Steff, you were one of the most vocal after that summer window IIRC saying that Poch had been backed by the club and that they HAD been brave...are you now saying the club didn't back Poch at the time?
If there is one possible area they did not do what he wanted, it was in taking reasonable bids for fringe players/shipping out others regardless of cost. Obviously that would not be great business, so I see Levy’s point too. I think there is frustration more than blame. BTW you do remember that I defined “brave” as buying top players he wanted and not filler, right? In that regard I think he got what he wanted and may yet get Dybala.
Why can he not afford to do this actually, if they aren't playing well enough etc? 1 - if he is the good manager he is meant to be players play on merit and sign for the club 'to train' before he decides who has trained well etc before picking his team? 2 - Do you not see how that description actually makes Poch look weak given this is now his team and he has far more control - in theory - than when he joined? 3 - also Poch HAS done this with Alderwiereld the season before last when Sanchez was constantly picked ahead of Alderwiereld! So when did Jan and Toby become the Kabouls and why?? Also, the purpose of buying Sanchez is so we have SQUAD of choice centre backs to use. The fact that Toby is still having to be used says as much about Sanchez' lack of improvement under Poch as anything about Toby..
I have to concede you may have a point reavo, but for me, he is currently a victim of his relative versatility. The season before, Toby was INJURED (as he was the season before) and missed many weeks because of it. There is a sub-story to that which remains unsubstantiated with regards to weight. I know he thought Toby would be off and Toby thought Toby would be off. Quite right too. He has cost us this season IMO. But again, you make good counter points, so agree to disagree.
Steff, i think you are ignoring quite a few things here and whilst it's good to be positive you have to ask WHY have we become so stale over the last year, which actually started imo after that historic win at Stamford Bridge in April 2018 - we have been creaking since then and scraped top 4 both times since then, whenb top 4 should have been givens long before the end.
Either this 'transition' hasn't gone well because Levy/the board have broken their promises [remember all that 'being brave' stuff??] or Poch himself has hit a brick wall with regards to how much his methods are focused on young-ish players being able to run and run more than the opposition and less on being able to out-smart the opposition.
You also cannot say that his public utterances haven't been short of shocking as
@DeanoAustin,
@Nigeyman and others have eloquently pointed out and it just might be that players - who are human after all - think, why should i bust my balls for someone who:
a) might leave any minute anyway
b) plays certain players no matter how they play, e.g. Alli, Trippier, Son or whatever misdemeanour they do, e.g. Lloris
c) doesn't think we are that good - see yesterday's quotes
d) now calls us out in public - see 'not following the plan' quotes
e) thinks trying to win domestic cups 'is just for egos'
I honestly cannot revisit the countless reasons offered over the last 12 months for out form/malaise, suffice to say stadium and injury issues last season were a major mitigator and if you choose to ignore those I cannot go any further.
Yes, it is certainly not great and requires deep investigation. With regards to quotes, I have also questioned him a couple of times this season with regards to specific moments, but this “pile-on” without analysis tinkles me off mate.
I have not seen his quotes from yesterday. I didn’t see Dele close to the team. I didn’t see anything about “leaving” recently. I did see him saying we need to win something. I have not seen him saying anything about “cups” and “egos” for some time. You have collected some sentiments from the last 18 months and
presented them as recent outbursts!
Look, I appreciate that my viewpoint is often seen as “clappy”. That is fine. I criticize when I think it is necessary and I always tend to look for context amidst the issues. I am GLAD he is unhappy. He should be. We are not able to close out winning positions! And it needs to be addressee. And I TRUST it will be.
The writing on the wall doesn't look good does it? The sad thing is it's mostly self-inflicted, and if we couldn't do the changes needed in summer 2018 - when we had time and things were clearer - what makes you think we'll be able to do such a much bigger and more desperately needed change in a much shorter timespan?
Because players will LEAVE and incoming players will see where they might operate!!!!! We all have our issues. Personally? I think we should’ve got Alves in (a la Naybet) to guide a few for 12-18 months as he is fudging WINNER! Poch was never going to do that. Ain’t his way. So I choose to accept that he will do things his way. I think this will be a tough season and top 4 is again my aim. When will that not be enough? Soon. When is soon? Great question. But right now, I do not believe that Poch deserves anything LESS than our support.
Last June, I made a 24 trip to the CL Final. I went not believing it was happening yet believing we could win. I have probably not -and might never- process that night fully. To be so close...Can it happen again? Truthfully, I do not think so with this current squad. Can it happen again with Poch? I believe it can.
Good discussion mate.