Christian Stellini - Acting Head Coach for a small part of the season

[Bedfordspurs]

Stellini had the balls to go all out attack against Bornemouth. Stellini also had the balls to play the 4-3-3 I think we should be playing, if we were a serious team. That is as far as I will go with the praises because the rest îs awful. Now we know why we don't play 4-3-3, because we lack the players to do so. Defense and midfield were like headless chickens. Truth is, for a 4-3-3 to work, only Romero and one of PEH/Skipp( as DM) should be on the field from those 7 players în defense and midfield. We have Bentancur as the box-to-box and we need the creative midfielder(Modric, Gundogan, Eriksen type of players). Our LBs are LWBs, with very few defensive qualities. So, for the moment we are stuck with the 5-2-3(or 3-4-3 for the optimists). Don't know if we can manouver enough în the summer transfer to actually change the formation, knowing Levy we can't. We don't even have this one locked în yet and it has been 18 months.

How about a 4-3-3 with

new keeper who can actually see and use his eyes and feet

Spence Romero New CB Destiny or another left back a we have a few

Bissouma, Bentacur and new creative mid (Scott from Bristol would be good and we’re being linked with the lad from Portugal)

fit Kulu, Kane and son
With Richarlison and Danjuma as minimal starting cover options (I’ve assumed we can do a deal for Danjuma with Lo Celso going the other way)

we would need Bissouma to remember how to play but we have players and we have options

what we don’t have is a capable LCB or any fit full backs and we also have a woeful keeper

 

[Raziel]

Where did I say Conte didn’t fail?
Just in case you’re in any doubt here it is.
He failed.

Let’s have a recap on some of what he said.













All complete nonsense of course as we’ve seen since big bad Antonio left.

Mate, who trained the players, who picked the tactics, who picked the exact same players over and over regardless how bad the form?

- We conceded 6 today because the manager picked 4 at the back with two WBs who can't defend, two kids in midfield and a front line that doesn't press
- Would we have lost anyway despite having better players on paper? probably but not 6-1

I really don't understand how people think "fight/bottle/whatever" overcomes brick tactics and not playing players in the right positions or in positions that allow them a chance to be successful. Like hey fudging Antonio, maybe don't allow your midfield to be outnumbered every fudging game .. maybe?

 

[Mcfee]

Mate, who trained the players, who picked the tactics, who picked the exact same players over and over regardless how bad the form?

- We conceded 6 today because the manager picked 4 at the back with two WBs who can't defend, two kids in midfield and a front line that doesn't press
- Would we have lost anyway despite having better players on paper? probably but not 6-1

I really don't understand how people think "fight/bottle/whatever" overcomes brick tactics and not playing players in the right positions or in positions that allow them a chance to be successful. Like hey fudging Antonio, maybe don't allow your midfield to be outnumbered every fudging game .. maybe?

Regardless of tactics our players fudging stood off, waving a leg at best for the first 20 mins today. That is not down to Conte.

And the players? The players? Where are the players?

Excuses for the players. 'But the players, maybe, my future, then we lost confidence, they lost spirit, they lost being a team'. Excuses. Excuses. Excuse. Try to protect them every time.

Nah, it’s easier blame the manager.

 

[Grays_1890]

Where did I say Conte didn’t fail?
Just in case you’re in any doubt here it is.
He failed.

Let’s have a recap on some of what he said.













All complete nonsense of course as we’ve seen since big bad Antonio left.

Of course he was right but as I said earlier him overseeing that, deciding to chuck the towel in and blame everyone but himself doesn't also make him some kind of hero. He was complicit In this, you could even link the lack of moral on how he treated players woth lack of selections.

But as you were clear I will be also, I am not solely blaming Conte. This seasons on the board, the players and him, he took his team from last season to the shambles of Southampton....he isn't a hero like being made out by some

Sent from my SM-A127F using Fapatalk

 

[IulianSteaua]

How about a 4-3-3 with

new keeper who can actually see and use his eyes and feet

Spence Romero New CB Destiny or another left back a we have a few

Bissouma, Bentacur and new creative mid (Scott from Bristol would be good and we’re being linked with the lad from Portugal)

fit Kulu, Kane and son
With Richarlison and Danjuma as minimal starting cover options (I’ve assumed we can do a deal for Danjuma with Lo Celso going the other way)

we would need Bissouma to remember how to play but we have players and we have options

what we don’t have is a capable LCB or any fit full backs and we also have a woeful keeper

Although the GK is not our biggest problem, I wouldnt disagree with a great one being bought. Spence hasn't shown anything yet, we need a highly established player there(LB and RB are în shambless, if we are to return to it). I agree with Romero, new CB(would love Bastoni, he is tall, we need that). Udogie is a very attacking LWB, he needs 3CBs. Bissouma has been very poor since signing, would only put him as a bench option for Bentancur at BEST, he looks like a box-to-box CM for me. Creative CM must be again a highly rated player, Gundogan is free în the summer, we could try although I see he attracts better teams than us. We need a reserve creative CM too, maybe Maddison or Ndombele if we can't sell him and an alternative is not found. Danjuma should get more playing time, ahead of Kulu, to actually see what is capable of. Richarlison can only play as striker at 100%, we should mostly use him there as a Kane sub and starting în some matches. Gil is a great prospect, he should be on the bench and rotate when Son isn't available or off form. Maybe we can raid Chelsea for some players, if they are willing to sell to us. They have won the UCL with players that are on their bench now or în the stands. I would love Kante or even Sterling(works great with Kane). We should also raid City, Gundogan and Laporte(if Bastoni isnt available).

 

[Benny_Lad]

Mate, who trained the players, who picked the tactics, who picked the exact same players over and over regardless how bad the form?

- We conceded 6 today because the manager picked 4 at the back with two WBs who can't defend, two kids in midfield and a front line that doesn't press
- Would we have lost anyway despite having better players on paper? probably but not 6-1

I really don't understand how people think "fight/bottle/whatever" overcomes brick tactics and not playing players in the right positions or in positions that allow them a chance to be successful. Like hey fudging Antonio, maybe don't allow your midfield to be outnumbered every fudging game .. maybe?

Correct on tactics. Today the manager bowed to pressure and paid the price.

Ironically the right move today was to do what Conte did a couple of times, drop one of the forwards (probably Kulu as we’d have needed Son’s pace as an outlet) and play a compact 532.

Conte done this on a couple of occasions against good opposition (notably Liverpool at home in one of Dele’s last games) and we were very good.

Sometimes you have to suck it up in football - recognise when an opponent is in a better place than you and adjust accordingly and be disciplined.

We did the complete opposite.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Correct on tactics. Today the manager bowed to pressure and paid the price.

Ironically the right move today was to do what Conte did a couple of times, drop one of the forwards (probably Kulu as we’d have needed Son’s pace as an outlet) and play a compact 532.

Conte done this on a couple of occasions against good opposition (notably Liverpool at home in one of Dele’s last games) and we were very good.

Sometimes you have to suck it up in football - recognise when an opponent is in a better place than you and adjust accordingly and be disciplined.

We did the complete opposite.

He didn't want to play 352 either. His thinking was solely around not having to pick Sanchez, so went with a 4

With both Davies and Lenglet on the bench and probably close to fitness we'll be back to 343 on Thursday I'd guess.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Although the GK is not our biggest problem, I wouldnt disagree with a great one being bought. Spence hasn't shown anything yet, we need a highly established player there(LB and RB are în shambless, if we are to return to it). I agree with Romero, new CB(would love Bastoni, he is tall, we need that). Udogie is a very attacking LWB, he needs 3CBs. Bissouma has been very poor since signing, would only put him as a bench option for Bentancur at BEST, he looks like a box-to-box CM for me. Creative CM must be again a highly rated player, Gundogan is free în the summer, we could try although I see he attracts better teams than us. We need a reserve creative CM too, maybe Maddison or Ndombele if we can't sell him and an alternative is not found. Danjuma should get more playing time, ahead of Kulu, to actually see what is capable of. Richarlison can only play as striker at 100%, we should mostly use him there as a Kane sub and starting în some matches. Gil is a great prospect, he should be on the bench and rotate when Son isn't available or off form. Maybe we can raid Chelsea for some players, if they are willing to sell to us. They have won the UCL with players that are on their bench now or în the stands. I would love Kante or even Sterling(works great with Kane). We should also raid City, Gundogan and Laporte(if Bastoni isnt available).

GK is our biggest problem
No team can defend anything when their keeper is as bad as Hugo at this level
We have seen good Hugo gain us points that the stats would say we shouldn’t get
Bad Hugo is like having a Shop dummy in the goal
I played in goal for a bit and when I was bad…. I was really bad and cost my team a lot of points
Hugo is now there
You can have the best defence in the world but when you have a keeper who is playing like he can’t see the ball anymore your screwed

People talk about VVD at pool but Allison made as much if not more difference

no top team has held onto a keeper as long as us. Even united are looking at de gea leaving

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He didn't want to play 352 either. His thinking was solely around not having to pick Sanchez, so went with a 4

With both Davies and Lenglet on the bench and probably close to fitness we'll be back to 343 on Thursday I'd guess.

It wasn’t the wrong call
He didn’t have a many options
Play a player who is still a bit injured and hope he can play
Play a guy who got jeered on and off the pitch
Change tactics to a system that on paper should suit us with the right personnel

 

[DeanoAustin]

It wasn’t the wrong call
He didn’t have a many options
Play a player who is still a bit injured and hope he can play
Play a guy who got jeered on and off the pitch
Change tactics to a system that on paper should suit us with the right personnel

He could have played Sanchez or Tanganga surely in a 5?

To be fair, I wasn't completely against a 4 but was very concerned about the personnel given the two full backs we had, the fact Dier doesn't have the mobility or skill to play in a 2 and Romero doesn't have the brains to play in a 2 unless he has someone quality beside him. Experimenting away to a side like Saudi Sportswashing Machine in a crucial game with those players was the wrong decision. Hindsight has shown it to be so but I fancy that quite a number saw it coming once the line up was announced.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He could have played Sanchez or Tanganga surely in a 5?

To be fair, I wasn't completely against a 4 but was very concerned about the personnel given the two full backs we had, the fact Dier doesn't have the mobility or skill to play in a 2 and Romero doesn't have the brains to play in a 2 unless he has someone quality beside him. Experimenting away to a side like Saudi Sportswashing Machine in a crucial game with those players was the wrong decision. Hindsight has shown it to be so but I fancy that quite a number saw it coming once the line up was announced.

Neither of those players can pass
I mean TBF neither did Dier or Romero yesterday

Romero will look awful in a. 2 unless he has an outstanding physical defender alongside him

 

[DeanoAustin]

Neither of those players can pass
I mean TBF neither did Dier or Romero yesterday

Romero will look awful in a. 2 unless he has an outstanding physical defender alongside him

That's a fair point. But you could see yesterday, by having one less player in the defence, Romero and Dier looked like U11 kids trying to defend. Just by having an extra body there, some of those goals don't go in as there aren't the massive holes that Saudi Sportswashing Machine exploited. While there was an element of the game being gone and Saudi Sportswashing Machine easing off, the fact it was a pretty even game when Sanchez came on was testament to how wrong Stellini had gotten it.

 

[demotw]

Although the GK is not our biggest problem, I wouldnt disagree with a great one being bought. Spence hasn't shown anything yet, we need a highly established player there(LB and RB are în shambless, if we are to return to it). I agree with Romero, new CB(would love Bastoni, he is tall, we need that). Udogie is a very attacking LWB, he needs 3CBs. Bissouma has been very poor since signing, would only put him as a bench option for Bentancur at BEST, he looks like a box-to-box CM for me. Creative CM must be again a highly rated player, Gundogan is free în the summer, we could try although I see he attracts better teams than us. We need a reserve creative CM too, maybe Maddison or Ndombele if we can't sell him and an alternative is not found. Danjuma should get more playing time, ahead of Kulu, to actually see what is capable of. Richarlison can only play as striker at 100%, we should mostly use him there as a Kane sub and starting în some matches. Gil is a great prospect, he should be on the bench and rotate when Son isn't available or off form. Maybe we can raid Chelsea for some players, if they are willing to sell to us. They have won the UCL with players that are on their bench now or în the stands. I would love Kante or even Sterling(works great with Kane). We should also raid City, Gundogan and Laporte(if Bastoni isnt available).

I think GK is one of our biggest problems, albeit not quite for the same reasons.

Lloris on form, for me, is one of the best shot stoppers in the league - he will win us points on his own. His distribution is hurting us badly however, he doesn't vary his distribution, its a pass (sometimes putting us under more pressure) into a CB or LB/RB. Now thats fine until the opponents start pushing which more teams are doing with us, even with 5 at the back this is forcing the defence to pretty much sit on the goal line to get the pass, forcing the midfield to drop back to receive a pass. This creates a bigger gap between mid and atk, meaning we end up either playing a wonder pass to get forward or more likely end up making a mistake and losing possession.
I also dont think this is tactics, as looking back with Conte (credit to whoever poster mentioned this previously as i hadnt noticed) he was constantly pointing at Lloris to kick it long when the pushed but it didnt happen or ended up a poor pass and returned anyways. Because of this, i think the whole dropping deeper and deeper is mainly, but not completely, down to the GK and would therefore make that one of our biggest priorities in the summer. Yes a decent CB will help as well and probably the 2nd priority after GK, then probably the fullbacks although with Royale im less worried about RB in a 4 or 5 and would need to see what destiny is like, but we also have Davies who is capable at LB in a 4. Creative mid would be nice, but not a priority as i think once we can stop worrying about the GK passing ability it will mean they push forward anyways and with Bentacur back we have enough passing in there to cope.

 

[AdamB]

Although the GK is not our biggest problem, I wouldnt disagree with a great one being bought.

Hmmm not sure about that. GK and CB are our main two problems, and if we spent all our money on just two players this summer, a competent GK and commanding, physical CB would be my wish

 

[Raziel]

That's a fair point. But you could see yesterday, by having one less player in the defence, Romero and Dier looked like U11 kids trying to defend. Just by having an extra body there, some of those goals don't go in as there aren't the massive holes that Saudi Sportswashing Machine exploited. While there was an element of the game being gone and Saudi Sportswashing Machine easing off, the fact it was a pretty even game when Sanchez came on was testament to how wrong Stellini had gotten it.

Yep, just a bad call combined with one of those days when for 20 minutes everything Saudi Sportswashing Machine hit went into the corners.

- Smarter move would have been to lose one of the 3 up front for the extra man in midfield
- Could have played Sanchex, Tanganga or shared the 90 between Lenglet & Davies, I actually thought when I saw the lineup he might have put PEH in back 3.

Truly brick game, having done the stupid brick we did, a fair result would have been something more like 4-2 (I think they got lucky with their goals, Kane should have had one more and Danjuma had a full goal to aim at), xG actually shows the game somewhat that way 1.99 v 1.02

 

[Grays_1890]

That's a fair point. But you could see yesterday, by having one less player in the defence, Romero and Dier looked like U11 kids trying to defend. Just by having an extra body there, some of those goals don't go in as there aren't the massive holes that Saudi Sportswashing Machine exploited. While there was an element of the game being gone and Saudi Sportswashing Machine easing off, the fact it was a pretty even game when Sanchez came on was testament to how wrong Stellini had gotten it.

There is also a timing element here, this season has been creeking along for months, we could have implemented changes when it was obvious and when we had longer time to learn them with breaks etc but Conte was so staunch he never would. We also have players who have played every minute who have not been good enough and the other half were treated like such cnuts that they are are devoid of any confidence, thats his legacy not this party line of "he was right"

Sanchez and Tang would have been better options in that team yesterday from a defensive perspective as anyone with a hole in the arse know those WBs can't defend, disastrous picking them in that 4, Skipps our best shielding CM so should have also been him and Sarr sat there covering with PEH the spare man. Formation was right, timing and implementation of it....disastrous

 

[DubSpur]

Although the GK is not our biggest problem, I wouldnt disagree with a great one being bought. Spence hasn't shown anything yet, we need a highly established player there(LB and RB are în shambless, if we are to return to it). I agree with Romero, new CB(would love Bastoni, he is tall, we need that). Udogie is a very attacking LWB, he needs 3CBs. Bissouma has been very poor since signing, would only put him as a bench option for Bentancur at BEST, he looks like a box-to-box CM for me. Creative CM must be again a highly rated player, Gundogan is free în the summer, we could try although I see he attracts better teams than us. We need a reserve creative CM too, maybe Maddison or Ndombele if we can't sell him and an alternative is not found. Danjuma should get more playing time, ahead of Kulu, to actually see what is capable of. Richarlison can only play as striker at 100%, we should mostly use him there as a Kane sub and starting în some matches. Gil is a great prospect, he should be on the bench and rotate when Son isn't available or off form. Maybe we can raid Chelsea for some players, if they are willing to sell to us. They have won the UCL with players that are on their bench now or în the stands. I would love Kante or even Sterling(works great with Kane). We should also raid City, Gundogan and Laporte(if Bastoni isnt available).

Sorry, goalkeeper is by far our biggest problem at the moment. Lloris should've stopped 3 of the goals yesterday and has directly caused us a lot of points this year. He's also indirectly caused us points by constantly giving the ball away, not coming for the ball and making an already poor defence nervous as they know he's always only moments from making a mistake. Until we get a proper keeper in we are never going to compete at the top.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Hmmm not sure about that. GK and CB are our main two problems, and if we spent all our money on just two players this summer, a competent GK and commanding, physical CB would be my wish

Would make a huge difference IMO

 

[Bedfordspurs]

That's a fair point. But you could see yesterday, by having one less player in the defence, Romero and Dier looked like U11 kids trying to defend. Just by having an extra body there, some of those goals don't go in as there aren't the massive holes that Saudi Sportswashing Machine exploited. While there was an element of the game being gone and Saudi Sportswashing Machine easing off, the fact it was a pretty even game when Sanchez came on was testament to how wrong Stellini had gotten it.

But Sanchez and Tanganga can’t play left side

 

[DubSpur]

Neither of those players can pass
I mean TBF neither did Dier or Romero yesterday

Romero will look awful in a. 2 unless he has an outstanding physical defender alongside him

Not just a physical defender but an experienced one that can read the game and talk him through a game. He will still make too many rash decisions without a leader beside him (could be a proper goalkeeper as well talking to him).