, so every time he checks and does not take his marker on, he should be fined 5 grand. Watch the money grabbing bastard take on his marker with that in his mind! Havertz interviewed by ChelseaTV after the game spoke of us moving the ball much faster in the second half and how much more difficult the PL is compared to where he was playing. Talks well and money very well spent for me.

Much plaudits coming Chilwell’s way after a nice attacking performance. However I don’t want to rain too much on everyone’s celebrations, but the other two blokes who have been in that left back spot at times also shone going forward. I think they should reframe from swinging their dicks above their heads in celebration we have a left back until we see Chilwell’s defensive efforts put to the test.

Thiago Silva obviously reads the game on a much higher level than we have been used too from players in that position. While Palace did not put him or any of the defenders under pressure, it was nice to see a guy have his body in the right position when needed. Lets hope some of his knowhow rubs off on the players around him.

Excellent debate going on in this thread on Tammy grabbing the ball for the second penalty with what seems to be a split response between all. For me what hasn’t been mentioned was Werner first tried to get the ball from Tammy, then Dave arrived to remove it from him to give too Jorginho. 3-0 at the time with Palace not looking like they could get out of the own half in the remaining minutes I am of the mind to have given it to one of the forwards to open their account. Would have been a ideal opportunity for Werner as Tammy has already scored this season in the PL.

Frank looked like he was feeling like a million dollar coach when talking to ChelseaTV. Not sure why he gave Pulisic airtime. Daft call that, but Frank makes more of those than any coach we have had as he learns his role. I was amazed to hear the Chelseatv reporter ask him about the always changing defensive 4 and is he any closer to finding his regular 4 or does he see it as a group thing which needs to be fluid to accept changes from week to week. Amazingly Frank didn’t bat an eyelid and answered he would like a settled back four.

Then make a fucking decision n stick with it Frank!

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Again some truly amazing results this weekend which I don’t need to list, but I would say its another indication of all only now coming out of the pre-season.

I have also seen a player who I think would do us a good turn and we should try and sign him on deadline day.

Barkley of Villa

Drogba and Malouda did us proud the other night... Watch Frank make it as difficult as last year  

Tottenham Away EFL Cup

 

Like the Barnsley game in the round before this was a non empathy game which was used for both teams squad players. Wasn’t a good standard and our 2^nd half performance was poor.

 

I have said it before and I will say it again, Jorginho and Kovacic should not start games together. Pathetic short nothing passes. During the 2^nd half before Frank pulled off Kovacic the pair of them produced nothing, that includes winning the ball back. Once Kante was put on the pitch that started to change. For me, outside of the goalie, (new one being evaluated) the centre of our midfield is holding this team back when Frank fucks up selection.

 

It seems crazy to say, but kinda sums our club, the player who may well have been the ideal peg for that hole was Mario Pasalic. At least it would have nice to see him given the chance to play alongside Kante or Kovacic. Alas, we will never know.

 

Werner took his goal well and surprisingly the defence looked ok. Zouma having one of his better performances. Obviously opposition, until Jose threw his first team on where average. Loved the Dummy Dave sold to the new Spurs Left Back who could still be sliding on his ass if hadn’t run out of wet grass.

 

Difficult to take the game\performance other than a secondary event. I don’t think it gave any answers to questions we have standing. Just confirms what we already knew.

So Frank losses it with Alonso

Would have been more relevant to have read it was for his poor defensive header n losing his man in the box.

WBA Away

Ouch! Nothing we didn’t know before came from the first half. A Left wing back isn’t a left back. James defending isn’t his strongest suit needs to get much more closer. Christensen seems to be the managers preference for right sided CH. The blokes standing between the posts are not helping. We are well below & have been for a couple seasons anything close to an average defence.

What we didn’t know was the managers idea to help us to become better unit would have a StevieG moment.

StevieG's moment ~ Funny.

I believe, over the past two seasons we would have lost this game, so from the darkness of holding our heads in our hands at 3-0 down for me there are some proper positives.

For me, as I said before the game, Giroud should have started. I truly believe he is the glue to bring everyone together at the top end of the pitch. Franks selections are proving a weak point where Giroud is concerned. Took almost ¾ of last season & a injury to Tammy before Giroud saved the mangers ass. Baffles me Frank does not see this.

What Frank got right was the benching of Jorginho and starting Kante & Kovacic together. Obviously standing 3-0 down by half time lead to changes & again he was right to hook Kovacic off. We needed goals & Kovacic like Jorginho offer very little other than passing the ball over 2 3 or 4 yards and in the latter's case not always to the same coloured shirt. One can only hope the Italian international is carted off out of the club soon. My offer to drive him too the airport still stands, but with that mug Sarri out of work, his fans are halved. His prick tease agent strangely quite. He has gone from every club wants his client to struggling to get anyone interested, outside of smelling a knock down price, which be told, is what his real fucking value is.

CHO had probably his best 45 mins in a Chelsea shirt. Mount worked very hard but should be removed from taking free kicks. Tammy tries his best, but you have to be football blind not to see the difference between his leading the line compared to Giroud. Havertz has plenty of nice touches and will get better the longer he is with us. The player who disappeared against the packed defence was Timo. Removes his pace, but again I feel sure he will get his moments.

Overall we are well under cooked. One game pre-season with so many new arrivals, its no wonder the team isn’t firing yet. We will do, hell of a lotta ball game left.

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Plenty of weird results so far this weekend. Jose fucked over in what can only be described as total embarrassment for the EPL. City suffering the same injury crisis we had  06/07. West Ham tonking Wolves Brighton doing everything to outplay outclass United only to loose.

 

Barnsley Home EFL Cup

Huge amount of changes to starting line up as one would expect. Score, at least the clean sheet, flattered us. There was enough clear cut chances in front of our goal to make it uncomfortable watching if you had money on anything nil to us, as this writer did.

Abraham once again stood out against opposition of a lesser standard and must have opened the manager eyes how a bigger target man linked so well with Havertz. I have already stated before the season Giroud should be the glue to stick all the new signings together. He managed to get on the end of Chilwells first assist & for me is a must start Saturday. I won’t hold my breath.

Havertz played well as did Barkley Dave n Willy. I wouldn’t want to name check anyone else other than Tammy who worked very hard throughout his time on the pitch. Barnsley were poor for the most part with the goalkeeper we sold them well below average on that performance.

New keeper at the club and Frank shifting the decision firmly onto Petr shoulders! Kinda made me laugh as I listened to him underlining how Petr had hand picked from his ex club. So that’s Mendy chosen by Petr, Chilwell chosen by Ashley. Oh how I wish we knew who chose Kepa.

Should be an interesting time between now and the window closing as far as thinning out the squad. Whoever goes out on loan, I hope we box clever and ensure there are a couple who are only till the next window, just to be safe as there are lot of games to get through. Plus, Frank isn’t filling me with confidence of a smooth season. I have many I would like to be moved on for good, but CHO should be loan only.

On 22/09/2020 at 11:15, SchalkeUK said:

I spent some time teaching in Germany in Gelsenkirchen and got to know many of the young players in the early 20's.  Have been a fan of 04 since 1949 when I first visited the area on a Youth Exchange from Yorkshire hence my tag name!  When Timo was at Stuttgart he was always a threat but German football and defenders area different from those in the PL.  His time at Leipzig prospered from the fact that Poulson took most of his stick and gave him so many chances and no one in the German National team does that - hence his lack of success there!  I have no problems with his abilities -they are first class, but he hides too often when the going gets tough and I fear that he is no Drogba who can take it and give it back!  The few times I met him with my young friend Andy Beck he was the sort of guy you wanted to spend time with - polite, respectful and funny, buy football needs hard guys up front  - not diving whimps like the little fellow at City who last night should have been carded in the first minute and then got kicked about and the ref didn't believe it once and like most other refs have had enough of hid 'cheating'.  I really do wish him well, but the pressure will be on him every week and I am not sure he will cope with that!  Anyway my lot have far more problems to consider at the moment someone would rescue my young ex pupil Max and get him away from Woy Hodgson!  C'st La Vie.  Oh and for a final comment - I can see the lights of Elland Road from my bedroom window when they are on!

Take care, stay safe and

sei nett!

Outstanding reply & awesome conformation of your lifetime development.

Stay healthy & offering your worthy opinion. You’re a rare Bird around here!

20 hours ago, Batard said:

The overwhelming sense I get as a neutral is that Lampard does not know what to do with all the players that have been brought in. The system he's operating makes no sense whatsoever. I disagree with Jorginho being a passenger, he's one of the best passers and calm in possession, the problem as I see it is that playing him at the base of the midfield with Kante pushed to the right fundamentally does not work. Play Kante centrally and use Jorginho as a floating 2nd pivot. Until Pulisic is back it may even be wiser to play a more narrow system rather than playing attacking midfielders on the flanks where the game bypasses them. 

Yeah Id say it’s a fair shout Frank does not know his best 11 or formation. He is showing all the signs of his inexperience with the weekends selection. Truly pathetic. Granted we have many players to return who should strengthen the starting line-up, but as someone pointed out yesterday, more bodies to choose from might just make it more difficult for him. The most disappointing thing for me, things that were proven to be wrong in selection last season and were seemed to have been sussed by Frank, which he was praised for, have been returned too in this weekends game. That’s a worry & a sign of weakness on Franks part. It’s a shame fans were not in the stadium as I am sure he would have got more of the same from last season selection mistakes. Who knows, this performance might help wake him up.

20 hours ago, SchalkeUK said:

I have watched Timo for years and said when the signing was likely that it would be a great error to put him in the PL - too nice, too soft and too often in dreamland on the pitch.  You were warned!

I am not sure who you are, but I am guessing you are German from your members name. If so you are not the first German who has piped up about Timo since we purchased him. Some German Chelsea fans at my board have also voiced concern, however since we had been linked with him I took in his former clubs games and I have not seen what seems to worry you so. So far he has won two penalties and looked good. Best wait till the end of the season before you crow too much about your warnings. Maybe it’s the club he played for in Germany why some Germans have a down on him. Either way, thanks for your concern, he will be fine.

Liverpool Home.

For somebody who is as well educated as our young manager, he sure is fucking slow at understanding the fucking basics or remembering what hasn’t worked before.

Kante is wasted anywhere on the pitch other than holding. Jorginho is a passenger & huge liability against any team half decent. Giroud knits our forward play together and saved our managers ass at the back end of last season. At the very end of that season we all thought the decision on Kepa had been made with Willy taking over. Yet somehow, for a reason that escapes me, he has risen back to number one and continued to be at fault for a couple of goals.

I wrongly thought we were passed all this, the Penny had finally dropped. Frank isn’t grasping pure basic management decisions & while we looked safe with 11 players on the pitch, the team looked disjointed going forward & safe isn’t going to cause this Liverpool any problems.

As much as I want Frank to succeed he is making it very difficult for me not to think what a more experienced manager might do with this group of players. For example, he isn’t doing Havertz any favours. The boy hasn’t been in the country 5 mins, started two games in different positions & pretty much looks like a fish out of water. Maybe a more experienced manager would have sat him on the sidelines early on getting a feel of PL football?

Ok, its early. Lotta ball game left. Need to take it on the chin & wonder where the two Forlough clubs have got the money for their new players? The Lepers of the football world ~ they know who they are.