Lotus

Dortmund were really bad down the wings and against transition vs Frankfurt. Comical at times.

He’s decent but not as good as Botman or Schar. When Sven is back we’ll look a bit more assured.

Haven't seen anything of them this season but last season they were pretty vulnerable in transition. And that was with Bellingham. From what I've read Haller is having an off year and Can is shaky. Tbf, Can is a talented player and a good athlete but he cannot concentrate for the full 90 mins. Guerreiro left which means they're probably not as soft on their left flank as before. He was a good footballer but rarely bothered his arse to defend. I think we'll beat them. Intensity will overwhelm them. They're kind of hardwired to try and play it about even when it's going wrong for them. I've read Reyna is back and playing well. He looked an excellent prospect before it started to unravel a bit. Lots of injuries and a bit of controversy with behaviour/attitude.

I can't listen to that. Not with that stupid, guttural accent. Sounds stupid. Like a scouse but I do catch the occasional word. Wouldn't want a propa game of football ruined by someone with a voice like that...

I think he's very good at enabling better players to play their game. Especially good passers of the ball. I don't see that skill translating to the England set up as well. They lack guile in the middle. Well, everywhere tbh.

What's surprising is how soooooo many men actually believe they have some sharpened insight into the game simply because they're men. Or they've had a kick about on Hackney Marshes and now they're supremely positioned to understand every nuance of the game at it's most intense and technical level, all simply because they've a pair of balls that, probably barely swing betwixt their underdeveloped pins . Most people, and therefore most blokes can barely even scratch the surface of what's involved in a huge sporting enterprise like a Premier League club. Yet we all, me too....post in pages and pages of threads about it. Are any of us genuinely qualified to appraise someone who's been employed to give analysis on the game at it's highest level?

Does it? How? Rio played in massive games. I don’t mind JJ commentating on a game but if it’s a game that was above the level of his career and he referenced his experience, it wouldn’t make sense. He didn’t have that experience, he can’t compare. Isn’t that point fairly obvious?

I also don’t understand how someone can say they don’t like the sound of women’s voices! Wtf does that mean? There’s some women for whom I don’t like the sound of their voice. M Thatcher was one as an example. Mariella Frostrup though was a very different experience. It’s the tone of the particular person talking, not half the planet’s population that should be judged, shirley?

First of all, as said before Emma Hayes gives excellent analysis. Second, the gender of the person commenting or analysing isn’t important, what they say is important. If people are comparing their experiences with the experiences of the players in the game in question, then you want to compare apples with apples. But, there so few ex players who actually played and won league titles, UCLs, World Cups and even fewer of them commentate. So, the vast major of male ex players are not qualified by experience either. A couple are, the rest not. So then it comes down to the quality of what they’re saying. Having a colour commentator who may have experienced that particular big occasion can work if they’re lucid enough. I do pay attention when Rio Ferdinand speaks for example. I don’t mind Jermaine Jenas. But if ever started a point during a major final or a league deciding game and he referenced his experience. That would feel off. npwwwwwwwww!

Think Jamaal can handle Antonio. His kind of battle. Bowen is such an influential figure for them, 5 goals and 2 assists in 8 games so far. I wonder if a more mobile LB like Targett might do better limiting his game rather than Burn who often needs support against a wide player. Especially if we have no natural left sided forward to support him.

Messi and Ronaldo were incredible players but also fantastic athletes, Ronaldo especially. When they got older and their athleticism wore off they were still absolutely excellent players. I’m not sure Mbappe is anywhere near the same player without his pace. Never seen him control a game on his reading, positioning, passing alone. When I see a very good player with a clear athletic advantage i always wonder what they’d be like without it. If it’s clear they’d still be a hugely influential figure on the pitch then I think they’re a great player. You’ve got to have more than one clear advantage over the opposition to be considered in the very top bracket imo. My take, anyway….

Thought he was great. Love to see it. Genuine question, did he play Hernandez onside for their goal? Shit happens but i just lost who it was.

Think Schar is the most talented player at the club, personally. He can execute all aspects of football. Can, dribble, shoot, ping a great pass, tackle, head well. Complete Swiss Army knife.

Our shape is evolving. We don’t pedal to the metal press for the full game. We’re learning when to sit off and how to sit off. Getting compact, making it harder to play through the lines and then crowding and harassing the player receiving the ball if they do. Midfielders turning and getting to them and defenders stepping right into their faces. We’re also showing we can play through a tight midfield with little lay offs and one touch passing between the midfielders designed to get one of them a little bit more time to get their head up and progress the ball. Think the Milan game did something. We’ve changed since.

What a finish it was. First off, he wasn’t on his heels, he was ready for something. Then, ball breaks his way and he has a fraction to decide where to put it and the execution is flawless. Like, top tier stuff. Incredible.

Was it against Tranmere?

Clearly starved of Vitamin D since moving north and his bones are crumbling ?

With the Joes for the left and Miggy and Murphy on the right. Gordon can play either. Think we’ll be ok. Very much a shame though.

I was thinking about it after and it was noticeable how often Livramento dealt with his winger 1 v 1, without any real help from anyone . That sort of brings up the issue me and, incidentally TCD have had with Burn. I completely recognise all the good Burn brings. Great defensive headers, very physical, absolute monster mentality, but rarely can handle any 1 v 1 situations. Nearly always needs a teammate to help him push the wide player either in or out so Burn just needs to focus on one direction of acceleration if he needs to. I see it’s not his fault, he’s so tall he just doesn’t get off the mark well and his hips are fairly stiff, doesn’t switch lines well when running. So, I guess what makes him good at one thing does undermine him in the other. Seeing a FB completely lockdown Grealish and, apart from once, Doku. The difference does become quite stark. We’ll see what happens with Targett and how well Hall develops. Until then, you’d have to say Burn has earned his spot as his competition isn’t beating him out of a place.

He managed to cut out a couple of cross field passes with his head. Good timing and decent leap. Was good to see. It’s what Burn absolutely excels at. If Targett can add that to his game it means Burn has to up his he weaker parts of his game (control and passing) to get in the team. Win win. I’m pretty much at the stage where I just trust Howe to play who’s most inform. We clamour for other players but when they get on the pitch we kind of see why they haven’t been starting regularly.

???

I agree, I think he would. And I honestly think Howe would know what he’s doing. When we were clamouring for Targett last season, when we finally saw we realised why he hadn’t been playing. He wasn’t up to it. I genuinely believe Eddie chooses the players who are best able out of what’s available to him. Hall has better athleticism and better all round ability than Targett so he will need to align his attitude and application with the rest of the group. Once he’s there we’ll have a very good LB.

Do prefer Bruno with the bulk of his playing from the half way line forward.

I would think, given the money paid he’ll be viewed as 2nd choice. We can already see he’s quicker and better with the ball than Burn but Burn does continually make strong defensive contributions.

I don’t normally think of things like this but for some reason this imagery is haunting ? I mean, is he into it or is it against his will?