* Another Chelsea game and still no OMT *

[milo]

@ me with man of the match nominations

Anyone to add to Winks and Rose?

 

[DeanoAustin]

I agree. With our three top strikers missing it was hardly surprising we were toothless in attack. We tried hard and fought well, but one attempt all game tells its own story. Llorente, Lamela and Moura are not adequate replacements. If we are to go up another level, we need at least one top quality recruit up front. Someone with pace and trickery is essential. The best player in this bracket who is potentially gettable (albeit expensive) is Zaha imo. Does he qualify as home grown?

Lamela and Moura are okay if you only have to rely on one or if you’re relying on one with Kane, Son, Alli around. They’re good players. We just look a bit toothless when we have to rely on them with Llorente and none of the aforementioned three.

Take Salah, Mane and Firmino out of the Dippers team.

Take Rashford, Lingard and Martial out of United.

Take Aguero, Jesus and De Bruyne out of City.

Take Hazard, Giroud and whoever out of Chelsea.

Take Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ramsey out of Arsenal.

None of the top sides can sustain those sorts of losses and most would struggle to cover the positions as well as we can.

 

[SteveAWOL]

Considering we’re without 75% of our Fab 4 and had several players in today’s squad who are clearly lacking match sharpness, that was a great effort away to one of the most expensively assembled squads in Europe.

At least we can focus on Top 4 to keep Goons in the Europa doldrums whilst Kane plus Dele will be fresh for latter stages of CL and FAC after month long rest...

 

[Legohamster]

Lamela and Moura are okay if you only have to rely on one or if you’re relying on one with Kane, Son, Alli around. They’re good players. We just look a bit toothless when we have to rely on them with Llorente and none of the aforementioned three.

Take Salah, Mane and Firmino out of the Dippers team.

Take Rashford, Lingard and Martial out of United.

Take Aguero, Jesus and De Bruyne out of City.

Take Hazard, Giroud and whoever out of Chelsea.

Take Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ramsey out of Arsenal.

None of the top sides can sustain those sorts of losses and most would struggle to cover the positions as well as we can.

That’s completely true.

But the issue wasn’t just the front three.

We kept losing the ball, making silly passes putting ourselves under pressure and the defending for the goals was a shambles.

 

[Rorschach]

fudging chavs

 

[johnola]

tinkle off world.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

That was a strange game to be at
No agro going in from Chelsea fans with us unheard of
We get the whole of their shed end which again felt odd
We played the same weird tactics that didn’t help us in the first leg then rose comes in for an unlucky Davies and changed the dynamic
Great tactical change for poch
Felt so sorry for Llorente when he scored as no one seemed to want to celebrate with him

 

[Pirate55]

Lamela and Moura are okay if you only have to rely on one or if you’re relying on one with Kane, Son, Alli around. They’re good players. We just look a bit toothless when we have to rely on them with Llorente and none of the aforementioned three.

Take Salah, Mane and Firmino out of the Dippers team.

Take Rashford, Lingard and Martial out of United.

Take Aguero, Jesus and De Bruyne out of City.

Take Hazard, Giroud and whoever out of Chelsea.

Take Aubameyang, Lacazette and Ramsey out of Arsenal.

None of the top sides can sustain those sorts of losses and most would struggle to cover the positions as well as we can.

Said exactly the same myself at the pub. Emirates Marketing Project are the only ones who could cope as their replacements are also top quality.

 

[DeanoAustin]

That’s completely true.

But the issue wasn’t just the front three.

We kept losing the ball, making silly passes putting ourselves under pressure and the defending for the goals was a shambles.

I don’t disagree with that mate. Thought we were very open and in the first half particularly we looked to have no first touch and were missing easy passes. Completely agree.

But I was replying to a post that said Lamela, Moura and Llorente weren’t good enough.

 

[Pirate55]

Considering we’re without 75% of our Fab 4 and had several players in today’s squad who are clearly lacking match sharpness, that was a great effort away to one of the most expensively assembled squads in Europe.

At least we can focus on Top 4 to keep Goons in the Europa doldrums whilst Kane plus Dele will be fresh for latter stages of CL and FAC after month long rest...

That is Steff- like optimism! Like it though!

 

[nayenezgani]

Aw, damn - sorry, chaps, I didn't know reading was quite so hard for you. Although being amusingly cultish over Levy to this level might have that effect, I don't know.

Either way, no skin off my nose what you do.

GHod you're a sad person.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

MOTM for me was Toby followed by Rose

 

[MKSpur]

That’s completely true.

But the issue wasn’t just the front three.

We kept losing the ball, making silly passes putting ourselves under pressure and the defending for the goals was a shambles.

I think that’s difference, if you hit Kane Alli or Son with the ball the worst they will do is keep it and lay it off, but they are also capable of turning their man or going direct to goal. Llorente could barley trap it or lay it off, Sissoko is just a bulldozer going forward and Lamela doesn’t seems to run into trouble because he is one footed. Everyone was looking to Erisken to make things happen but even when he did produce some magic, winks let the ball get behind him and Llorente missed the chance. Second halves seem to suit us as there is more space and time on the ball but weaker technical players always struggle when they are under pressure, at all levels of football.

 

[Legohamster]

I don’t disagree with that mate. Thought we were very open and in the first half particularly we looked to have no first touch and were missing easy passes. Completely agree.

But I was replying to a post that said Lamela, Moura and Llorente weren’t good enough.

How much of Llorente not being up to speed is down to rotation?

Games we are 3-0 up in and leave Kane on? Bring him on for 20/30 minutes and he’s more in shape

 

[Robspur12]

That’s completely true.

But the issue wasn’t just the front three.

We kept losing the ball, making silly passes putting ourselves under pressure and the defending for the goals was a shambles.

I think partly that was down to the defensive 2 in front of the defence not being at the races today. Both had missed recent matches and looked off the pace. Hoping that will improve with games. Need to fluke a win on Sunday.

 

[DeanoAustin]

How much of Llorente not being up to speed is down to rotation?

Games we are 3-0 up in and leave Kane on? Bring him on for 20/30 minutes and he’s more in shape

I think that’s fair comment too. Llorente isn’t a complete donkey despite the last two games. He has a good career behind him and was very good for Swansea. I’m just not sure how much of how he looks now is down to not playing and how much is down to him not suiting our style of play.

 

[Legohamster]

I think that’s fair comment too. Llorente isn’t a complete donkey despite the last two games. He has a good career behind him and was very good for Swansea. I’m just not sure how much of how he looks now is down to not playing and how much is down to him not suiting our style of play.

He’s not suited to our style at all (nor is Vincent) but I imagine with some minutes under his belt he could trap a football.

You don’t play for Spain if your technically poor.

 

[MKSpur]

MOTM for me was Toby followed by Rose

 

[DeanoAustin]

He’s not suited to our style at all (nor is Vincent) but I imagine with some minutes under his belt he could trap a football.

You don’t play for Spain if your technically poor.

I’m sure Poch has his reasons but it makes no sense to me that he’s played Kane for 90 minutes so often. Hes rotates everyone else at times but he’s flogged Harry when you’d imagine giving Llorente minutes in dead games would benefit everyone.

But far be it from me to suggest that I know more than Poch. I listed a bunch of decisions I’d have made contrary to his a few weeks ago that would have been utterly wrong. It was quite a dignity stripper because I realized for the first time that Levy probably won’t be offering me the job whenever Poch leaves.

 

[Legohamster]

I’m sure Poch has his reasons but it makes no sense to me that he’s played Kane for 90 minutes so often. Hes rotates everyone else at times but he’s flogged Harry when you’d imagine giving Llorente minutes in dead games would benefit everyone.

But far be it from me to suggest that I know more than Poch. I listed a bunch of decisions I’d have made contrary to his a few weeks ago that would have been utterly wrong. It was quite a dignity stripper because I realized for the first time that Levy probably won’t be offering me the job whenever Poch leaves.

Haha we all do.....

But this one I can’t see the logic - he takes off son/Alli/Christian all the time