The College Dropout

Top clubs have dominated this competition for a long time. The last couple non top 6 winners were Birmingham and Boro no? 10+ years ago a pop. The squad depth is so deep they can get to the semis playing heavily rotated teams and take it from there.

Spurs/Man U would be the one to avoid in the semis if we get there. CL clubs have so many high quality games in Jan/Feb they will have to heavily rotate. I would expect Spurs and Man U to play their stronger sides.

Why not? Liverpool did. We did. It doesn’t even have to be 90. 60 is great. That passive low block away from him isn’t going to work consistently.

I’d like to play a double pivot of some type. Maybe 442. But a narrow Villa type in midfield. Willock or Joe on the right but close to Bruno. Get the width from Livra. Tonali and Bruno have complementary skills on paper. As a single pivot, I can see Tonali losing the ball in deep areas trying to move it quickly. IMO he would need a close option in Bruno at all times. Latter day Kroos and Casemiro/Tchou - would dovetail closely a lot. Sometimes Kroos would be deepest to progress play and Case would get forward more. But Case would also often be the deepest defensively and could screen more through the middle. Better defensively on the transition - Kroos went through a 3-4 year period of being awful off the ball. Couldn’t run. Tackle. Got better towards the end at blocking passing lanes but for awhile it was awful (tangent).

Some great discussion in here boys and girls. Sometimes I get annoyed when we talk about players as simply ‘class’ or ‘shite’ - especially our own players. These are professionals with certain skills, drawbacks and potentials. Saying that - that Enzo is shite. Chelsea have been robbed.

No Haaland does not suit a possession based side. But City have 9 or 10 other players that are so he adds a different dimension. He’s also the best in the world at what he does so that helps the clash of styles. Im not agenda driven at all. If you look at this thread and others I’ve defended Howe a lot recently. I’m not even saying this to attack him! I just want him to play the style that he has built the squad for. Tonali might prove to be an excellent player. He has ability. He can bring great physicality to that position in the press, recovery runs etc. but he’s not going to be as good under pressure on the ball as Bruno. I think a double pivot with them both could work excellently tbf. With just the one of them deep you lose legs or quick feet.

Just got more footballing ability than Tino. Tino can defend though. So there’s that.

Agree again here. Overall the performances were similar. Today was better but not significantly so imo. A lot of the negatives remain from Sunday. As are some of the positives. And we had some bonus positives like Krafth, Kelly at Cb, Joes working well again, Tonali deepest and Osulu. Can’t keep the ball for toffee and are easily played through mind.

Yep I thought they had a couple great chances and a few more where better quality would’ve seen a goal or a good opportunity. We were dogged and determined as they were half arsed. But I don’t think that structure/setup is a strong one. This too.

Such interesting posts back to back. I lean towards Chelsea were naff but we had some excellent performances and some nice ideas. Don’t like how deep and passive we were for large parts of the game. Not compact either.

Yeh aye it’s intentional. But it’s not good. delighted with the win. Some good ideas that worked well that we might see again in the league hopefully.

Never seen him play well in my life.

Oh so you mean the passive low block that lets opposition build and create attacks however they want is intentional and a sign of good coaching. Ok. At least we agree that it’s naff.

Yeh they might be top 5 with him in it.

You just said we looked well coached

It’s a nothing side without Palmer still imo.

Willie Osula looks a player.

Just sitting in a low block. Not even particularly compact. Can’t string 2 passes together against Chelsea’s second string.

Still don’t look a well coached side imo.

Commentators not going to mention that it wasn’t offside?

Isak looks knackered.

I agree about having a mix. Even Villa have Tielemans and Barkley who aren’t the most athletic or mobile. But then also have lots of legs around them in Onana, Rogers, Ramsey, McGinn in a compact team - not a lot of space between the lines not a tremendous amount of ground for them to cover by themselves.

Isak said himself he likes playing with us in the PL because the games are more fast, transitional and direct. The slower nature of Spanish football wasn’t always to his strengths. Yourr arguing the other points with feelings and not facts. Tonali’s passing ball rentention is not a major strength. We knew this before he joined. Gordon doesn’t even need to be explained. They are talented players and have flexibility. But they are not the players to turn a transition team into a possession based team. We do not have the personnel to play like that effectively. Our squad is tilted to athleticism and power so we should play like that more than we’ve been trying. Aye - we could try doing it in bursts. Or certain areas. I dunno. Exactly this. When I saw clips and read all about Tonali I knew we were doubling down on the press. Tonali increases the technical floor of the midfield substantially (Longstaff) but the aim was to give nothing away physically. Earlier that summer I suggested Kovacic - that to me would represent a shift in style. A bit slower, more focussed on control, secure on the ball etc. but we doubled down on what was working with a player who was potentially elite in that mould. Ok no problem that makes sense.

The crossed out are all better suited to transitional, athletic, vertical teams. They are the 3 most expensive signings too. When we were calling out from a creative attacker to playmake - we signed a direct goal threat in Barnes. When we could've signed a more ball secure, technical CM we signed someone who is more physically gifted than technically gifted in Tonali. It's a side built to press and run. That's fine, it's more of a Klopp side than Guardiola. Bruno is a fairly classic 6/DLP in the European mould. Pirlo, Jorginho, latter day Kroos, Busquets. Initiate attacks from deep, press resistant etc. Close that gap between midfield and defence would show evolution. I've become "it is what it is" with that issue. Sometimes CBs are aggressive and clamp down that space other teams we just get abused there. I've stopped caring. But when people talk about Eddie the tactical mastermind, the coaches' coach, I just can't buy it.

Based on the profile of player he has purchased for quarter of a billi.