Positive thread alert

salfordpaul said:
hi all. Pep hasn't inherited a team of players like he had at Barca and Bayern. He IS the best manager about but can't turn water into wine.

All good blues, breathe deeply and relax
Click to expand...

But maybe Gabriel JESUS can ?.....................................here's hoping.
 
As it still stands, Chelsea are still only one draw or a defeat from a different complexion to the table.

Same people who were being ridiculed by Pep when we stated the season unbeaten, now stating beyond fact that the title is already now wrapped up.

Just as the dynamic in the league has changed, so is the previous trends that a team can win by Jan 1st.

Klopp is no clown, either, I thought it very telling in his sarcasm how Chelsea must be pissed winning 13 games on the bounce yet they are still only six points ahead of Liverpool, who have already been to play at Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

I would wager any team that can put five or six wins together will be firmly still in the thick of it right until mid April.

As for our lot, we have conceded only two more than United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

We're not winning games because we can't score goals, the strikers and midfield are letting us down, not so much the defence.

Outside of United, we have scored less that the rest of the teams around us.

It cost us back in 2013 and again in 2015.

Pep is showing clear signs of frustration with English football and he has to bend, or this will continue for a good while yet.

Our buying isn't up to scratch and we maybe bought for tomorrow, rather than addressing the problems of today.

We played the long game for Pep but football waits for no man or team, and the fact of the matter is that we are under performing massively as a top football club since we won the title back in 2012, based on the players we had, the money spent and the advantage we had over the rest of the league.

All of those advantages no longer exist, so if Pep is so rigid in his footballing principles, then we need to hear it soon that he will be here for at least five years, because that will take some of the pressure and expectation off, and we can put all the blocks in place.

Pep didn't come here as a novice and we can't afford to indulge anyone for three years on some sort of what might be.

Give him the cash, whatever it takes.
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
It's an age issue in general for me.

Yesterday we had

Bravo 33
Zabaleta almost 32
Kolarov 31
Toure 33
Silva 30
Fernandinho 31

6 out of 11 players over 30.

Then we have Clichy 31
Sagna almost 34
Kompany 30
Fernando 29

Too old and needs revamping. Midfield is more of a problem with age for me. Need more energy and legs in there.
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This is correct but we seem obsessed with buying 20 year olds but we need players at 24 who can do a job now.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
As it still stands, Chelsea are still only one draw or a defeat from a different complexion to the table.

Same people who were being ridiculed by Pep when we stated the season unbeaten, now stating beyond fact that the title is already now wrapped up.

Just as the dynamic in the league has changed, so is the previous trends that a team can win by Jan 1st.

Klopp is no clown, either, I thought it very telling in his sarcasm how Chelsea must be pissed winning 13 games on the bounce yet they are still only six points ahead of Liverpool, who have already been to play at Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

I would wager any team that can put five or six wins together will be firmly still in the thick of it right until mid April.

As for our lot, we have conceded only two more than United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

We're not winning games because we can't score goals, the strikers and midfield are letting us down, not so much the defence.

Outside of United, we have scored less that the rest of the teams around us.

It cost us back in 2013 and again in 2015.

Pep is showing clear signs of frustration with English football and he has to bend, or this will continue for a good while yet.

Our buying isn't up to scratch and we maybe bought for tomorrow, rather than addressing the problems of today.

We played the long game for Pep but football waits for no man or team, and the fact of the matter is that we are under performing massively as a top football club since we won the title back in 2012, based on the players we had, the money spent and the advantage we had over the rest of the league.

All of those advantages no longer exist, so if Pep is so rigid in his footballing principles, then we need to hear it soon that he will be here for at least five years, because that will take some of the pressure and expectation off, and we can put all the blocks in place.

Pep didn't come here as a novice and we can't afford to indulge anyone for three years on some sort of what might be.

Give him the cash, whatever it takes.
Click to expand...
But pep is already adapting slightly, by putting more of an onus on the second ball, which did seem to have an effect. What can he do about sergio, de bruyne and silva misfirig?
 
jamesha said:
On a positive note we have some good young prospects - anyone else looking forward to seeing a front three of Sterling-Jesus-Sane? - will give EPL defenders nightmares if our midfield can feed them.

TBH I think that the Mancini team has been allowed to go on for too long. I love (most of) them but time waits for no man.
Click to expand...
What's all this "EPL" shit?
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
As it still stands, Chelsea are still only one draw or a defeat from a different complexion to the table.

Same people who were being ridiculed by Pep when we stated the season unbeaten, now stating beyond fact that the title is already now wrapped up.

Just as the dynamic in the league has changed, so is the previous trends that a team can win by Jan 1st.

Klopp is no clown, either, I thought it very telling in his sarcasm how Chelsea must be pissed winning 13 games on the bounce yet they are still only six points ahead of Liverpool, who have already been to play at Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

I would wager any team that can put five or six wins together will be firmly still in the thick of it right until mid April.

As for our lot, we have conceded only two more than United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

We're not winning games because we can't score goals, the strikers and midfield are letting us down, not so much the defence.

Outside of United, we have scored less that the rest of the teams around us.

It cost us back in 2013 and again in 2015.

Pep is showing clear signs of frustration with English football and he has to bend, or this will continue for a good while yet.

Our buying isn't up to scratch and we maybe bought for tomorrow, rather than addressing the problems of today.

We played the long game for Pep but football waits for no man or team, and the fact of the matter is that we are under performing massively as a top football club since we won the title back in 2012, based on the players we had, the money spent and the advantage we had over the rest of the league.

All of those advantages no longer exist, so if Pep is so rigid in his footballing principles, then we need to hear it soon that he will be here for at least five years, because that will take some of the pressure and expectation off, and we can put all the blocks in place.

Pep didn't come here as a novice and we can't afford to indulge anyone for three years on some sort of what might be.

Give him the cash, whatever it takes.
Click to expand...

I agree, in th main(the rest I can't read coz I'm on my 2nd bottle of bubbly)

We can't score, we don't create chances, that's the problem! However, as this is a positive thread - if we keep the ball, like we tend to, we don't concede chances
 
balotelli's back pocket said:
But pep is already adapting slightly, by putting more of an onus on the second ball, which did seem to have an effect. What can he do about sergio, de bruyne and silva misfirig?
Click to expand...

You don't put them all in the same team for a start, certainly not against a high press quality team.

We have widemen coming out of our ears, yet no discernable presence in the penalty box as a result.

We need either a target man for Sergio to play off, like the old Negredo combo, or G Jesus must only now play as a second striker, and one of Silva, Sterling or KDB has to sit it out each week.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
As it still stands, Chelsea are still only one draw or a defeat from a different complexion to the table.

Same people who were being ridiculed by Pep when we stated the season unbeaten, now stating beyond fact that the title is already now wrapped up.

Just as the dynamic in the league has changed, so is the previous trends that a team can win by Jan 1st.

Klopp is no clown, either, I thought it very telling in his sarcasm how Chelsea must be pissed winning 13 games on the bounce yet they are still only six points ahead of Liverpool, who have already been to play at Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

I would wager any team that can put five or six wins together will be firmly still in the thick of it right until mid April.

As for our lot, we have conceded only two more than United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

We're not winning games because we can't score goals, the strikers and midfield are letting us down, not so much the defence.

Outside of United, we have scored less that the rest of the teams around us.

It cost us back in 2013 and again in 2015.

Pep is showing clear signs of frustration with English football and he has to bend, or this will continue for a good while yet.

Our buying isn't up to scratch and we maybe bought for tomorrow, rather than addressing the problems of today.

We played the long game for Pep but football waits for no man or team, and the fact of the matter is that we are under performing massively as a top football club since we won the title back in 2012, based on the players we had, the money spent and the advantage we had over the rest of the league.

All of those advantages no longer exist, so if Pep is so rigid in his footballing principles, then we need to hear it soon that he will be here for at least five years, because that will take some of the pressure and expectation off, and we can put all the blocks in place.

Pep didn't come here as a novice and we can't afford to indulge anyone for three years on some sort of what might be.

Give him the cash, whatever it takes.
Click to expand...

And you trust Txiki to spend it?
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
You don't put them all in the same team for a start, certainly not against a high press quality team.

We have widemen coming out of our ears, yet no discernable presence in the penalty box as a result.

We need either a target man for Sergio to play off, like the old Negredo combo, or G Jesus must only now play as a second striker, and one of Silva, Sterling or KDB has to sit it out each week.
Click to expand...
Silva it is then.
 
As a Barca fan, I'll put my thoughts in,

We have to look at things from a fair perspective here. Without taking credibility away from Conte and Klopp they both are use to working with less talent and thus have an advantage in that department, there is no doubt Pep has had superior talent in the past and with City there is a big drop, you can't have Glitchy/Sagna/Zab/Kolarov doing things you had Alves/Lahm/Alaba doing, likewise Stones/Ota doing what Pique/Puyol/Abidal/Boateng/Kimmich/Masche were doing, same as Bravo compared to Neuer/Valdes. Likewise with Aguero can't do what Villa/Messi/Lewa did for him and this is were he gets hit. because that's what he's trying to do.

Chelsea the previous season (before Mou final season) were league champions, so they don't have duds in their squads and this season without CL football and many players trying to make up for last season failures they have the motivation, just like BM in Jupp last season getting their arse handed to them by Dortmund and losing a CL final at home, gave them a kick.

This game against Liverpool wasn't good at all and not much separated the two sides, Pool only had one shot on target the entire game and defend for majority of it.

However Pep transfer this window were poor, he needed to strength his back line were he failed at the end, also his constant tinkering. City won 10 games in a row, drew the 11th and lost in 12th, so they had things going there way trying to fit Gundo in midfield with Silva and KdB has hit them hard and then playing a back 3 also due to it, didn't help. City went 10-1-1 in their first 11 games, they went 2-0-0 when they went back to a back 4 and now they're 3-0-1 with a back 4, so it's clear the back 4 works best, Pep just needs to learn to stick with that.

Pep did tinker with us, but nowhere near the amount I've seen him do at BM and now City. Perhaps it's his fear of being found out or wanting to change things to keep his opponents guessing.
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
As it still stands, Chelsea are still only one draw or a defeat from a different complexion to the table.

Same people who were being ridiculed by Pep when we stated the season unbeaten, now stating beyond fact that the title is already now wrapped up.

Just as the dynamic in the league has changed, so is the previous trends that a team can win by Jan 1st.

Klopp is no clown, either, I thought it very telling in his sarcasm how Chelsea must be pissed winning 13 games on the bounce yet they are still only six points ahead of Liverpool, who have already been to play at Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

I would wager any team that can put five or six wins together will be firmly still in the thick of it right until mid April.

As for our lot, we have conceded only two more than United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

We're not winning games because we can't score goals, the strikers and midfield are letting us down, not so much the defence.

Outside of United, we have scored less that the rest of the teams around us.

It cost us back in 2013 and again in 2015.

Pep is showing clear signs of frustration with English football and he has to bend, or this will continue for a good while yet.

Our buying isn't up to scratch and we maybe bought for tomorrow, rather than addressing the problems of today.

We played the long game for Pep but football waits for no man or team, and the fact of the matter is that we are under performing massively as a top football club since we won the title back in 2012, based on the players we had, the money spent and the advantage we had over the rest of the league.

All of those advantages no longer exist, so if Pep is so rigid in his footballing principles, then we need to hear it soon that he will be here for at least five years, because that will take some of the pressure and expectation off, and we can put all the blocks in place.

Pep didn't come here as a novice and we can't afford to indulge anyone for three years on some sort of what might be.

Give him the cash, whatever it takes.
Click to expand...
I'd agree with most of this, especially the defence not being as bad as made out and the attack not being as good as many think. I do struggle to understand how he has quickly dropped into MP mode. Aguero straight back in after relative success when out, KDB on the left and Toure/Fern in a midfield 2. It didn't work all last season and I see no reason why it should suddenly start working now. I am very firmly of the view that he'll get it right in time but, he should surely be able to change how he plays if what he's got isn't up to it?
 
tolmie's hairdoo said:
As it still stands, Chelsea are still only one draw or a defeat from a different complexion to the table.

Same people who were being ridiculed by Pep when we stated the season unbeaten, now stating beyond fact that the title is already now wrapped up.

Just as the dynamic in the league has changed, so is the previous trends that a team can win by Jan 1st.

Klopp is no clown, either, I thought it very telling in his sarcasm how Chelsea must be pissed winning 13 games on the bounce yet they are still only six points ahead of Liverpool, who have already been to play at Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs.

I would wager any team that can put five or six wins together will be firmly still in the thick of it right until mid April.

As for our lot, we have conceded only two more than United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

We're not winning games because we can't score goals, the strikers and midfield are letting us down, not so much the defence.

Outside of United, we have scored less that the rest of the teams around us.

It cost us back in 2013 and again in 2015.

Pep is showing clear signs of frustration with English football and he has to bend, or this will continue for a good while yet.

Our buying isn't up to scratch and we maybe bought for tomorrow, rather than addressing the problems of today.

We played the long game for Pep but football waits for no man or team, and the fact of the matter is that we are under performing massively as a top football club since we won the title back in 2012, based on the players we had, the money spent and the advantage we had over the rest of the league.

All of those advantages no longer exist, so if Pep is so rigid in his footballing principles, then we need to hear it soon that he will be here for at least five years, because that will take some of the pressure and expectation off, and we can put all the blocks in place.

Pep didn't come here as a novice and we can't afford to indulge anyone for three years on some sort of what might be.

Give him the cash, whatever it takes.
Click to expand...

Good post. The 3 years thing is an issue for sure.

As I've just posted elsewhere, we are not on a bad run currently with 3/4 wins but the other sides are just on really good runs, including the rags.

39 points would usually have us in the mix after 19 games but Chelsea have had such a great first half of the season that it maybe distorts the picture. The Chelsea game at home was a killer. We could easily have been 3/4 up in that game and dented them in the process. As it is, we lost a game we should have won and gave them even more confidence.

I doubt Chelsea will implode that much and will probably win it with 12/13 wins in their last 19 games. Something they look very capable of.

The defence isn't too bad when you look at stats alone but I would still argue that we make too many errors leading to goals. Stones against Southampton and Leicester, Zab and Clichy against Boro, KolArov against Spurs and yesterday, Bravo against the rags. There are no doubt other examples.

if we win tomorrow it will make things look a bit brighter and we can have a good go in the FA Cup this year hopefully.
 
TotalFootballOne said:
As a Barca fan, I'll put my thoughts in,

We have to look at things from a fair perspective here. Without taking credibility away from Conte and Klopp they both are use to working with less talent and thus have an advantage in that department, there is no doubt Pep has had superior talent in the past and with City there is a big drop, you can't have Glitchy/Sagna/Zab/Kolarov doing things you had Alves/Lahm/Alaba doing, likewise Stones/Ota doing what Pique/Puyol/Abidal/Boateng/Kimmich/Masche were doing, same as Bravo compared to Neuer/Valdes. Likewise with Aguero can't do what Villa/Messi/Lewa did for him and this is were he gets hit. because that's what he's trying to do.

Chelsea the previous season (before Mou final season) were league champions, so they don't have duds in their squads and this season without CL football and many players trying to make up for last season failures they have the motivation, just like BM in Jupp last season getting their arse handed to them by Dortmund and losing a CL final at home, gave them a kick.

This game against Liverpool wasn't good at all and not much separated the two sides, Pool only had one shot on target the entire game and defend for majority of it.

However Pep transfer this window were poor, he needed to strength his back line were he failed at the end, also his constant tinkering. City won 10 games in a row, drew the 11th and lost in 12th, so they had things going there way trying to fit Gundo in midfield with Silva and KdB has hit them hard and then playing a back 3 also due to it, didn't help. City went 10-1-1 in their first 11 games, they went 2-0-0 when they went back to a back 4 and now they're 3-0-1 with a back 4, so it's clear the back 4 works best, Pep just needs to learn to stick with that.

Pep did tinker with us, but nowhere near the amount I've seen him do at BM and now City. Perhaps it's his fear of being found out or wanting to change things to keep his opponents guessing.
Click to expand...
Great post. Couldn't have said it better myself. You read my mind almost word for word - especially the first long paragraph
 
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